#178 - Military / Armed Forces

[Tracey McGovern]

Not sure if we have had this topic before, but wracking my brains for our next competition I thought this was poignant, especially today being Remembrance Sunday.

So, it can be anything to do with military or armed forces, re-enactment days, record, portraits, it covers a wide range and will hopefully inspire you to enter. Closing date is: Midnight Wednesday 30th November

Good luck everyone.

Tracey

[al c field]

Dancers.jpg (17.27 KiB) Viewed 9686 times

[TerryA]

Colours.jpg (204.5 KiB) Viewed 9664 times

Colours on board HMS Lancaster.......the start of 'daily routine' in the Royal Navy

[Janice Freeman]

HomageTo The Fallen

20160723_1 fallen resize.jpg (147.25 KiB) Viewed 9633 times

[John]

059 Radio Watch.jpg (429.27 KiB) Viewed 9613 times

"Radio Watch" - The vintage WWII radio equipment is still maintained and live at RAF Elvington. The watcher will likely be ex-RAF and it has become a Labour of Love to keep things in trim and keep that wavering equipment on frequency. Valves can still be sourced, just, so the watch can continue while there are people with the skills to man the station. Elvington also houses the York Air Museum and is home to the longest active runway in the North, two miles in length.

[mikeaspinall]

ON THE WAY TO THE WAR.jpg (242.94 KiB) Viewed 9596 times

[johnjm]

The Few by john merritt, on Flickr

Taken at RAF Museum Davidstow in Cornwall, not the slickest most well funded museum, but run by some very enthusiastic people with great local knowledge.

[GRAHAM OTTY]

Not the sharpest picture I've taken,hand held,but I just like the mood

[Tracey McGovern]

Thank you to everyone who entered this competition, we'll get straight onto the judging.....

Dancers by al c field
This is not a bad effort Alasdair, the couple are obviously in period costume, probably from one of the re-enactment days. The sepia treatment you have given fits the subject matter well, there are just a couple of little niggles, there is no eye contact with either you the photographer or with each other, they both seem to be looking in completely different directions leaving you wondering who or what they are looking at and the title "Dancers" doesn't fit the image, they look like a relaxed couple enjoying a social event rather than dancers. You have the image nice and straight though

Colours by TerryA
There is no doubt that this is a real military situation, looks like the helicopter has just landed on board the ship and military personnel are stood to attention and in salute waiting for the dignitary to emerge, I wonder who it was, the image tells a story. It has been technically well handled, nice a straight, good contrast and detail with no blown out bits.

Homage to the Fallen by Janice
This is a nice tribute to the armed forces especially just after Remembrance Sunday. A composite showing a battle scene and memorial with an overlay of poppies, nicely done, I wouldn't have a clue how to do this.

Radio Watch by John
WOW, look at all that gear, looks very technical. The scene has been well handled because it must have been fairly dark in that poky little room, I just wished the guy had been in some kind of military outfit to tie it to the brief.

On the Way to the War by Michael
Looks like another military re-enactment scene, I like the colours and the detail and the inclusion of the British flag. You have done well to capture the scene without the distraction of other people or items getting in the way, you've gone in quite close to the actual people. The image is nice and sharp.

No Title by johnjm
A very simple and abstract image with a mono treatment, possibly HDR to bring out the detail in the guns, does the pole look like it's leaning a bit though? I really like the minimalist effect of this picture.

pop2 by Graham
This must have been so difficult to capture, its obviously been taken at night with good lighting on the poppies and I like the period lamp in the foreground, I just wishes the light from the front lamp didn't obscure the cascade of poppies in the background and that the poppies at the bottom filled more of the frame so you weren't left with so much dark area in the bottom right. But I really do like the mood of this image and what the poppies represent.

3rd - Michael
2nd - Graham
1st - Terry

Well done everyone, they were all really good which made it hard to choose.

Over to you Terry.........

[Janice Freeman]

I enjoyed this subject. The memorial is within the grounds of Clitheroe castle in a very commanding position, the battle was a re-enactment in Pennington Park and the poppies in a field in Italy. Some great shots here. Look forward to Terry's choice now.