Gable End of Buildings

This was a late entry into my top ten, but one I kept being drawn back to. It is difficult to put my finger on exactly what I like so much about it, but I think it is that the image just is what it is, not tyring to be anything other than a rather shabby beach hut on some dune grass, and the makes no apologies to the viewer for that. I like the contrast between the plain white sky and the darker more grungy hut and vegetation, and that certainly enphasises the shape of the structure and allows a view through from the front to the back of the hut. Simple, unapologetic and effective. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A beautiful image of an equally attractive setting, perfectly showing off the gable end of these waterside dwellings. The slow shutter speed has smoothed the sky and water to help create a greater impression of calm, but the blurring of these features is not so excessive as to be a distraction as can sometimes be the case. A strong composition, placing the buildings close to the vertical centre works well for me, and the inclusion of the reflections adds to the image, but again the reflections are not over-done. Colouring looks nice and natural, with good control of the exposure and colour balance, with the snowy mountains remaining white and full of detail. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Not unexpectedly there were a number of entries of beach huts in this contest, but this was the stand-out one for me. The image has been captured with a very slow shutterspeed which has created an attractive windswept look to the sky, but has retained a natural look and adds to the feeling of freshness and good old sea air that I get when looking at the image. The colous are sunny and bright, although not over-saturated, which further adds to the mood. The composition works well for me, with a fair amount of the frame devoted to the sky, but the huts remain the obvious focal point. I like too that we get a view beyond on the left section of the image. Congratulations on your winning image.

A lovely image, perfectly capturing the golden light of arctic summertime when the late night sun never sets. Obviously the image has been aided by the fact that the owners of the properties kindly decided to paint their homes in different contrasting colours (!!), but the composition of the image and the balance of the lighting has been done to great effect. The photo description indicates this is an HDR image with blending of multiple exposures, but unlike with some HDR processing, you have retained a naturalness and not over-processed the shot, which reflects the natural beauty of landscape. A beautiful calming mood, well done on your top ten placing.

Who would have thought there could be so many variations in the colour combination of beach huts?!! Whilst some may find the scene in reality a little garish, it certainly acts as a set of very photogenic architecture. What sets this image apart from many other shots of beach huts is the use of the long lens, which has attractively compressed the perspective on the huts which for me adds impact. It would have been easy to be tempted to ramp up the saturation, but you have avoided that, and instead have a naturally bright and sunny image. Well done on your top ten placing.

I love the feeling of a sunny blustery day that this image conveys. Many would have gone out their way to avoid including the laundry hanging out to dry, but for me that completes the scene, as it gives a sense of movement, provides a documentary of the place, and acts as an initial focal point in the foreground, before the eye sweeps around the curve of the gabled frontage and a peep down the street beyond. Exposure has been well controlled, as it is not always easy photographing white objects in bright sunlight. Congratulations on your second place finish.

The beautiful light catching the pastel shades of this attractive gabled frontage drew me in to this image when I first say it. The light looks to be the cold watery light of a wnter day, with the cooler shadows contrasting with the gentle warmth of the sunshine. I like that we are presented with a rather ordinary street scene, with people going about their daily business, which brings some life to the scene, but are not dominant. Everything looks natural, with nothing staged or over-processed etc. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A striking image, in part due to the simple composition and placement of the house so that the shape of the gable echos that of the snowy mountain behind it. The simple colours of basically white and golden yellow add impact too. A small criticism would be the inclusion of the digital signature, which looks to have been placed in the least obscure position and does tend to draw the eye. I personally do not understand why logos are added to images on Photocrowd, but if they are for some reason thought to be necessary, I would recommend they are placed in the most discreet position where it is virtually unseen. Only a small logo, but almost ruining the image enough to remove it from the awards - almost, but not quite, as this is an image I otherwise like a lot! Well done on your top ten placing

I love this sort of image, whether in a rural setting or urban as we have here, where the subject fills the frame and there is an absence of sky. For me that will often add impact and interest to the image, as there is something for the eye to explore wherever the eye falls. There is no obvious focal point, but in an image like this I think that adds an attractive abstract element, and the subject becomes just as much about the shapes and patterns as it is about documenting the urban architecture. Especially attractive here is the limited colour palette, and a view of this beautiful city which is not so often seen. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.