Frozen Lakes and Rivers

The composition here is a masterclass - bold and unapologetic!. The way you've held the rock reflection within the top 'V' of ice is so carefully judged, and then the echoes of the same shape again in the lower triangle. It allows the eye to journey right through these shapes, as well as to the sides and beyond. There's so much texture to take in; plus, the hint of warmth in the tip of the rock - balancing out all the blue hues - gives the eye somewhere to rest as well. I'm glad that you haven't over-saturated these gentle colours. Sometimes a photographer's heart sinks when met with clear blue-sky conditions like this, but this is a demonstration in using it to your advantage! A stand-out image, well done.

It was the urban theme of this that grabbed me, and I've really enjoyed spending time looking at the bridge and buildings' lights reflected in the ice. It's a nicely judged composition - the layers of sky, man-made structures, flowing river and icy edges are all given some room to breathe in the image. The narrow aperture for light sparkles, and the long exposure for movement in the flowing water and the clouds, make it a really dynamic and engaging photograph. The tones in the sky are a gift as they've added in complementary colours of purplish-blue to counteract the warm yellow of the lights. A really beautiful image, well done.

This is a really nicely controlled exposure, with the golden light playing against the blue shadows of the snow in shade, and a lovely sweeping view of the ice. I like the details of the shadows through the trees and that gently diffused light. The narrow aperture is always going to show up any pesky dust spots on the sensor, so do check particularly for spots in a clear sky and give them a quick tidy up in your post-processing to bring your image deservedly to the next level.

The human element in this photograph is what really completes it - and not underestimating the skill of managing to stay still and sharp for a long exposure in these temperatures! The composition is perfectly judged so that we can see all of the figure, while the icicles prevent too much of the higher areas of lightness in the sky from detracting. I'm fascinated by all of the textures here, and the glimpses of the lake beyond. I'm also appreciating the orange of the jacket to counteract all of the blue hues. A striking image that sticks in the mind.

This is beautifully done with the gentle morning tones giving a glow, but the bright highlights handled really well to prevent them from taking too much attention from the overall scene. The scudding clouds and the difference between the clear and opaque ice intrigue me! One thing worth paying attention to in post-processing is the little hair on the sensor, top left - but what a spot to spend time photographing! Such a dramatic image given a very considerate and respectful treatment.