Black and white

This shot has been taken from above, and was done so very cleanly – it would be easy to see the legs of a ladder, or the wall of a building if shot out of a window, but it’s impossible to tell how this photo was taken from this vantage point. Thanks to the black and white processing, the water has taken on a creamy, rich texture. It perfectly shows the ritual of Tarpana, with everyone’s hands opening up towards the camera.

Having plans change at the last minute happens a lot in photography. Making the most of the situation you’re given is an essential skill when photographing, and especially when shooting landscapes. This photographer has set out expecting to capture a peaceful sunset, but swirling storm clouds built overhead and made for a vastly different mood. Retaining detail in the dark clouds and the bright horizon must have been difficult, but neither highlights nor shadows were clipped which makes for a wide dynamic range.

Eye contact is a very powerful thing. Connecting with our subject through eye contact is what draws us to this image at first, but we stay with him and notice the snow on his hood. Look further and we can see the snow resting on his long hair, beard and face – this tells us that brisk winds have blown the snow in on him, and now we start feeling the environment he’s in. The background is out of focus, but we can still make out the icy fields and evergreen trees stippling the hills behind.

The key to this photo is its simplicity. Not only do we see the hand painting on the wall, but we also get to see the process of the artist at work. We can almost feel his hands as he presses them against the rough wall, the texture of which can be seen in the arched shapes across the whole of the image. With patterns in photographs we usually like to see perfect uniformity, but the fact that these hand prints are not identical only adds to the image's charm.

Compositional framing has never been so perfectly demonstrated as in this image. The trees to the left and right are almost perfect lines, like holding a border up to a painting. The straightness is mimicked and developed in the centre of the shot with a simple trunk backdrop. We can see no leaves on the trees which keeps the image uncluttered, while the fog helps to portray a sense of depth. We feel as if we’re sat at the edge of the forest peering in, as one might do to a painting in a gallery.