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A Message From The Walk Leader

Welcome to the Bristol UK Worldwide PhotoWalk Page

The Winning Bristol Walk Image

Thanks to everyone who submitted images. As it usually is for competition judges it has been a difficult job for me to choose a single winner.

I have been over the images on the main photo walk website and have narrowed it down to 6 images. In choosing these images I looked at the content of the image as well as various technical aspects (focus, colour, composition etc). I weighed each of these in a balanced way so that no individual aspect of photography became a primary consideration. I am of the view that an excellent image is excellent irrespective of technical issues (some photographs by the likes of Cartier-Bresson amongst others would likely be tossed if technical issues became an overriding consideration). However, even when all this is considered the main things I look for in an image are; does it draw me in, does it tell me a story and do I wish I had taken it?

Having said that I’m sure there will be other views on the best image, some may even shake their heads in disbelief before uttering words that turn the air blue… I encourage you all to comment and provide feedback on all the images (not limiting yourself to these 6 of course check out the Flickr page for some others from the day and don’t forget to keep posting if you have more). Perhaps you could even list your top picks?

So, in no particular order here are the 5 runners up followed finally by my winning image… Ahem, that would be my selection, not MY image. Make sure you click the images to see the full size (without the forced crop by this blog).

“Crane” by Kellmorris

A great shot of the old being replaced by the new. The look of the building front and the sepia treatment give the image an older feel but the inclusion of the crane provides a chronological reference. The windows in the building draw the viewer into the image prompting me to wonder what’s on the other side.

“Grosvenor Hotel” by Richard

One of my favourites from those submitted. An unusual angle on the building makes everything feel out of kilter this feeling is supported by the inclusion of the signage which is almost complete. The part of the “Hotel” sign being missing adds to the feeling of this image. Well composed with excellent use of the space within the frame. The colour treatment is appropriate and complimentary to the image without being overstated.

“Bike” by mporter

An well spotted shot, excellent composition and framing, the curve of the wheel and placement of the axle/gears is perfect. It has the feel of a fine arts print that you might see on a wall. The broken spokes add to the vintage feel of the shot. Finally, the processing and DoF supports the subject and focuses the viewer on the “interesting” part of the shot.

“Urban Abstraction” by mstowey

Good work spotting this and capturing the bird in flight. The composition works well for the shot, I’m a fan of negative space in images and this one feels “right” somehow. The processing is simple and not excessive and there is just the right amount of vignette to focus the viewer’s attention. The bird really makes the shot and I know it was probably a quick shot to take but I wish the bird was not intersecting the building.

“Stark” by gothik

I love repetition and symmetry in images and this shot has both in some way. The dereliction of the buildings is evident and supported by the cold feeling of the mono processing used. The train tracks and the fence form a sort of barrier but I think this benefits the overall atmosphere of this image. The shot is also really well exposed, I can see detail inside the building windows.

And finally the winner is:

“Benches At Sunset” by Simon Pow

As I mentioned earlier I love repetition in images and the in this shot it’s there by the bucket load. The benches, the pillars, the GWR signs and even in the background a series of arches and the wall. The DoF is excellent and what can I say but the colour of that light is fantastic. This shot makes me want to sit on the bench and feel the warmth as I watch the setting sun… It speaks to me and invites me into it. This is why I chose it as the winner.

Congratulations Simon and thank you very much to everyone who came along on the walk and submitted images. I look forward to seeing you all again… Maybe at a Bristol Group or Bristol Strobist Group meet-up or even on another walk in the future?

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(Please note the addition of a weather contingency)

Join us in Downtown Bristol as we explore the area and discover the many photographic opportunities awaiting us.  Downtown Bristol is home to both modern and historic buildings (including a few derelict from both categories), giving us variety in architectural structures.  The buildings are not the only subjects to look out for, there are colors, shapes, and reflections that really make this area stand out.  If people are your thing then this walk should also satisfy your desires as it will be covering a few locations on the weekend dance card for many a person in Bristol’s social scene.  There will be plenty of other photographic opportunities available so keep your photographers eyes peeled and your shutter fingers ready.

