May 2018 Photography Competition

[Dogsey]

Apologies for the delay in getting the new topic up, I started a new job this week so have been a little snowed under! So, after 5 years of bar management, I'm back doing a job that means I get to see what mornings look like on the right side of the day again. To help me get up at a time I've been considering bedtime for a while I'd like to see your photos on the following theme:

Morning

Slight tweak to the rules to see if it gets a few more entries, I'm allowing photo's from your back catalogue, it'll be up to the next judge if they want to stick to that or return back to only photos taken specifically for the topic again.

Rules:

The photos taken must be your own work and can be taken at anytime..
The competition will run from the first to the last day of the month.
The winner from the previous month decides on the topic for the following month and judges it at the end of the month.
Entries and discussion on this single thread, please.
All entrants acknowledge that they may indeed win and that their adherence to convention ensures everyone else's continued fun.
Photos entered should be no bigger than 750 pixels wide for a landscape photo and 600 pixels high for a portrait photo due to the PH squash factor. Links to larger versions are permissible.

[Dogsey]

Judging right now ... really tough getting down to a top three so far! I think I might need a beer to help me decide.

[Dogsey]

Right, first up lets have a couple of special mentions.

Lexual said:

Walking home fairly drunk, around 5am.

I really like the above image partially because it's how I've been seeing sunrises for the last five years. If it had been a bit sharper it might just have sneaked into the top photos.

JonChalk said:

Coming to this a bit late (as usual, Thumbsnap forum fit looks a bit fuzzy - click for proper view - I don't have this one on Flickr):

Another one that very nearly sneaked into the top set, as much as anything because (and I'm assuming Jon doesn't know this) the new job I've just started is for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, so this tugs at my emotional side pretty hard.

Well done both and make sure you keep entering (and get your photos on Flickr!).

[Dogsey]

Now for the finalists, but before I do I want to state that the quality this month has been exceptionally high and almost every photo entered was considered at some point over the month. If you haven't been mentioned I'm sorry and please don't stop entering the competitions here on PH, they've been running for a long time and it's always produced some amazing images.

Highly commended goes to Dibbly:

DibblyDobbler said:

Very rare for me to get up for a sunrise so was chuffed to get this up at Loch Voil in the Trossachs


Loch Voil by Mike Smith, on Flickr

I love this photo and in fact it was the favourite photo for both my wife and daughter, the only thing that stops it being in the final three for me is the strange blurriness right at the point of the right-hand dark area. I'm guessing it's some odd effect caused by mist but it bugs me just too much for it to go higher.

Third place goes to Chris Marr:

chrismarr said:

Golden threads by Chris Marr, on Flickr

One from earlier this year in Glencoe

This photo is amazing, the golden light, the detail brought out by the snow, finding the little tiny house, this really is a photo I'd love to have hanging on my wall and in most months competitions it could well have been the winner (in fact 10 minutes ago it was my favourite!). The only reason it hasn't won this month is that it didn't quite make me want to be there as much as the top two.

Second place goes to Whoozit:

Whoozit said:

Morning over Lost Lake, Whistler, British Columbia. Possible bonus points cos it's actually taken this month.



Lost Lake swimming dock at dawn - 20180502 Lost Lake DSCF4693-Pano.jpg by Julian Macedo, on Flickr

Another incredible landscape, of all the landscape photos this is the one that made me want to visit the place the most. I love the colours, the reflection, that little hint of mist across the middle of the image, that little kiss of light right on the top of the mountain. I wish I'd taken this photo and again I'd love to hang this on my wall.

Right, that means it's time for the top image, the one image that I felt most summed up the theme and was the one moment that most made me want to have got up early and been there.

First place goes to Eltawater:

eltawater said:

Dancing up the May Day sun by eltawater, on Flickr

When I set the topic for this competition I guessed that there would be some stunning landscapes but I really hoped someone would capture something that really drew me in and I have to admit that through my job at the pub I have a connection with the local morris here in the Forest of Dean so that made it slightly more personal to me. However, it's not just about the morris dancers, the light is incredible and has been captured beautifully, there's a real sense of drama and history as well and it's made me feel like I need to get up early and shoot scenes like it, plus despite me saying that I would accept photos taken in the past this one was actually taken in May (even if it was before I set the theme). Well done Eltawater, June is all up to you!