A huge thanks to our judge Carl Street, who travelled 500 miles and then 500 more just to be there at our door ….
| C GRADE | |||
| Pencil Yin-Yang | Hayden McCoy | I feel like I’ve judged this image before in Black and White and could not give an award because it was in colour. If that was the case then this time around it fits the genre perfectly, very simple, very minimal and very effective…..nice work. | Honours |
| NZ Post | Interesting subject matter, unfortunately with the busy background and harsh lighting this one doesn’t really work for minimalism. I’d recommend taking the time, if possible, to research the subject matter and absorb yourself in images that meet the genre. Use that information to help your eye see scenes that may work. | No award | |
| Reflections of a Yacht Mask | I do like the image, unfortunately this fits very much into the abstract world and not minimalist so I’m unable to give it an award. | No award | |
| Wharf Remains | There is not enough separation here between the subject(s) and the background. The majority of the light is on the bank behind the subject and the ripples on the water are strong enough to create a texture. For future imagery a sturdy tripod and long exposure would help to soften the water. | No award | |
| Minimalist Designs | Close, very close to getting an award. Unfortunately the tree is just too much of a distraction on this occasion. I obviously have no idea if it would have been possible but taking a front on view of this building and being careful to avoid the tree could easily have given you a stunning minimalist image. | No award | |
| Taro Leaf | This is one of those images that says away from minimalism and into abstract. It is also not quite in focus so careful consideration of technique is required. | No award | |
| Hand | Wayne Allott | Nice image. Would benefit from muting the colours a little. Good use of depth of field to control the viewers eye. Background is still a little busy but I do find myself focussed on the hand enough and found the image peaceful. | Accepted |
| Waxing Crescent | Linda Ritchie | Nice and simple. Think about your subject matter though as this is not a story that reads right to left so would suit a square crop to keep the viewers eye centred. It’s also space……no harm in giving it plenty by expanding the canvas. | Accepted |
| Horoeka and Cirrus | Unfortunately there is too much competition between the background and subject on this one……and I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but that is not the most photographic subject for this style of photography. | No award | |
| Steps to Nowhere | Linda Ritchie | It definitely helps that I know this particular structure otherwise it could easily fall in to being an abstract image. Treatment is a little on the harsh side for this style of image, however, very well seen and created. Be mindful of your processing as you move up the grades. | Honours |
| Lone Tree | Monita Baird | There is a slight distraction in this image that I’d ask the creator to be aware of. To the right of the image of the tree there are vertical lines. I suspect there was a building in the background but it’s difficult to tell. In addition the treatment leans more towards abstract than minimalist. Both are distracting but the bar is slightly different for C grade and it is not enough to bring it down from being a great image and deserving an award. | Accepted |
| The Climb | Unfortunately another image where the processing has let the image down. It has the potential to be a great image just not quite there enough to keep me relaxed enough for this genre. | No award | |
| One Cloud | Nice image and well seen. Unfortunately the treatment for minimalism has not been sympathetic for this image. Be very careful when editing not to over apply the clarity and sharpness sliders as you very easily end up with an image that grates rather than relaxes. | No award | |
| The Wire | Dave Hart | This is a great image, very well seen and the composition works really well with the diagonal line and wonderful silhouette in just the right spot to feel calm and balanced. Increasing the exposure, adjust contrast to accentuate the difference in dark and light and this could have been an honours. | Accepted |
| Salty Solitude | Hayden McCoy | Calm, simple and no doubt what you are looking at. Slight mist helps to soften the background which could be softened a little more in your photo editor of choice . | Honours |
| Linked | Pauline Byrne | Like the square format, does feel a little off centre so not as balanced as it could be. Going either fully one corner to the other or horizontal would have given the image a deliberately dynamic or calm feel. Well seen and simple image. A different time of day or conditions, particularly a grey rainy day would have really suited this subject. | Accepted |
| B GRADE | |||
| Tail of a whale | Nice timing and always one of those images that you should love. Not really a subject that lends itself that well to minimalist unfortunately due to the naturally busy background of the sea. | No award | |
| WE(s)T COAST | Peter Wright | Classic image of this style and works well. Focus is not quite there. Long exposure can easily be affected for focus for a variety of reasons….windy, tripod not on stable ground, image stabilisation still active. Good image, just be mindful of these technicalities when moving up the grades. | Accepted |
| Shadow Flower | I struggled with this one. Initially I really liked it and it had an ‘ooh, that’s cool’ factor. However, the more I came back to it the more distractions I found. I’m guessing this is an ornamental piece with the way it fits into the metal stand. There are blemishes on it which could easily have been tidied up in post production and give the impression this is wood, which is emphasised by, what looks to be, a break in the leaf. The lack of separation between the flower and shadow plus the texture of the wall. | No award | |
