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**NEW RULE: The same image, and altered versions of the same image file, can only be entered into one APOY round.** There’s a special mysteriousness to the time after the sun sets, and it’s begging to be photographed. You might be fortunate enough to find yourself in a part of the world that bears witness to the Northern Lights, and are able to capture the ethereal swirls of colour as they dance through the sky. At the opposite end of the scale, you might want to put yourself in the heart of a sweaty mosh pit, with a wideangle lens, at a late-night gig. Cities are often at their best after dark, with plenty of opportunities to experiment with traffic trails and long exposures. Then there’s the Milky Way and star trails (use apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris or PhotoPills to find the best spot) to train your lens on, or you might even want to try a touch of light painting, or aim to capture some of your local nocturnal wildlife. The possibilities are almost endless.
36,663 Ratings
This is a nicely atmospheric shot, and the black and white treatment works well. The movement created by the man in the foreground leaning over creates dynamism. We felt, however, it was a little confused and could have benefited from going in a little closer to remove some of the extraneous information from the frame.
This was a very popular image with the judges for its inventiveness and rather surreal approach. Telling a story in a single image is no easy feat, but the photographer has managed it extremely effectively here. The lighting is great, as is the action, and the points of red and orange throughout the frame lift it overall. It made us smile, and that's important, too.
