Brown Landscapes (in colour)

Some will go out of their way to avoid including people in a landscape, and I agree that any human presence needs to be carefully considered to achieve the right look and feel, but here you have it spot-on. By including the figure, especially one capturing the scene with a camera, the viewer can more realistically imagine themselves into the scene than if just viewing the photo, and for me it helps increase the sense of awe without any distraction. The captured landscape is great, with the magical rocky pinnacles well defined by the lighting and composition. Congratulations on your third place finish.

I love the abstract simplicity of this shot. Without reading the image description, it is difficult to get a sense of the scale, and could equally be taken from miles up in the air to standing atop the ripples in the sand. I enjoy that uncertainty when viewing the image. Great lighting and composition, picking out the shape and form of the features of the sand, creating interest and impact. Congratulations on your winning image.

A calm and gentle scene, captured in some lovely light, looking to be taken either at the beginning or end of the day when the light has a soft golden-pinky hue. Composition is great, with the highlights provided by the water in the curving channels in the mud drawing the eye into the frame to the mountains beyond. The small buildings on the banks add interest and a sense of scale. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A beautifully calm scene, highlighting the English Lake District at its best. I especially like that the reflections look very natural, leaving the viewer in no doubt that they are genuine and not a result of photo editing trickery. The colours are lovely, dominated by rich golden browns with a highlight of green. Composition is good too, with the positioning of the two rocks in the foreground adding interest to an otherwise featureless part of the scene. The letterbox format really suits the subject. Congratulations on your second place finish.

What a great composition, with all the features of the image running on a visually pleasing diagonal across the frame. Whilst the subject is obvious, this use of the diagonal lines adds an abstract feel to the shot, which I like. Once the image is taken in as an overall view, the viewer can then move in closer to enjoy the little details such as the curving shape of the fence, the vehicle tracks and the figure sitting alone taking in the view of the waves. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.