This is a seascape that has a little bit of everything and proves that you don't need a dramatic sunset or sunrise to make a special, impactful image.
With these kind of images, where the shutter speed has been slowed down to allow of the creation of some movement in the crashing waves, it is always a bit of trial and error to get the right shapes and synergy in the waves, but this image does it perfectly, demonstrating your patience and eye for composition.
I love the mood, with those threatening clouds dominating the skyline, pulling the eye to the lighthouse in the middle, standing stalwart amidst the storm. The colour of the water, with a hint of blue, compliments the greys above and the browns of the rocks and elevates the bright, white paint of the lighthouse.
Just one of those images where you think, 'yup, I would have loved to have taken that'. Shows off the sea in all it's ferocious volatility, thank you for sharing!
When the standard of entry is so high, it becomes extremely difficult to pick an overall winner and I must have reshuffled the top 10 places of this contest about 20 times. However, this image always found its way back to the top spot and for the last 5 or so shuffles it remained there.
It's quite some achievement to place top out of the 8000+ images that were entered, so congratulations! For me, this image encapsulates the theme in such a beautiful and dramatic fashion that it is deserved of the top spot. You've been upfront about the fact that this is a composite, but the way you've combined the two images is flawless and it would be difficult to tell otherwise. The lighthouse takes centre stage, framed by the gulls. I love the slowed down shutter speed that adds movement to both the gulls and the sea.
The infrared look also elevates the mood, allowing the lighthouse to stand out and enhancing the atmosphere of the image, allowing the viewer to feel as if they're standing in the middle of the ensuing storm.
Really nicely done, a worthy winner.
There were many drone images entered into this contest and it was a difficult choice but I felt one of them deserved a place in the top ten and it was yours that eventually won out.
Shooting the sea from above allows us to gain a different perspective, and the top down view is a popular choice for good reason. I like how it shows off the tumultuous nature of the waves as they swirl and splatter off the rocks close to shore. The deep blues give way to turquoise tones and frothy white tufts of the expended waves. This contrasts with the lighter browns of the rocks themselves.
I like the portrait orientation, and the way you've included three of the rocks in the frame, but the detail that elevates it above average is the inclusion of the bird soaring through the frame. I didn't notice it immediately, but when I spotted it, it was a delightful surprise. It adds scale and interest, taking the image and making it something sort of magical.
Oh Harris, what a place. I find myself returning to its beaches and beauty whenever I have the chance and this image is such a lovely representation of why photographers from all over the world become enchanted by the landscape.
The 'Small Beach' is a place of wonder, and danger, with a fast tide and sloped beach. Your image shows it off in a delightful way, and I like that you've chosen to frame in the opposite direction to most, ignoring the Harris hills and instead relying on the crashing waves as a way to frame the rocks.
The undeniable colour of the Hebridean water is evident in the waves, and I like that you've slowed the shutter down just enough to catch the wave as it crests as well as the 'swooshery' of the outgoing tide. The gneiss rock in the foreground is shimmering from the water, complimenting the turquoise colours of the sea and the dark, threatening greys above.
A beautiful rendition of a fearsome, moody moment in such a beautiful spot, thanks for sharing.
As you can imagine, there were quite a few entries that showed giant waves crashing over stalwart lighthouses, but none quite captured the imagination quite as much as this one.
Although you've stated that your shutter speed is 1/800 of a second, the force of the water means that there is still a sense of movement in the wave that has traversed over the lighthouse, crashing onto the seawall below. I love the way you've caught the next wave in motion before the lighthouse is once again consumed, and a hint of light breaking through has illuminated the white paintwork from beneath the water.
What makes this image for me is the monochrome conversion. It reduces the image down to its most basic elements, the shadows and highlights, and eliminates any distractions that might have been caused by colourful elements. The darker areas created by the seawall and the clouds are interrupted by the white of the waves and the lighthouse.
An image that meets the brief and does so with style.
As you can imagine, the majority of the 8000+ images entered into this contest aimed to show off the coast through traditional seascapes (often involving lighthouses or rocky coastlines) at sunset or sunrise. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I'm partial to such scenes. However, it was a joy to see a different take on the theme and your images was a refreshing and innovative department from the usual entries.
I love the way you've used the outgoing tide to your advantage, finding the natural s-curves created in the sand and using them to lead the eye through the image. The decision to exclude the sky is a wise one so all our attention remains on the relationship between the sand and the water.
The detail that makes the image is the inclusion of the two people right at the top of the frame. They become a natural end point for the eyes journey as well as adding scale and context to the scene. The bright light adds contrast and all in all this is a fine example of how to think outside the box when it comes to interpreting the brief, thanks for sharing!
I've stood in this exact location and as you well know, it is an amazing sight to look up and see the mountains in the distance. It's nice to see a rendition of this during a less wintery spell as it allows for the colours in the sea to come out and the rocks and rock pools in the foreground to take centre stage.
The colours in the water are lovely, with hints of green and turquoise contrasting with the pinks and oranges in the sky above. Your composition works well, with the foreground very much looking like an eye that's wide open and staring up at us, the viewer and you, the photographer.
