A Piece of History

This was a late addition to my top ten, found when I did my final check through all the images, and I realised I had missed this beautifully detailed image, and so it leapt from my "maybe" to a top ten spot. The lighting you have captured is lovely, as it allows just enough contrast and shadows for the forms of the intricate stone carvings to be displayed. The colours of the stones are nice and rich, without being over-saturated. A fine example of an image where the small details can be equally, or maybe even more captivating than a much wider shot of the entire structure. Beautifully detailled image, well done.

This is a fabulous winter image, nicely balanced between the landscape and the archiecture. This particular view of this much photographed castle is not often seen, and it elevates the image way above a pretty snapshot of a very scenic castle which is more commonly seen. The exposure and reduced colour saturation are spot on to create the mood of the shot, full of winter chill and an air of gloom and mystery. Composition of the shot is great, with a pleasing foreground, and the stream then leading the eye into the frame to the focal point of the castle beyond. Congratulations on your winning image.

This is a lovely long-exposure night time image. The contrasting orange and purple shades ae lovely and bring a rich warmth to the shot. I think your exposure is spot on, as we retain the feel of the moonlit night, but are still able to see some great details on the shoreline, the castle, and surrounding rocks. Great viewpoint and composition, with the waterline and marks on the shore leading the viewer's eye around into the frame to the focal point of the castle. Great work, well done on your top ten finish.

Some people are inclined to try to hide the surroundings when photographing beautiful historic buildings such as this, but for me, the inclusion of the surrounding town adds to the image. Control of the lighting is lovely, as we have a great combination of brights and darks to give the image a great tone and feel. I also really like the colouring across the image, with much of the image in cool moody greys, contrasting nicely with the warm golden glow of the illuminated castle. The image is close to being spoilt by the unnecessary addition of the signature across the top of the shot, but it is just discreet enough not to draw the eye away from the subject. Lovely capture, well done.

This is a fabulous still life image in so many ways, and I would struggle to find any fault. You have mastered the challenge of photographing a black object against a black background superbly. Lighting is great, just strong enough and positioned suitably to catch the outline of the pot and show the ribbed forms around its sides. Composition and framing is just right, as there is room around the subject to prevent it looking hemmed in, and by positioning the pot to one side it is able to "look" into the frame. Although the addition of a digital frame is rarely beneficial to an image, the narrow keyline works well here with the darkness of the background, as it keeps everything contained. Very close to the top spot, well done on your second place finish.

This is a very eye-catching image, due in part to the unusual composition which splits the frame, and the dynamic perspective of the wide view. The earthy colours are wonderfully rich and warm in tone, contrasting with the brooding grey sky. Being picky, the sky is maybe a little over-processed for my personal taste, but it certainly adds drama. Lots of details throughout the shot, with the eye being swept through the scene by the curves of the tiered seating running into the distance. Great image, well done.

It can be difficult when photographing windmills to decide on the best angle of view, assuming you have full access to the sie. Although we are not viewing this structure from the front with the sails face on, I quite like the additional detail provided by the access steps, and the windmill facing into the setting sun, as are we. The lighting has been very well handled, as there is great mood, but also plenty of details still visible in the shadow areas. I don't know whether you were fortunate with the passing birds or whether they have been added in editing, but their inclusion works well by mirroring the angle of the sails and breaking up an expanse of plain sky. A beautiful late evening scene, very well captured. Great work.

I think I have judged this image before, and for me it has not lost any of its impact. Your composition works really well, with the spacing of the three stones in relation to each other, and within the whole scene, working really well. The conversion to black and white has been expertly done, with a full range of tones from black to white, and some strong moody contrasts. The narrow aperture has ensured everything is in sharp focus from the front to the back of the frame. Great angle of view too, giving a sense of the height and strength of these ancient stones. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This is a great viewpoint from which to capture this magnificent structure, not only do you avoid the tourist crowds, but we are allowed to see all the details hidden way above our heads, and get a sense of the massive height of this ancient structure. I imagine these were quite challenging shooting conditions, with very strong sunlight casting deep shadows. You have handled the post-processing really well, as the shadows are lifted enough to reveal detail, but have not been lightened excessively, which would have rendered the image a little flat. A strong and bold image, grabbing the attention due to the dynamic angle of the viewpoint. Well done.

There are numerous images of the remains of Brighton's West Pier to be found on Photocrowd, but this one is very appealing. Often we see shots taken with ultra-long exposures which render the sea unnaturally smooth, but here we see something a bit different. I love the colours across the shot, with the cool aqua and purply-blues, with a hint of warmth behind the pier to provide some contrast. Not the easiest weather conditions for photographing on the beach, but your efforts have been rewarded with this super image. Well done on your top three placing.