Autumn

So many entries in this contest were dominated by the bright and bold hues of autumn, many with the saturation boosted in attempt to increase the impact. What I love here however, and what makes this shot a winner for me, is the understated subtlety. The mood and autumn colours are gentle and perfectly reflect the season, as summer slowly fades away gradually and the countryside prepares itself for winter. Composition works well, with lots of detail extending throughout the scene for the eye to explore and enjoy. The rows of vines lead the eye into the frame, to follow a zig-zag to the picturesque and well positioned farmhouse. Beautiful! Congratulations on your winning image.

A lovely image that is both simple and effective. By focusing in close on the woodland we get a rather abstract image, which I love. The colours clearly speak of autumn but are not over-done. The band of red vegetation across the bottom of the shot works really well; the vertical tree trunks alone would have been great, but the addition of the foreground bushes strengthens the image further. Congratulations on your second place finish.

A striking image of three mushrooms, standing proud on the forest floor. Much of the success of the image is due to the low point of view, with the camera down on the ground to capture the fungi in all its glory. Choice of aperture is spot on, as the foreground and background are beautifully softened, but the three mushrooms are focused throughout. Lighting and colours are lovely, and any editing has been subtly done to retain naturalness. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A beautiful image, full of the vibrant colours of autumn, perfectly reflected in the water. The colours are lovely, bright but natural-looking. Ths inclusion of the waterside dwellings adds visual interest to the shot too. It can be difficult to know where to position the horizon on reflection photos, but by placing it centrally works well here and adds an abstract look to the image. I also love the letterbox crop, which suits the subject. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.