You demonstrate a clear and thorough understanding of composition, although if it was me I would have left a little more room at the top of the frame as it feels a little uncomfortable. However, that is personal preference and all in all this is a wonderful shot of a marvellous location.
8,068 Images entered
3,974 Photographers
Brief
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The power of our seas has crafted some of earth’s most spectacular scenery. It includes vast beaches, soaring cliffs, tiny alcoves, expansive natural harbours, and everything in-between. In some areas our coasts are unspoilt and quiet, in others we have added lighthouses and houses, or created bustling towns and cities and often quite gaudy tourist resorts. It’s a relaxed brief for this contest that can cover anything from purely natural landscapes to coastal cityscapes.
299,415 Ratings
I absolutely love this image. What a morning you must have had, enjoying the misty conditions.
I love that there is the hint of the sun burning through the thick fog, illuminating the end of the pier. Your composition is spot on, with the three elements in the frame working well with each other. Firstly there are the rocks at the bottom of the frame, those lead to the pier itself, jutting out into the murky waters, leading the eye to the groin on the left of the frame.
Your 19:6 framing ensures that there isn't too much 'emptiness' above or below and although there isn't a huge amount of colour, there is enough in the water to add something extra to the composition.
The long exposure gives the image an ethereal feel and all in all this is a superb image deserved of a place in the top ten.
West Pier is such an iconic structure. I love that it's skeletal remains just keep watch over Brighton, slowly disintegrating as the years go by.
The structure is always ripe for compositions and was featured in quite a few of the entries for this contest. However this is one that stood out to me and for one simple reason, the context of your image. Yes, it involves West Pier, but it balances out the structure with that impressive murmuration that you've managed to capture at just the right moment. It almost appears like a speech bubble as if the old pier is breathing life into the conflation of starlings gathering just off shore.
A magical moment that demonstrates both the rigidity of manmade structures and the fluidity of nature through the movement of the starlings and waves. Lovely stuff.
Simplicity in photography. I don't often find it in my own work but I love seeing it in others. There is something wonderful soothing about a really long exposure that smooths out the sea into a milky sheen and blends the horizon so it's hard to tell where the sea ends and the sky begins.
This image does that perfectly, allowing for the railings to take centre stage, appearing to exist in isolation. The monochrome conversion adds to the effect and all in this is a superb image that makes the most of the conditions.
It's always difficult to pick a top ten and I'm thankful for a 'Highly Commended' category where images that I believe have a little bit of something special about them can find a home.
This is one of those images that doesn't necessary have much impact in terms of light, just what it lacks it makes up for in drama and composition.
You've hit the shutter button at just the right moment as the giant wave crashes over the seawall, presumable consuming the two people standing there, seemingly oblivious to the drama that is unfolding behind them. It's an image that makes me wonder what happened next and it tells a story full of suspense, drama and the ability of humans to stand in the way of danger, quite literally.
Thank you for sharing.
Newborough beach on Anglesey is one of my favourite locations in the whole of North Wales and your image shows off why that is so.
The dunes are magnificent, as are the trees that line the beach, providing different textures and environments from which to create imagery.
I'm assuming that this is an infrared image as the tones are just delicious, but it could just be a really nice black and white conversion.
I love the patterns in the untouched sand, catching the light and leading the eye to the driftwood that is half covered. The bare wood stands tall, leading the eye on to the dunes that are also catching that strong lighting, standing out against the moody sky in the distance.
It's a quiet image in someways, one that would likely not stand out to most, but I love how you've really captured the desolation, diversity and and drama of the coastline all in one frame. Magic.
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One of my favourite views in the world. There is little that beats walking from the carpark at Luskentyre, traversing the dunes and stepping on to the beach to this, one of the greatest views in the whole of the UK.
I like the subtly in your image. You've decided against leaning too hard into the contrast and it's all the better for it. There is a gentleness to the light that is elevating the dune grasses in the foreground and catching the very tip of the Harris hills in the distance. I like that the dunes lead to the sea and the sea leads to the hills. Nicely done. Thanks for taking me back to my happy place.
I absolutely love this image. It has a real cinematic feel like it could have easily been taken out of a Wes Anderson movie.
I love the colours which embody the idea of 'coastal' without the need to hammer it home. The deep blue of the sky, and the hint of the sea in the distance, contrasting with the white of the buildings in the strong directional lighting. This is tied together by the red plant in the middle of the frame.
Some images are all about the composition and some images are all about the way it makes you feel and there is something about this image that makes me yearn for something just out of the reach, a sense of nostalgia for a place I've never visited. It's a bittersweet, evocative image and it stood out from the rest of the entries because of that.
My only criticism would be that there is a little dust spot in the centre of the frame that could easily be removed in post and would further improve the image. That aside, not everything is about technical perfection and for the reasons I've stated above, this is deserving of being highly commended. Thank you for sharing!
There were several entries that showed the diamond ice beach of Iceland in a variety of ways. All the images were good, all of them along the same theme, but there was something about this one that just edged out the rest for me.
I like the quiet nature of it, and the subtly of the colour in the sky. I like the way the water is crashing and the moment you decided to release the shutter. I like the framing, with the block of ice on the left and the incoming tide on the right, and I like the shape the water is making as the tide retreats along the black sand to the sea.
It just hits all the right notes, thank you for sharing!