Landscapes #487

I love the effect that the photographer has achieved here with an 11 second shutter speed. It works really well, and creates a slightly disconcerting feel that sits well with the threatening weather. The branch in the foreground is key to the success of the shot.

Some real quality in my Top 10 images in this Landscapes contest, but this was the winner for me. The tonal range has been really well handled, and the photographer has done well to allow the shaded foreground of the image to remain so, providing a lovely increase in brightness as one works to the back of the shot. Nice and sharp from the front to the back, and nice high valley sides that stretch all the way to the top of the frame. Well done!

Beautiful! Real subtlety in the colours here, which allows it to retain a believability that sunset and sunrise shots often lose when post-processing hasn't been handled carefully enough. The horizon is perfectly horizontal, and there's nothing to distract us from the gorgeous patterns of the tide.