Fortifications

This is a classic shot of a magnificent castle, but for all the massive size of the castle, what really makes the shot for me is the inclusion of the tiny figure on the beach in the mid-distance. Nicely converted to black and white, with a good range of tones, but avoiding being too harshly contrasty. Everything looks well focused with good exposure, all contributing to a super black and white image. Well done on your top ten placing.

This is a great example of fine black and white imagery. The range of tones from white through to black gives the image a real "pop", whilst maintaining a moodiness across the shot. Great composition and framing with some lovely details and patterns on the wet sand, and a sky with just enough detail to be interesting, without dominating. Lovely use of light, super image. Well done on your top ten placing.

In this image you have made the most of the difficult shooting conditions created by what looks to be very harsh sunlight. The high contrast conversion to black and white suits the subject, as the lines and shape of the tower are highlighted well against the dark sky. The lovely little wisps of the clouds add some softness and interest to the top half of the shot to break up the expanse of sky. The wide angle lens has been used creatively in the composition to produce a great image. Well done on your top ten placing.

Finalising the placings in this contest was not easy, but this lovely image of the iconic Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland eventually took the top spot. The overall composition is very strong, leading to a well balanced image. I especially like the naturalness of the capture - no dramatic lighting overtaking the subject, and no heavy post-capture processing to create an unreal representation of the subject. Instead we have a technically well acomplished shot, with the typically overcast grey sky giving a diffuse softness to the shot, and some lovely soft and muted colours. A beautiful, natural image, congratulations on your first place finish.

It is good to see this fine castle photographed in its slightly wider setting, with not just the castle, but part of the bridge, the coastline, and the medieval town it was built to defend. You have selected just the right time of day to capture this shot, as there is still plently of natural light, but the contrasts between the warm orange glow of the lights and the cooler blues, give a hint of the oncoming night. Super image, well done on your top ten placing.

The composition of this image initially attracted me, with the understated castle quite high in the frame, and the length of track leading the eye into the scene towards the main subject in the background. I especially like the limited colour palette of soft dark greys and greens, which gives the image a sombre, yet calm mood. Everything is well focused and the exposure is spot on, light enough to allow detail to be seen, but at the same time avoiding being over bright or contrasty to break the moodiness. Congratulations on your third place finish.

This is a great atmospheric image, shot at night using a long exposure to bring a lovely mood of calm gentleness to the shot. I especially like the rich colours, with the warm orange blending gradually to a cooler purple. The exposure is spot on, as we can see some great detail in the beach and castle, but have retained the moodiness of a moonlit night. Your composition and framing works well, as the shore-line gives a subtle lead-in, and there is a good amount of landscape surrounding landscape the main suject to give context. A lovely image, congratulations on your second place finish.

This image was a late entry to my top ten, but was one I kept coming back to and eventually decided it could not be ignored in my placings. I anticipate this image may not be a crowd-pleaser, but there is something quite captivating about the shot, full of intrague and questions. I like the shot as it stands out from many of the rest, which although "pretty" and nicely captured, do not provoke the same gut-feeling as this image stimulates. Far from technically perfect, but it is those imperfections such as the grain and extreme contrasts which for me add to the appeal. An unusual but great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This is a classic viewpoint of this much photographed castle, but you have been successful in creating an image with a little difference, through your supurb capture of the scene on a stunningly calm evening. Composition is great, with a carefully selected viewpoint and use of a wide angle lens, which allows the foreground boat to be fairly large in the frame to add interest and act as a subtle lead-in, but avoids dominating the overall subject of the shot - the castle. Beautifully exposed to make the most of the light and colours, and any post processing has been done sensitively. Well done on your top ten finish.