There is a good post here by Laurie Excell outlining some things to consider when planning to go on a photowalk.  I highly recommend having a read as it may save you some hassle and help your comfort level on the walk.

Departure

We’ll be meeting at the Bandstand at the Eastern end of Castle Park, which is located near Lower Castle Street.  If you’re coming by bus or ferry there are bus stops near the park as well as in Broadmead and there is a ferry quay right next to the park.  If you’re driving and need to store your vehicle then there is a multi-storey carpark in Cabot Circus or on street parking in nearby St Pauls (both of these options do cost money though).  I would suggest you bring something to nibble and drink or grab a coffee or muffin before we get started as there are not going to be many places to snack on route.  Also, please arrive a bit earlier so we can ensure we start on time.  After we start, we will wind our way through the streets, making stops along the way at pre-determined checkpoints (where we will try to make sure we haven’t lost anyone).

We will DEPART from the Bandstand at 1800h.

Contingency (If it is bucketing down the walk will go ahead…  Kind of.)

In the event it is really wet the start location will be relocated undercover to Cabot Circus.  If we could all meet at the bottom of the main stairway on the ground floor (near the Soho coffee shop) at ~1815h.  The extra 15 minutes is to allow me time to go to Castle Park and see if anyone still turns up there then return to Cabot Circus.  We will use this as our base and use Cabot Circus and surrounds as our walk location.  We can discuss options when we meet.

The Checkpoints

• 1.  Bandstand, Castle Park;
• 2.  Temple Church;
• 3.  Temple Meads Railway Station/Grosvenor Hotel (see below);
• 4.  St Mary, Redcliffe; and finally,
• 5.  Water Feature, Broad Quay.

Temple Meads Railway Station

I have now obtained permission for our visit to this wonderful building.  First Group and the Station Master have been very accommodating to us despite the possibility of 50 photographers swarming all over the show.  However, as with all things, there are some rules that they would like us to follow.  Please note the following and be sure you stick to it while we’re on the station grounds.

• 1.  Checkpoint 3 will be at the main road entrance to Temple Meads Railway Station.
• 2.  The group will split in half, one half entering the station and the other going to the Grosvenor Hotel.
• 3.  The two groups will swap after 30 minutes.
• 4.  The group entering the station will break down into sets of a max. of 5 and min. of 2 people.
• 5.  The small sets must avoid clustering together in any location.
• 6.  Walkers must only enter the “public access” areas (eg:  platforms).
• 7.  No flash photography or tripods are permitted on the station grounds.
• 8.  Station safety rules and any instructions by station staff must be adhered to.
• 9.  Please be careful, great photograph aside we don’t want anyone splatted by a train.

Final Destination

Finally, we will finsh the walk at the water feature on Broad Quay.  At which point those of you who are interested can retire for some cool refreshing beverages and a bit to eat at XXX.  W can also then commence our distracting and strange post walk rituals involving peering at the tiny LCD on our camera, discussing the “quality of light”, exposure, composition and other arcane mysteries in a bid to confuse passers-by.

Map

I have created a Google Map of the route and checkpoints in case you want to print one out.  I also did some rough calculations after walking the route a few times.  The following information is a rough guide and, as we are all photographers walking around with cameras, is likely to be completely inaccurate subject to variation.

Est. distance = 3km
Est. time at each checkpoint = 20min to 30min.
Est. time between each checkpoint = 15min to 20min
Est. total time of event = 3h to 4h

Plans may change between now and then, but I will keep you updated here as they do.

Flickr

I have created a Flickr Group for the Worldwide Photo Walk - Bristol, EN UK so we can show off our favourite images of the walk so please skip over and join.

For a little inspiration, I will point you toward the Bristol Flickr Group.  These folks are just great photographers and there is plenty to inspire.