Black and White Landscapes

For me, black and white images fall into two different categories - ones that lean into the drama and those that rely on more hi-key editing. Both have their merits and convey the narrative is different ways. This particular image is a masterclass in hi-key processing.

I know you had two images from a similar scene and either one would have been worthy of a top ten spot, but I was a enamoured by this one more than the other for one simple reason - the line of geese flying over the snowy landscape. It put me in mind of one of my favourite poems by Mary Oliver, 'Wild Geese' which ends with the lines;

"Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting– over and over announcing your place in the family of things."

To me, when one artform can put you in mind of another (such as poetry), that is a beautiful thing. This image offers more than just good timing without the geese, it demonstrates your skill with composition as the way you've lined up the fences with the edge of the frame is satisfying and aids the eye in finding its way through the frame. Everything in the image sits together well, and because of the subject matter and processing, the feeling of cold just emanates outwards.

Although this might not be everybody's first choice for a winner, or even top three, there is something quietly wonderful about this image and that should be celebrated, so congratulations and thank you for sharing.

I've stood and taken in this scene many times over the years, but rarely has it looked as majestic as in this image. The quality of the light you've captured is astounding, giving the scene an ethereal, otherworldly feel.

This touch of magic is aided and elevated by the monochrome processing that allows those highlights in the trees and on the fells to really take centre stage and bask in the light cascading through the intermittent cloud above. The Lakes can be harsh at times, with rain dominating, but you need the cloud to get conditions like this, and you've been especially lucky to find the water still enough to reflect back the beautiful streaks of light.

The image is helped by your composition, giving room for the reflection but also allowing space to show off that light. It must have been magical to witness and I bet you have more than a couple of keepers from this shoot. The only distraction is the blown out sky in the upper left of the image and I wonder if there is a suitable crop that keeps the light but eliminates the distracting highlight?

That aside, this image is more than worthy of a top 3 position and I hope that I'm one day lucky to experience this quality of light at Ullswater. Thank you for sharing!

I like the story you tell with this image. One of endurance and harsh conditions. This is elevated by your choice of processing, leaning into the hi-key editing, reminiscent of a pencil drawing. This brings out the detail in the image, especially in the weathered exterior of the abandoned house and the details in the slopes of the mountain behind.

Your composition works really well, placing the house in front of the mountain so they are in relationship with one another, against the bleak, featureless sky. It makes me wonder who might have lived here. The way you've positioned everything in the frame demonstrates your talent as a photographer and your editing choices show you're adept at processing for maximum impact.

An impressive scene that benefits from your keen eye for composition. Congrats on making the top ten!