Exterior of Religious Buildings

What initially attracted me to this image is the capture of the beautiful light, which adds a lovely sence of tranquil calm to the scene. Composition and framing is great, with the church large enough in the frame to be the main subject, but still allowing a good amount of the surroundings to be visible to give a good sence of place. Some may find the two central figures by the waterside an annoyance, but for me they add to the image overall, creating another point of interest and a realistic view of the location. Lovely tones and colours across all elements of the image all join to create a gorgeous photo. Congratulations on your winning image.

A beautiful image of the simple curved architecture of this Greek church. Although part of the main structure has been cropped off on the left, I like the composition, and the inclusion of the lower foreground structures adds to the strength of the shot. I like the contrast between the cool whites and blues of the church, and the warm golden hues of the approach. The sunlight looks to be very strong, but you have managed to create a gentle softness to the image with some lovely tones to soften the harsh light, which suits the soft curves of the architecture. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This image captured my attention as soon as I saw it. It works on several levels, as a documentary image and an architectural shot etc. Well composed, the minarets are centrally placed so are a strong focal point, but not over-dominant in the image overall. The women in the foreground add a narrative to the image, and prevents the image remaining a more sterile architectural shot. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

In judging this contest I tried to look for images which were more than simple record shots, snapshots or picture postcard pretty pictures, and instead award shots where there was evidence of something more going into the capture of the shot. Whilst this image is undoubtedly a beautiful shot which could certainly grace many a postcard, for me there is far more about this image which makes it worthy of a placing. Composition is especially strong, and although classically done more-or-less according to the rule of thirds, it works. Lighting is gorgeous, and everything works together perfectly, from the golden sunlight, the green sea and white surf of the breaking waves, the fluffy clouds and blue sky, the stunning location of the church.... Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

What a great image. Any landscape shot at sunrise of sunset, whether urban or rural, can sometimes be rather clichéd, and often the colours of the sky can create a wow-factor which can hide some rather mediocre photography skills. That is not the case here however, as this is a fabulous image which looks to have been captured with great photographic skill, the balance of lighting is spot on, with the dimness of the twilight and the combined glow of the artificial lights and the residual lightness in the sky. Colours are rich but not oversaturated, creating a beautiful image with St. Peter’s Basilica strongly positioned in the composition. Well done on your top ten placing.

A great deal of time and care looks to have gone into this image, and the quality of the image shines through. A classic location, but the image is especially attractive for its difference to other shots from the same location. The long exposures bring a lovely gentle calm to the scene, and although obviously not as the eye would see it, does not look unnatural and nothing looks over-done or gimicky. The tones and hues are great, showing good contrast and detail even though the architecture is quite distant from the viewer. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A striking black and white image of a church with equally striking architecture. The black and white conversion has been done especially well, with a great range of tones from black through to white. The composition and framing is spot on, with good balance between the building and surrounding skyscape. The cloud structure is dramatic but does not dominate, contributing to a spectacular shot. Congratulations on your third place finish.

An eye-catching image that drew my attention as soon as I saw it. It is difficult to see what the building is being reflected in, maybe a puddle or a man-made water feature, but whichever, it makes a stunning image. I like that the reflection is only partial, which prevents the shot looking like an image falsely flipped and mirrored in editing, and the tones and capture of the light is especially appealing. Composition is great, with everything held neatly in the frame, with nothing looking either too cramped or with too much surround. The soft gentle sky matches the gentle domed architecture of the mosque, bathed in a warm golden light. Super image, well done on your top ten placing.

When faced with a towering and spectacular structure such as this, it can be difficult to know how to approach the capture, whether to step back to capture the whole, to focus on a small detail, or as here, to adopt a more creative approach and shoot from an extreme angle. I think this works really well, and we get a real sense of the grand scale of the cathedral and also get a good view of the fine architectural elements. Good control of the light and shadows gives the image good depth and adds to the impact. Congratulations on your second place finish.

Anyone who has only ever seen Malaga in the blazing sun under a cloudless blue sky will find this image unrecognisable. The cathedral, although surrounded by mist, is somehow more prominent in these conditions, standing proudly above the city. The gentle pastel colours match the softness of the mist, bringing a lovely mood to the scene. Well composed, with the cathedral clearly the focal point of the shot. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.