APOY
We reveal the top 30 images uploaded to Photocrowd, and chosen by our expert panel, from Round Six Creative Eye (abstracts)
the results of round six of our 2017 competition. the Creative Eye theme certainly produced a rich seam of inspired work
1 Henrik Spranz Austria 50pts Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 70-200mm, 0.3sec, f/20, ISO 250
Panning your camera horizontally or vertically to create an abstract image is a popular technique with landscape photographers. It works particularly well when panning vertically to capture a group of trees, and we’ve seen many great examples in this round. However, this one really stood out. Devoid of colour, except the pop of warmth from the trunks, it has a monochromatic feel. Perhaps more eye- catching is the movement and shapes created from the falling snow, giving the image a three- dimensional feel.
2 Joe Baumann USA 49pts DJI FC300C drone, 20.7mm, 1/80sec at f/2.8, ISO 100
This stunning shot won the Crowd Vote on Photocrowd, and narrowly missed out on the top spot as voted for by the AP expert panel. It was taken in northern Minnesota using a DJI drone and is a great example of how to pare a composition down to its key elements: in this case the snake-like path of the river and the lush vegetation that surrounds it. If you look closely you’ll see that the forest contains multiple shades of green and yellow, adding a sense of depth to the image. Shooting from above using a short focal length has given the trees the appearance of moving outwards, adding a sense of energy.
4 Alexander Mano Varga Slovakia 47pts Nikon D7100, 17-50mm, 1/400sec at f/9, ISO 100
As photographers we can get very hung up with the idea of capturing maximum detail and sharpness, but sometimes conveying a mood or a sense of place is more important. Here Alexander experimented with zooming in and out during an exposure, and the result is a study of line and colour. An area of green takes our eyes from left to right, while the trunks direct our gaze upwards towards the blue of the sky. The trick here is to leave enough detail for the viewer to gain a sense of place, while also creating a visually pleasing abstract.
3 Zay Yar Lin Burma 48pts Nikon D700, 24-85mm, 1/640sec at f/6.3, ISO 200
We are often told to avoid dividing the frame in half, but the balance of this picture is spot on. The swirling blue and white of the sea contrasts brilliantly with the smooth red deck, and the shadow of the painter stops the right-hand side from dominating the left. It would have been nice to see the top of the painter’s head, but the slice of yellow in the top left-hand corner suggests that this was impossible. The picture was taken from the bridge wings (narrow walkways) of a ship sailing in the Gulf of Mexico.
5 Athena B USA 46pts Sony Alpha 330, 55mm, 1/500sec at f/5.6, ISO 100
This beautiful abstract was taken in Yellowstone National Park and could easily be an aerial view of a dramatic rocky coastline. In reality the shot is a macro perspective showing the rich geology of a thermal pool. The colours are spectacular, and the rough lines and layers created by the rocks give the feeling that we are being drawn deeper and deeper into the pool. To enhance the colours and details a touch, a slight HDR filter was added during post-processing, but the colours are still pretty true to nature.
6 Tom Sweetman UK 45pts DJI FC220 drone, 26.3mm, 1/320sec at f/2.2, ISO 100
This aerial shot of cyclists crossing the Ping River in Thailand is striking due to the viewpoint and the care Tom has taken to apply the rule of thirds.
7 Roberto Gaudenzi Italy 44pts Canon EOS 350D, 70mm, 1/6sec at f/3.5, ISO 100
Shooting plants close- up results in extremely shallow depth of field, and requires careful positioning of the focal point – Roberto has risen to the challenge here.
10 Claudia Mottram USA 41pts HTC One X, 1/60sec at f/2, ISO 102
This well- observed shot of raindrops on a red background was taken with a mobile phone. Proof that it’s what you have with you that counts.
11 Mariusz Pietranek Poland 40pts DJI FC330 drone, 3.6mm, 1/590sec at f/2.8, ISO 100
The perspective achieved by using a drone has the power to surprise us, and this shot of a series of sediment tanks over a steelworks in Poland is a great example.
14 Ceri Jones UK 37pts Canon EOS 6D, 105mm, 1/30sec at f/4, ISO 800
Having carefully folded rolls of coloured paper, Ceri arranged them into an aesthetically pleasing pattern and lit the paper from behind. There is a great sense of movement to the shot, and the soft colour palette works well.
15 John Bull UK 36pts Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III, 25.7mm, 1/100sec at f/4, ISO 125
The canopy around the redeveloped New Street Station in Birmingham has led to a mosaic of colour and shapes.
