BM Olympus Photo Competition: The Contenders
Following a suitably long period in which you’ve posted up some great photos, here’s our pick of the bunch. Now it’s back over to you…
Several weeks have passed since we offered up the second Olympus [mju:] Stylus 790 SW camera for grabs in our latest photo competition, but the time has come to pick the best.
As before, the BM team have looked through the photos and picked out the selection that we feel best meet our stringent critera, and now it's over to you to vote for the best photo.
Instead of just picking your favourite photo, we want to hear your reasons for picking the photo you feel is the most worthy of this great prize. Get voting.
 1. Peter Luxem  2. Vmk  3. John Gourette  4. Zlatan Kurto  5. John Henry  6. Labrat  7. Bm Waltn  8. Sheldon
The great thing about this new Olympus camera is that it’s properly rugged for outdoor use. That means it’s actually waterproof enough to pass IEC 529 IXP8 standards (which means it will survive being up to 3m underwater) and shockproof to MIL-STD-810F (which means a US soldier could drop it from a height of 1.5m onto the roof of a Humvee and still salute it). The battery/xD card slot and the USB port are all hidden behind weathersealed doors too. You can read more about in the review here.
1. Nice colors and the comps quite interesting
2. Nice photo conveys that feeling
3. I just feel sorry for the poor kid who clearly fell off at the gate
4. Sweet photo but the rider interferes with the rock
5. I like this one but the color balance is very similar making it look bland
6. Really nice photo
7. Nice but it looks out of focus or maybe thats just the pixelation?
8. Nice photo but very 'stock' Of all of them it's between 6 7 and 8... 8 is tecnically the best shot of the lot but in being so also mangages to look stock and cliched, 7 whilst also being 'foggy tree sun atmosphere cliche' captures something nice just like number 2 (hurhurhur i said number 2) but is let down by technical issues. But number 6 is an interesting and original shot i'd possibly have said let it out another 250th to get a mild radial blur but I really like it. My votes 1- No.6 2- No.8 3- No.7
Posted: 06/06/2008 12:02
top three..... no 6. thats class, havent seen a photo like it no 3. great pic, although i thought JG was taller  no 7. brilliant use of light - although its not clear that the rider is actually riding a bike
Posted: 06/06/2008 14:57
8 It shows the blue sky, short sleeves and springtime colours  From a techy point of view the riders face is well lit and sharp at the same time there is a sence of speed from the bike as the front wheel is blurred.
Posted: 06/06/2008 16:05
Between 2, 3 and 5 for me. I like 2 because it has the 'we've earned this view' feel to it. 3 because it's a fun photo. Reminds me of countless hours spent down the track (and a lot of lost skin) trying to figure out doubles. 5 is a nice action shot. I like the colours but would like it even more with a little depth to some of those shadows and detail in the trail itself. Argh! Decisions! Ok - My vote goes to... 3. And Sheldon - the pic is nicely executed but doesn't make me want to get out and ride. Looks like the kind of pic that would do well on iStockphoto though
Posted: 07/06/2008 16:47
As the competition was looking for photos under the broad title of 'Spring'. I've put down my comments based on this and as well as how much I like the image.... - 1 - slightly underexposed, nice steep drop to the right which is interesting and great colour in the flowers / bush. Good sense of 'whats around the corner'
- 2 - nice rich blue sky, but it doesn't do much else for me, probably a great view but I don't get any sense of depth or height, therefore the view is a bit wasted in this image.
- 3 - sorry but has nothing to do with Spring for me. I like the kids posture though and it makes me want to look into the photo and see what is ahead. Great exposure for a shot that is shot directly into the sunlight (hence the shadows coming straight back at the main rider. Cool mountains in the distance as well
- 4 - definitely Spring, rock next to rider could either be classed as off putting or an interesting extra. Shame the rider didn't stand out from the trees better (red top or somthing). As this would be cool against all the slightly out of focus flowers in the foreground with the yellows / whites.
- 5 - looks like the portrait images get the real estate on the page! Fairly standard 'bloke coming down descent shot' but it is nicely taken, contrast and saturation is alittle flat, think a closer crop would add loads to this photo - would be able to get a better look at the guys face and it would get rid of the off putting twigs on the right. Cool spring shot though
- 6 - doesn't do it for me I'm afraid, nothing to do with Spring and the image takes your eyes to the guy in front of the red car which has nothing to do with the photo. The rear wheel blur adds a nice sense of speed but not a lot else.
- 7 - fantastic light, quite like the fact that you can only properly see the top of the rider, adds to the sense of adventure in this photo. Good camera work as it obviously wasn't that dark to ride without lights! I'm a sucker for wood images with light coming through, really nice.
- 8 - obviously a great photographer - great lighting, depth, interest. Off camera flash to add a bit of punch. Central composition works. Took me from the wire mesh to the highlighed front wheel to the guys face (shame it is partially covered) to the perfectly exposed trees and sky. For me it also 'just' conveys Spring with the green / brown trees. A real peach of an image.
So I'd have to go with 8 as my favourite, just because I like the style and quality. With 7 being a very close second. I'm trying to get better at taking photos, would anyone be kind enough to leave a couple of comments on my photo I entered in this competition (obviously on the photo, not this thread) http://www.bikemagic.com/gallery/image.asp?sp=&v=7&uabn=1499&uin=4698 many thanks Keith
Posted: 08/06/2008 09:07
As I'm happy to have made the selection it wouldn't be fair for me to vote. Kerba's bike on the bridge at sunrise didn't make it anyhow. So Barbara says #4 "Pretty flowers and it makes you want to be there"
Posted: 08/06/2008 19:11
4 For no other reason than I dont like the others.
Posted: 09/06/2008 09:20
Does anyone look on theme title???? Truly, only on no. 4 I can "see and feel Spring". congrats!
Posted: 09/06/2008 23:43
No 8, Great composition, and different from the normal run of the mill photos
Posted: 10/06/2008 08:14
Brian Bunn 3... 1 Forum Post for number 8... funny that I motion that this vote be disregarded
Posted: 10/06/2008 11:39
7, i think is my fave - great atmosphere and mood to it, the darkness of the trees and the rider only just standing out makes it quite an interesting shot. almost feels like its underwater or something! so, pixelations aside (an effect of web compression?) its the one I would choose. 4 is also right up there but unfortunately the photographer has chosen a slightly odd composition, at least in my eyes. its a field, in spring, with loads of flowers everywhere (all good so far) but it would be nice to see what lies beyond - in that I mean there's a hint of mountain side/rock wall behind the trees, so it would have been better to place the rider in the scene, as it is its just short of great. no.'s 6 and 2 are quite fun, summer racing and a sense of adventure...the rest don't seem to have it I'm afraid.
Posted: 10/06/2008 13:31
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