Health, Fitness and Vitality

What I really like about this shot is the rather abstract feel created by the sweepig lines in the snow. The subject is obvious but this quite abstract element brings another dimension to the image. I think I may have been tempted to crop off the top of the image down to just above the highest skier, as the black areas are a little distracting for the eye, but still a super image. Well done on your top ten placing.

I really love the sense of dynamism and energy that this image conveys, along with joyous fun. Some may find the figure in red in the foreground to be a distraction or a mistake, but for me it really makes the shot, as it adds to the sense of movement overall, and gives the viewer a window to look through to the rest of the action beyond. Congratulations on your second place finish.

A simple, understated set-up, but the composition is beautiful with everything in harmony. Importantly for food photography, especially when trying to convey heathy and nutritious food, the subject must be captured in such a way as to make it appealing and looking just delicious, and you have managed that perfectly here. The bloom on the surface of the blueberries matches the textures on the backdrop, and the softly draped cloth looks unforced and a natural part of the scene. Georgeous lighting too. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Something abut this image really captures the essence of the theme. The slhouetted volleyball players set against the stunning backdrop of the high peaks is great. The image looks to have been catured in the golden evening light, whch brings a lovely warm glow to the shot. Full of energy and vitality, well done on your top ten placing.

The bold colours initially drew my attention to this image, with the bright pink of the subject's vest contrasting well with the yellow of the surroundings. Possibly a staged shot rather than a candid capture of someone taking part in their training, but whichever, it has been really well captured and conveys the focus of the athlete on her strength training. I like that we are not in too close, which gives us a good sense of place through the inclusion of the surroundings. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This image conveys a real sense of fresh air and certainly matches the theme of health, fitness and vitality. One cannot help but be inspired to get out into some glourious countryside such as this to raise the spirits and feed the soul, along with the doubtless physical gains from hiking in the mountains. The eyes are initially drawn to the centrally placed figures, before being able to linger over the stunning landscape. I would maybe have preferred the image to be a little more natural-looking and a bit less HDR, but still a shot I like a lot. Well done on your top ten placing.

This image is a great example of how varying the viewpoint can have such a dramatic effect on the resulting image. By shooting low to the ground, we get a dynamic shot, full of impact. Also taking a "risk" with shooting directly into the sun, this has also reeped its rewards with an image full of deep contrasts, to bring full attention to the runners making their way along the beachside promenade. The near-silhouettes still have enough form to prevent them being flat shapes. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

What a fantastic capture of some nutritious and healthy seafood. Great set-up, with the prawns and board running on a diagonal across the frame, and the lighting has been used to best effect, to both illuminate the subject, and to catch just the right amount of highlights to make the food glisten and look especially tempting. The green of the scattered herbs is a lovely contrast to the orangy-pink of the prawns. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A striking and dynamic image that is hard to ignore. The athletic figure, set off against the black backdrop, really draws maximum attention to the subject. What I especially like is that you have positioned the dancer right at the top of the frame, rather than centrally, which gives the viewer a real sense of the movement, at a leap that was so high he almost leapt out of the top of the shot! The only pity is that the right arm is partially obscuring the face, but I can appreciate the complexities in capturing a shot such as this. Congratulations on your winning image.

A simple scene in a stunning mountain landscape, with just two hikers making their way around the lake. Everything looks natural with no over-processing, keeping everything light and fresh, all in-keeping with the theme. The figures have been well placed, and are large enough to be the clear subjects, but we still get a vast expance of the beautiful scenery on which to feast our eyes. Well done on your top ten placing.