8 Viraj Khorjuwekar India 43pts Canon EOS 600D, 18-55mm, 1/320sec at f/7.1, ISO 100
Using a slow shutter speed to capture the movement of this flock of lesser flamingos has worked well for Viraj.
9 Electra Stavrou Cyprus 42pts Canon EOS 600D, 18-135mm, 1/25sec at f/5.6, ISO 800
A wash of colour with one recognisable element, the subject was an artwork by Joana Vasconcelos.
12 Lee Acaster UK 39pts Sony Alpha 7R, 18mm, 30sec at f/11, ISO 200
There is a wonderful serenity to this shot, created by the simple components and muted colours. The smooth water juxtaposes well with the texture of the quayside.
13 Matt Lewis UK 38pts DJI FC220 drone, 26.3mm, 1/13sec at f/2.2, ISO 100
Brighton Pier has a sense of stillness when viewed from above, away from the bustle and noise. Matt battled seagulls, wind and exposure issues to get his picture.
16 Pratik Pradhan India 35pts Nikon D810, 105mm, 1/640sec at f/4.8, ISO 800
Good abstracts often engage the viewer by making them play a guessing game, but who would have thought this was a close-up of a caterpillar!
17 Azim Khan Ronnie Bangladesh 34pts Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 11-16mm, 1/200sec at f/8, ISO 125
Colour is everything in this picture, but the triangle created by the three workers, and the lines leading down, create a pleasing balance.
18 Rik Ward UK 33pts Sony Alpha 7R II, 24-70mm, 1/125sec at f/9, ISO 1000
Rik blended two images to create this colourful abstract. He noticed the reflections while on a train into Canary Wharf.
21 Partha Chakraborty India 30pts Canon EOS 60D, 18-55mm, 1/100sec at f/11, ISO 800
It takes a while to notice the ant on this backlit leaf, but the insect plays an integral part in the story.
22 Sarah Fox UK 29pts Nikon D5100, 55-300mm, 1/13sec at f/5, ISO 100
This birch grove in autumn displays enough colour to make an ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) picture hugely successful.
25 Chris McPhee Canada 26pts Nikon D610, 70-200mm, 1/10sec at f/14, ISO 50
There is plenty of energy and implied motion in this image of a rider taking part in a rodeo. Using a slow shutter speed has the added bonus of blurring a potentially distracting background.
28 Mark Cornick UK 23pts Canon EOS 6D, 17-40mm, 4secs at f/5.6, ISO 100
The wonderful tonality of this shot really makes it stand out, and the break of light under the cloud is perfectly positioned.
29 Jose Pessoa Neto Portugal 22pts Canon EOS 550D, 15-85mm, 1/60sec at f/7.1, ISO 800
There is something hypnotic about this combination of black and white lines and shapes.
19 Alan Humphris UK 32pts Sigma DP3 Merrill, 50mm, 3.2sec at f/14, ISO 100
This shot does an excellent job of conveying a sense of anonymity in a crowd, using ICM (Intentional Camera Movement).
20 Amy Bateman UK 31pts Nikon D750, 24-85mm, 1/200sec at f/4.5, ISO 400
The point where ice meets moving water is captured perfectly here, with the rich blue suggesting coldness.
23 Pascale Cadieux Canada 28pts Nikon D7000, 35mm, 1/80sec at f/2.8, ISO 100
The graphic curves created by coloured sheets of paper encourage the eye to travel along their edges from one side of the frame to the other.
24 Sam Morgan UK 27pts Canon EOS 50D, 17-85mm, 1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 400
The colours, angles and curves of this building in London have been captured wonderfully by Sam.
26 Taylor Newlun USA 25pts Canon EOS 70D, 18-135mm, 1/640sec at f/5.6, ISO 100
This photograph has the dark tonality of a Turner painting, and it’s the kind of image you could hang on your wall and stare at for hours on end – beautiful.
27 Norbert Stojke Germany 24pts Nikon D5300, 55-300mm, 1/200sec at f/5, ISO 800
There is a wonderful coldness to this picture, but the orange tinge of the reeds and bullrushes makes for a great reflection.
30 Carol Hall UK 21pts Canon EOS 750D, 15-85mm, 1/80sec at f/5, ISO 400
The afternoon light really accentuates the curves of the walls and ceiling of the Cast Theatre in Doncaster.