Monthly Tutor Project On Selective Focus – Winners

This month I have honestly been astounded by the quality of submissions. You guys sent them in thick and fast and with such a high quality of work, I’ve found it extremely hard to pick just one winner. So much so in fact, that this month I have chosen 2! Here are my favourites.

WINNERS:

Amy Welch

I love this shot by Amy. The composition is incredibly considerate, using repetition and distance, a lovely shallow depth of field as a result of the wider aperture and throwing a very selective focus to our furry freeing, peeping into view to the right of the frame. 

This is an excellent example of selective focusing, creating a shallow depth of field and producing imagery which has a narrative, feeling and creative input.

Excellent work, Amy!

Antoinette Douglas-Dufresne

Another last minute submission from Antoinette, which blew me away. This shot shows real skill, not just compositionally, but in controlling of light, colour balance and probably most importantly for me – since I spend most of my time going on about it – the ability to control a very zoomed-in focal length. 

The scene is swamped with exciting blur, and tonal shift and the inclusion of the rushes in the foreground pushes the idea of selective focus. Then we go on to see the pulsing colours of the bird perched on its lookout point, bathed in sunlight and so ultimately pin-sharp that we could cut ourselves on it. 

Stunning work here Antoinette. Well done!

COMMENDABLE:

Narayan Solanki

This is an excellent example of using the narrower shutter to keep detail within a wider context but throwing very selective focus to something more in the foreground. 

We’re unsure just where Narayan throws his focus here. It could be the immediate foreground of the wall or the gull itself, but the choice to use such a narrow aperture means whichever the decision, both fall into a beautiful focus, with only the different proximities separating them. 

Good work, Narayan!

Joan Wright

A seemingly simple shot by Joan here, but one that still takes a keen and creative eye. The selective focus is subtle at first but just enough that the focal point still stands out against all the repetition in the frame. The exposure is excellent, and on closer inspection, we notice the little bug on one of the petals.

Great work, Joan!

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