WINNER
The colour of New York, Kieran Stone, Australia (above).
WHY IT WORKS
The use of a selective colour method in this image brings an injection of vibrancy into a grey city shot – it makes the scene jump out of the page. Choosing to show just the yellows in the image works because we relate the colour to the taxis in New York City. The blur of the taxi in the front of the image brings an element of movement and life.
RUNNER-UP
The Old Barn, Ali Brown, Australia (above)
WHY IT WORKS
I am drawn to the vibrant blue sky in this shot – it’s almost like it’s been painted on to the image. The colours are the most prominent aspect of the shot, contrasted by the white wispiness of the clouds. The other contrast is between the colours in the top and the bottom of the image, which clash impressively. The poorly kept barn adds yet another layer.
HOT TIPS: Selective colour
Selective colour is a technique that you can apply to an image after it’s been taken. To make it simple, use a hue which has been desaturated, with some elements or parts still left in colour. When using this, don’t go overboard – less is more. Choose to have just one object in colour or only use one shade, as this will have an immediate effect on the visual impact. This effect has been used on the big screen with films such as Pleasantville, showing the links between still and moving images. This postproduction process is relatively new and has become a technical trick rather than using paint to add colour, which is how they used to do it years ago.
WIN: A three-day tour of Scotland and a photography course
Upload your travel pictures here.
First prize is a three-day tour of Scotland for two worth £218 from Haggis Adventures (haggisadventures.com). Must be taken within three months of receiving prize letter. The runner-up wins a £60 photography course voucher from Nigel Wilson Photography (photographycourses.org.uk).
