There's something very poignant about a lone tree, which this photo conveys superbly. The use of black and white adds to the atmosphere, with the use of a slight vignette directing the eye towards the tree. I particularly like the fact that a long shutter speed was used, blurring the movement of the tree slightly, giving it life and avoiding the risk of the photo looking static.
This is my winning image due to its very unusual viewpoint made possible with the use of a drone. The snow on the ground really helps the trees to stand out too - without the snow I suspect the trees would have blended in too much with the woodland floor. This combination of height and snow has made for a striking abstract photo that holds your interest.
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The lone figure at the end of this tree-lined lane adds a real sense of scale, helping to convey the size of the trees looming over him. The mist adds a mysterious atmosphere too, with a sensitive use of black and white to enhance the mood. The question left unanswered (and it's left to the viewer to decide) is whether the figure is walking towards or away from the camera....
The most striking and successful aspect of this photo for me is the rich array of colour spread across the frame. The yellow foliage of the silver birches glows against the blue area of shadow behind in particular. (Blue and yellow are complementary colours, which always work well together). It's a photo that would well printed large so that you could spend time exploring the space.
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Mist and a low sun are a powerful combination, particularly in wood. This is a lovely, well-timed shot. The golden beams of sunlight glow in the photo making me wish I were there to see it for real. The layers of shadow and light add to the depth of the shot, making it feel three-dimensional, as though you could step directly into the frame.
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**Before entering this contest, please take a look at the work Ansel Adams did on aspen trees by visiting <a href="http://anseladams.com/new-acquisition-original-photograph-aspens-northern-new-mexico/">this link</a>.** Ansel Adams is largely famous for his rugged black and white landscapes of the American West, but during his long and iconic career, he was also a consummate photographer of trees. The extent to which he admired trees is evident in his subtle and yet stirring portraits of them. We'd like his unique shots of aspen trees to be your inspiration for this contest.
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This is a witty well-seen shot! Are you looking at a tree or is it looking at you? The central framing of the tree is crucial to the success of the photo - it wouldn't have been so powerful if the 'eye' had been closer to either vertical edge. The only thing letting the shot down is technical. The high ISO setting - probably necessary in a dark wood, though in this instance a slower shutter speed would have been possible - has reduced fine detail and added visible noise. It would be worth returning to the location - if possible - and use a low ISO and mounting the camera on a tripod.
