September challenge, Signs

[OPS Notices]

The OPS summer challenge has finished, don't forget to bring your five selected photos in to the first meeting on the 14th.

Back to the regular challenges, this month the topic is signs.
Our world is filled with many signs that we often do not notice anymore. Tattoos and labels on clothes, traffic signals and hand gestures. Everyone, and everything, is constantly communicating without words.

Or you can photograph something that is communicating to you in a non-verbal way. An "omen" (a sign of things to come) or a "sign of the times". Migrating birds is a sign that the seasons are changing, a baby's footstep is a sign that they are approaching toddler-ville and grey hair is a sign that it is time to visit the hairdresser!

Please note that if you are taking the challenge literally and shooting an actual sign, it would be best to provide some context or story around that subject, as opposed to just the sign itself (which wouldn't be all that more creative than the guy that made the sign in the first place). An example of this could be a runner passing a STOP sign, or a yoga pose in front of a SLOW sign. A unique perspective could also be provided by taking a macro/close-up shot of a sign, or creating an abstract composition with the sign. This is not a treasure hunt to just "find" a sign and take a picture, but rather a creative exercise in how to photograph a "sign" in an interesting way.

Have fun, as always at the end of the month, there will be a poll where you will be asked to vote for your three favourite entries.

[Ian Stedman]

Let me start this off with one of the daft signs I've seen on my travels. This one from Folkestone:



More to follow.

[Bazza]

That’s H&S gone mad, nice one Ian

[Chris Sawyer]

Lovers' Lane? - Spotted at Lullingstone this summer.

[JanGilkes]

Maybe it has an identity crisis!

[PeterH]

Isn’t that fat shaming?

[PeterH]

Not eligible for judging as not taken this month, but thought you might enjoy them.....

[Chris Sawyer]

Peter - good one.  Did you check if they have a 'cemetary' sign at the hospital?

[Ian Stedman]

These are not part of the challenge as they were taken in South Africa in 2017 but I had to share them.

[PhilipiBrown]

A few signs taken earlier this summer