Dynamic lines help create an uneasy feeling whenever I look at this image. The strong verticals of the trees sit at odds with the steep, diagonal lines of the terrain but it is certainly an image that invokes a strong sense of emotion and feeling.
The mist helps to soften the scene successfully and the subtle colour palette allows the viewer to carefully study the form of the image without feeling overpowered.
A beautifully composed image full of atmosphere and serenity that really appeals to me.
Congratulations to the photographer on a beautiful capture.
Another wonderfully muted image in the top ten and deservedly so. Lovely tones, colour palette and composition although the leaning of the trees inwards niggles me a little. A little straightening up the verticals would suit the image better but nonetheless, a fine image to be included in the top ten.
2,023 Images entered
683 Photographers
Depth of field here is the most dominant trait of the image but to my mind, it works beautifully well. The photographer has used a tilt-shift effect to emphasize the shallow depth of field and it works extremely well.
The out of focus immediate foreground helps to have the viewer's eyes settle in the centre of the frame, as the photographer intended.
The colour palette is wonderfully muted but vibrant enough to capture my attention and the image is sharp where it needs to be. The light left of centre is quite bright but not overbearingly so in my opinion but I would want it no brighter personally.
Another cracking image to be included in the top ten.
Choosing ten very fine images to make my top ten has been very tricky indeed and seeing this capture made my job all the more difficult but it definitely deserves its place in my ten favourite images from the 2,000 submitted.
A dominant tree on the far right has branches that take you through the scene beautifully well. Add in a lovely colour palette, sympathetic post-processing skills and some wonderful lighting and you have an image that I personally, could look at for hours.
60,670 Ratings
Perhaps the boldest image to make my top ten but having just returned from three months in Slovenia and for some of that time, in snowy, wintery conditions, this image resonated with me.
I love the inverted c-shape format of the trees on the right, the location of the wooden lodge on the far left with space to spare underneath it from the trees and the striking subtle light that has shadows cast over the image really does have this image stand out.
A beautiful winter wonderland image.
This is a subtle yet strong image for me. There is a beautifully subdued colour palette displayed with the right amount of contrast used.
There is plenty of atmosphere shown with some wonderful recession due to the misty conditions present. The main subject of the trees on the right lean into the image with the horizontal branch running along the underneath of the top of the image allows the eye to circumnavigate the composition beautifully well.
A really well thought out composition and sympathetically post processed to bring out all the relevant details required. Another beautiful image to make the top ten in this competition.
An image that struck me immediately while looking through 2,000entries.
A wonderful subtle image that conveys beautiful placement of the trees and a very pleasing composition and the 5x4 crop suits the scene well.
Flecks of orange really do help to lift the image off the screen while the reflection in the water is just about perfect.
It is a busy image, there's no doubt about that but the dominant tree on the left helps to anchor the composition and the white spots on the bark help to give the tree some presence and interest.
Overall, a really lovely image worthy of second place in this competition. Congratulations to the photographer on a beautiful image.
This image is one that I myself, have taken on numerous occasions and as such, resonated with me.
There is just the right amount of revealment to showcase what lies ahead but the mist completely frames the outer edges of the frame offering up a window into the world ahead.
The black and white conversion offers up a level of simplicity that disguises the ability of the photographer to not only 'see' the scene but also to shoot it too.
Brief
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***This contest is open to subscribers (members on the Challenger, Pro and Master subscription tiers). However if you're not a paying subscriber you can still purchase entries for £2 (GBP) per image.*** If you’ve ever tried photographing forests, jungles or woodlands, you’ll know it’s not always easy. These are very busy environments – filled with activity, noise and movement. Condensing that life to one single, still image can be a challenge. Moreover, irregular and patchy light (as it comes through the trees) can make for unpredictable lighting. But remember... practise makes perfect!
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A lovely image that very nearly received a commended award from me but the inclusion of a watermark identifying the photographer ultimately had it narrowly miss out. Personally, my view is that all images entered should be completely anonymous to avoid potential accusations of favouritism from the judge.
That being said, I love the panorama format, I think that it shows off the scene beautifully well and the light is soft. I would advise perhaps straightening up the trees vertically a little on either side of the image but all told, a lovely capture of what looks like a beautiful woodland area.
