Balloons

There is something rather incongruous about this image that really appeals to me. I think it is a combination of the subject, the setting and the conversion to black and white which all give the image something else. The scene leaves it up to the viewer to provide their own narrative as to the story behind these balloons and the person carrying them. Congratulations on your winning image.

A beautifully serene image with great composition, giving the image balance and harmony. The colours are lovely, with the gentle greens of the landscape contrasting with the red of the balloons and the temples. You have wisely avoided any temptation to oversturate the reds, which would have given the image a more garish look and altered the mood completely. The slight softness to the image suits the subject. Congratulations on your second place finish.

There were several entries documenting the fascinating world inside a hot air balloon, but this was my favourite. By including the people we get a great sense of the enormous size of these balloons, which many of us only see floating high above our heads, giving a misleading sense of size. There are lots of interesting shapes and patterns throughout the scene to hold the attention, and we also get a good impression of the light floaty fabric of the balloon. Congratulations on your third place finish.

A slightly unusual still life image, but one full of details and interest to hold the attention. Lighting is good, as it has rendered the colours bold and bright, but likely natural, and there are plenty of shadow areas to reveal the textures and form of these uninflated balloons. The backdrop is simple and does not distract, and I like that the background looks realistic rather than an edited cutout backdrop and associated unrealistic look. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.