| Waves | Peter Wright | Tricky image to capture and the photographer has done it well. The main focus is on the break at the bottom of the image, but, that is not the dominant feature of the image so doesn’t quite work, The image could be an abstract, but it is clear enough what it is and is the only subject so does qualify. Potentially faster shutter speed to really stop the action on this occasion would have taken it to the next level. Great processing. | Accepted |
| Shipwreck | Unfortunately this is a very busy image. Texture in the water ripples, submerged wreck in the background which vies for the viewers attention. All of this creates an image which is not harmonious and peaceful. | No award | |
| Empty Seats | Great black and white abstract image. Unfortunately, the title refers to empty seats so I have to go looking for them. Minimalist art form is all about keeping it simple and not leaving the viewer wondering what the image is. A lot to like about this image, unfortunately not for this genre. | No award | |
| Street Lights | Rose Kerin | Simple forms and clean lines, tick. Zero distraction in the background, tick. Colours, hmmm, not quite sure they work so well. There is some colour fringing on the edges and it feels like processing has been pushed a fraction too far to keep it easy on the eye. | Accepted |
| wired | The minimalist movement is based on the need for clean, simple form. Part of the attraction of the genre is that it is free of distraction and does not leave the viewer wondering. This image does work on that basis, unfortunately, it is out of focus and because it is the only element is not something I can overlook. | No award | |
| A GRADE | |||
| It’s time to burn | Sarah Perrins | Some post production work could be done to help emphasise the car. Weirdly on this occasion the inclusion of the text really helps because it draws your attention to the subject. Great composition and image. | Accepted |
| Taylors Mistake Sunrise | Minimalist really needs a star of the image. In this instance the whole image is the star so doesn’t really suit the genre. A slight crop at the bottom to remove the smooth part of the beach would help this image and remove some of that brightness that draws the eye out of the frame. | No award | |
| Putangitangi | Marilyn Holgate | Well executed image. Plenty of space and good use of contrast. Just doesn’t quite have the wow factor but still a great image. | Accepted |
| Free flight | Sarah Perrins | Image works very well, very nice timing, technique and composition. | Honours |
| Crabapples | Eunice Belk | Lots of options on how to crop this one and with the lighting, vibrant colour and very muted background they would have all worked. Great subject and well designed image. | Honours |
| perfection | Karina Templeton | Perfection for the flower or image? This really is a very well setup and executed image. Unfortunately that bright leaf at the bottom of the stem is distracting enough to just bring it down a grade especially as it is right in the corner. (As a suggestion when doing images on a black background it would help the judge if there was a white border). | Accepted |
| The Wake | Robyn Young | This fits right on the edge of abstract vs minimalist for me. Excellent timing, engaging image, nicely cropped……yep, that works. | Accepted |
| Circle of Light | Allan McGregor | Sometimes with an image less is more. For this one it feels like it has been processed that little bit too much for the top award. That said it is clean, simple and the composition works. | Accepted |
| Stefan | Sandra McCoy | Crisp, clean and well exposed. Not quite enough about it to keep me engaged though. | Accepted |
| Triad in Motion | Amy Boyce | Nicely timed image and a great location providing a very subtle backdrop. Muted tones work well with a nice definition in the birds. | Accepted |
| We are sailing | Just not quite a strong enough image at this grade to make an award. I do like the blue monochrome feel to it but somehow it doesn’t quite work for me. | No award | |
| Beach | In judging there are always a few images that have you bouncing between award and no award, this is one of those images. Ultimately I liked the tones and simplicity, it is just the subject matter that holds me back. | No award | |
| RIBA North | Rosie Coster | Anyone who has spent time out with me and my camera will know I love creating images like this. There is just something about the strong lines that make for wonderful simple images. Taking this image to the next level though requires a little but of time in post production. The left side has an open window and the right side has a dark part I really can’t work out. These detract from the simplicity of the image and are very easy to remove. Good work, just not quite there enough on this occasion. | Accepted |
| The Sentinel | Good use of tones and isolation of the tree. Ticks a few of the boxes for minimalist, but it just doesn’t feel peaceful enough with lots of texture in the road and grass. There is enough detail in those areas that they detract from the tree. Getting down a little lower would have helped to hide some of the untidy base of the tree as well. | No award | |
| Thames Haze | This is very grainy and the post really doesn’t add anything to it all. | No award | |
| Hay Bales | Allan McGregor | Hay bails and the land they were created from in beautiful light. Works very well indeed. The three bails form a great line that works well with the lines of the rolling field accentuated by the light. Being super picky there are some highlights that draw the eye in the closest part of the field but not enough to alter the award. | Honours |
| Grebe | Rosie Coster | One of my favourite birds and I wish I’d created this image! While there is texture in the background (water) the blacks are muted enough not to distract from the star of the show. The grebe looking to the left of the image has the effect of slowing down the viewer creating a really nice harmony. | Honours |
