Chimneys

The visible frost, and the contrast between the dim evening light and the warm glow of the houses and hills, makes this image a very cosy winter capture indeed. I find the mix of purples and oranges very comforting and beautiful to look at. The exposure is just right, allowing visibility in the shadows as well as enough detail in the highlights, which isn't always easy to achieve. I wish the chimney was straight in the image (if it was straight in reality, that is), but that is only a very minor critique in an otherwise beautiful, successful and poetic capture.

The first thing to catch my eye about this image is the angle it was shot at, with the ground level tilted at an angle and the horizon still perfectly straight. The composition, with the building positioned following the rule of thirds, is neat and pleasing to the eye. I love how the colour grading, rich in blues and magenta, highlights the natural tones of blue hour. The light, beautifully soft and silvery, catches the water in interesting highlights that enhance its movement, whilst the sky, strikingly suggestive, adds a splash of much needed yellow to break up all the blues. This is a very beautiful and well-executed chimney shot that thoroughly deserves its place in the final ten.

This capture immediately caught my attention whilst browsing through the entries. Like all successful minimalist shots, its beauty lies in its many thought-out details. The first thing I love about it, is how defined the bird and chimney are against the cloudy sky as well as the angle at which they are captured. The chimney is interestingly tilted to one side and the bird is clearly showing its beautiful profile features. The dim light is enough to reveal some detail in the chimney, which adds a sense of three-dimensionality that could have otherwise been lost. This is a simple yet striking chimney capture that certainly deserves recognition.