Frozen

At last, a Glacier, a subject you would expect the most of this theme. There were so many entries on Glaciers, I apologise if yours has not been selected.

My eyes caught a few and I select this one although ant of those you can find in my commended list could have been as easily placed as number 4. Just a small comment on post-processing of such images I am currently questioning and debating. I am believer that noise and colour reduction tools as well as colour enhancing and sanitising tools should be used sensibly. It is mostly my scientific background kicking in here, obliging us, as a scientist, to interpret reality as close as possible to what we see. The transformation allowance of our images we capture on the microscope, for instance, has to stay within a 20% range, just enough allowance for us to rectify any changes occurring between transfers of medium (from microscope via computer screen to print). There were perfect shots submitted here but I believe some alterations just took disappointedly the sensation of frozen away for me. We ought to keep in mind that although we are masters of the virtual world, we are a mere observer in the natural world. The question on my mind is: What is one to do when the landscapes of the virtual world become more pleasing than the landscapes that mother nature will ever be able to offer? We are biological entities and although we can be happy in the virtual world we can not be without the physical world of Mother Nature we all are born into. Still, there were quite a few here that I had selected and liked as you may seen in the extended commended list that still managed to convey the expected sensation.

"My power flurries through the air into the ground. My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around... You must all remember this song, "Let it go" from the movie Frozen. Not so long ago, and thanks to so many entries here, it seems that very few of us where spare from icy storms hurling through our countrysides and cities. Despite the dangers such weather conditions bring, I am glad that so many of you took the opportunity to capture some frozen moments. Frozen dwellings, frost covered plants, glaciers, the well known ice formations on the shores of Iceland, frozen lakes and rivers, animals and people covered with ice and an amazing collection of ice formations, we had it all here. Nevertheless, only a few can shine. It was an extremely difficult choice. What I was concentrating on with my selecting was the images that conveyed most the sensation of "Frozen". In this special COVID time and not to mention how many of us, were under lockdown, not all were fortunate enough to go to famous locations like a Glacier and to visit those fantastic ice formations on the beach of Jokulsarlon. I believe that the sensation of Frozen could have been captured right in our backyard. and I was right. There were many entries that showed me just that.

So without further ado, here is my number one. It's not in colour, and with no fantastic scenic landscape but I was captured by the composition of this photo. The focus is clearly on an icicles and not on the house. Then slowly the roof takes us deeper into what mostly would appear mountains. It is the suggestion of a wider spread of cold that is so well portrayed here. You can't see it as it is out focus but, for me, you can feel it and the narrow depth of field leaves you the space to tap into your psyche and recall memories of winter mountain holidays, recent or as a child, that most likely most of us had, at least had one. So there you have it. Just a few icicles was sufficient to convey a chilling sensation of frozen. Well done

As my number 2, I set my eyes on this capture. Frosty lawn... could have been taken anywhere since lawns are so widespread, just needed to get up early enough and face the feisty morning chill. This participant had submitted another without the leaf, but I believe that the leaf, as a subject ,makes it the more interesting. I like the narrow depth of field and the slight blueish tones which all together convey well a sensation of frozen. There is just enough information for your eyes to focus on and then let the information sink into your brain so to trigger all those moments where you were up early, stepped onto a frozen lawn only to hear it crackling under your feet... The leaf could have been anyone of us. Well done.

A final comment here for the top 10 entries, on the shapes and forms that ice is able to create. and indulges with. Unfortunately there is not enough space in the top 10 to reward all I liked but I stopped at this one, With a bit of imagination, you could just envision those shapes becoming alive and moving across this immaculate snowy landscape not unlike 'Treebeard' the tree-giant character in J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings. I do hope that the participant will be able to translate what I just said as my Cantonese is a bit rusty (actually nearly non-existent except from a few words). But thank you for submitting and thrilling us with new icy shapes and forms.

Number 3, the forgotten items left outside, frozen over night... who has not experienced this . I have chosen this as number 3 as fantastic composition to convey the sensation of frozen. Again simplicity and just enough information for our visual centre before letting it sink deeper in our brain and tap into all those memories that can be linked to a such a moment. It is a perfect composition, that any one of us could have taken in the backyard or on our baloney during these challenging times of lockdowns. Well done to this photographer.

What a story here. Thank you so much for sharing. We have looked at the beauty of Frozen and have quite nonchalantly put aside its deadly force. Happy ending here but just a reminder that throughout human history not all battle with the cold ended up on a happy note. So we are grateful to see this smile after what must have been quite a battle against the powers of the cold. Thank you.

I set out as a rule that one icicles will just not cut it to give us that sensation of Frozen. But to every rule there seems to be an exception and here is mine. I gave in... I think we all need a bit of cheering up...

So where is Gabe when you need him the most? Damsel in distress... It is incredibly suggestive but it made me laugh for a while and forget our COVID reality.

So Gabe get on your white horse, and go on with it, rescue is needed.

Cheers