| Foggy Harbour | I spent plenty of time coming back to this one as I just couldn’t decide. Ultimately I found that the excessive amount of empty space and not knowing if the purpose of the image was the harbour or the stick was enough to make up my mind. | No award | |
| Seaplane | Sandra McCoy | A little like an image earlier on of a boat I find myself questioning why it needs all that space to fly into……when it is clearly not moving. That said, this does feel like it has been carefully considered, it does have balance and there are no distractions. | Honours |
| solitude | Karina Templeton | Solitude, great title for a really peaceful image. No doubt in what I am looking with plenty of room for the subject. Very nicely done. | Accepted |
| Floating Winter Rose | Cheryl Muirson | Wow, beautifully lit, sharp in all the right places, great muted backdrop……very well done. | Honours |
| Fog it | It’s a peaceful scene, unfortunately, there is just not enough of an anchor to keep me engaged. | No award | |
| Guitar | When I was asked to do the minimalist genre one of the aspects that I was looking forward to was a distinct lack of wondering what the photographer was trying to convey because it should be obvious. In this case, had it just been a beautiful lit image of a guitar I would have been ok, but, I can’t get the link between it and the pillar it’s leaning against. It would also benefit from having the name plate removed. | No award | |
| The Tree | What is good is this image made me think. It’s a great image, very stark, but does it fit with minimalist? Ultimately I decided that it doesn’t quite work for me but should definitely make it’s way into another genre in the future, | No award | |
| The Woolshed Light | Robyn Young | This really feels like an opportunity missed. Two exposures, one with the light on and the other with it off blended in your editor of choice and you have a fabulous image, no real need to off centre the subject either. Still a well crafted image. | Accepted |
| Minimalist Magnolia | Nicely composed and lit image. Really not convinced the choice of vase works. Bringing the exposure up a full stop would really help remove the grey back drop and give the image much greater impact. | No award | |
| Spears | Cathy Price | This is a great image. My slight challenge is how busy the texture is which feels at odds with the genre. I am also distracted by the lighter edge on the left side. The simplicity of form is enough to warrant an award, just. | Accepted |
| Silent Canopy Whispers in the Breeze | Love this but unfortunately not minimalist. It would have done really well if I were judging monochrome or abstract. | No award | |
| Guitar Man | I like this image, great lighting. Minimalist, hmm, not so sure. Thankfully I did not have to wonder about that too much though as there is a white line at the top of the image that appears to be a metal hook of some sort. This is A grade and I’m being brutal but take the time to zoom in on your work at 100% go over the whole image and look for anomalies like this as they will lose you awards every time. | No award | |
| Sailing into the blue | For an image to elevate itself from a straight photograph to art requires consideration of what you are trying to achieve. Some minor edits would have made a big difference to put this into the minimalist genre. – straighten the boat so the the tip of the mast and the tip of the mast in the reflection are just about in line, This will immediately give it a more geometric feel. – It’s calm water with no sails and an anchor it does not need room to sail in to | No award | |
| The Vase | Robyn Carter | Nicely staged image, great use of light. Attention to detail though brings this one down a notch. The line between the edge of the surface the vase is on and the black background is not entirely clean. If I can see that within 10 seconds of opening the image then it means it needs to be edited. This image is all about clean lines and stark contrast so it needs precision in every aspect to fully work. | Accepted |
| Contrasts | I do like the image and it is well seen. It does need some work to finesse it though. Anything that is bright, especially on the edge of an image will immediately take the viewers eye. In this case a small bright line on the right grabs my attention every time I look at this. It’s also more abstract than minimalist. | No award | |
| Morning Calm | Colleen Linnell | I like the colours in this and the feeling of vastness that the background creates. | Accepted |
| Emerging from the clouds | Sue Titmuss | Great work on this and in any other grade would have been an honours……but this is A grade and I’m very fussy! The top rope to the right of the image has a faded grey line. It would have been very easy to remove and is really quite distracting, especially in this style of imagery. | Accepted |
| The Tunnel | I really like this and it would be fantastic in an urban landscape competition. There is some humour in it with the illuminated signs either side pointing away from the photographer but some people walking towards you. It’s also very clever in that the main subject fills the space rather than being a small part of the canvas, a reverse minimalist approach. All of that said I am not going to give this an award because this is A grade and I feel it has missed the brief. Living things in a photograph be it human or otherwise take on more weight than the surrounding structure. For this image taking multiple shots over the course of 5-10 minutes and then carefully editing out the people or a single long exposure so that they did not register in the image would turn this in to a stunning minimalist work of art. I’m sure it would do really well in another genre so please do re-enter. | No award | |
| Pencil Yin-Yang | Hayden McCoy | Best C Grade | |
| Street Lights | Rose Kerin | Best B Grade | |
| Floating Winter Rose | Cheryl Muirson | Best A Grade / Champion | |