A photo of a man slumped against his car at a service station has won australianphotography.com's November 'Cars' photo competition. The winning image, "No Entry" was submitted by photographer Nigel Wesley. This month's guest judge, Nathan Duff, a professional shooter who specialises in automotive photography, praised Wesley's image for its realism and atmosphere.
“I’m a big fan of mixing photojournalist qualities into automotive photography. Stepping back and capturing the moment while maintaining composition, mood and atmosphere is a tricky thing. I think the photographer has done a great job of that here. It invites the viewer to consider the scene and come up with his or her own interpretation of what’s happening. The car looks tough, as old muscle should, the neon and ambient light add some good atmosphere and the image hasn’t been over processed.”
Duff also picked out two other images for special commendations, James Lazzaroni’s “Mitsubishi Evo X” and Robert Holmes’ “A Shadow of My Former Self”.
Lazzaroni’s image, said Duff, stood out for its clever lighting and composition. “Beautiful natural light captured at the perfect time of day for cars. By including the flight crew, the photographer has added an extra element to the image and created a balanced composition,” he said.
Holmes’ image tapped into our emotional connection with old cars. “I love an image that can provoke thought or conjure up feelings of nostalgia. This image immediately made me think of where my long lost 66 XR Falcon is now and took me back to my teens for a little bit. Anyone who loves cars will understand what’s going on here.”
As the winner of the monthly competition, Nigel Wesley has won a Gary Fong bundle including the Lightsphere Collapsible, Powersnoot and Gear Guard to the value of $250. Gary Fong's Lightsphere Collapsible lets photographers create studio-quality lighting effects and it is perfect for location, press, portrait, sports and wedding photography. Shop for the Gary Fong range at www.dpix.com.au. The theme for the December competition is ‘Water’. Please note: Due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays entries close early on December 18, 2013.
Nathan Duff is an editorial and commercial photographer who specialises in automotive. He is a regular contributor to various automotive magazines including Top Gear and Wheels.
WINNER: 'No Entry,' by Nigel Wesley.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: 'Mitsubishi Evo X,' by James Lazzaroni.
HIGHLY COMMENDED: 'A Shadow of My Former Self,' by Robert Holmes.
