vignetting not allowed, a small border are allowed in this contest, that is quite a heavy border, IMO

I really like the lighting of this. Did you add lighting, or was this just your exposure settings?

The lighting and tonality of the shots is very good, however, the focus appears to be a bit soft on the second shot. The focal plane appears to be just a few inches behind the subject as the head of the guitar is in sharp focus and the subjects face is not.

amazing

Congratulations on 1st and 2nd place, great shots.

Black and white doesn't serve this image well. It's hard to really discern the subject matter of old farm tools from each other - It's just a jumble of black lines with a wheel and a tank mixed in. The tree is far more dominant in the image. Color (and a better focus on the tools, not the tree and sky) would have helped the viewer appreciate the focal point more.

You're surely right ! Let's try the colored one !

great colours and composition

Beautifully done, but I think it would ahve more impact if you cropped it a lot closer.

Thank you Friiskiwi, I cropped a bit in the bottom, do you think I've to crop more?

Personally I would crop out most of the writing and a little of the right. Really cutting out 50% of the image. This is just my opinion, but it's about writing instruments, not about writing.
Good luck, and do what you feel happy with.

I would follow your suggestions, thanks again friiskiwi

amazing...! the objects in the photograph giving me 3D appearance ! Particularly the stamp (i think its stamp) and the paper-weight/ink-pot on the side...

I don't know vaiibhavjain, I took this shot from the top, with the camera built-in flash on
In the hi-res you can see a thin shadow under the stamp and the pen.

I love the old tools but they seem unconnected. Nice idea and the handwriting is outstanding

There's no ink in the inkwell, and it seems too disconnected from the rest of the image, which is compounded by the positioning. If it had been angled about 45 degrees, the visual movement would have echoed the pen and stamp, making it more a part of the overall composition.