Landscapes with Animals

There were a lot of great and quite diverse entries in this contest and judging was a challenge, but this earns my top spot. A wonderful panoramic rural landscape, captured with a dusting of winter snow. The flock of hardy sheep are centrally placed, and that works well as although small within the frame, they do not become lost within the overall composition. The eye can wander from the sheep, over to the craggy rocks, and then sweep over the ridge to the hills and flatter lands in the distance. I love the touch of golden light in the clouds which brings an uplifting warmth to an otherwise chilly landscape. A beautiful image, bringing a feeling of a lovely breath of fresh air. Congratulations on your winning image.

What really attracted me to this image is the harmony and how well these llamas blend into the landscape. They are by no means hidden, but they somehow look to be at one with their surroundings. The lighting is lovely, and I especially like the contrast we have here between the cool purpley blues of the distant snow-topped mountains, and the warm golden hues in the foreground of the grasses and the animals. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Although the more distant landscape is blurred through likely use of a longer lens and wider aperture, by capturing the sheep looking away from the camera, we are invited to join the sheep and sit a while to admire the scenery. Bang on brief for this contest, a great balance between animal and landscape. I love landscape shots that have no sky included, and it somehow gives a greater intimicy to the landscape and keeps the eye and the interest contained, with much to explore. Great work, wrll done on your top ten placing.

These two adorable goats really captured my attention when I first saw them, and the way they have been captured gives a real feeling that they are at one with the landscape. Whilst they are quite large in the frame, they do not block the view of the landscape from the top of the ridge down the steep valley below. The gait and posture of both the adult and kid look to show a steep climb and convey a real sense of the mountainous terrain and landscape they are part of. Well done on your top ten placing.

I love this image, combining a glorious landscape with a dliightful looking little sheep strutting confidently along the track towards the camera. I really like the tones in the image, with some lovely gentle contrasts and some rich colours. The sheep is well placed within the frame, and the image looks to have been sensitively processed to ensure the creature stands out, but not unnaturally so. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

I love this sparse, harsh winter landscape, minimal in composition and content, but telling a real story of the near-arctic bleak landscape. The hardy reindeer is perfectly placed within the frame, and has clear white snow immediately behind so does not have its profile broken by any areas of the tufty vegetation. The utility structure do not detract at all, and somehow add to the sense of bleak and the harsh conditions faced by the solitary reindeer. Congratulations on your second place finish.

A typical rural winter landscape, but one that has been well captured and gives a great balance between the landscape and the creatures within it. The image has been well exposed, which is not always easy on a dull day with white snow, and the colouring looks very natural, with the "white" sheep standing out nicely against the different white of the snowy backdrop. I love the way the sheep on the far right has been captured, as it looks to be leaning into the driving wind and snow to make its way across the field. Super image, well done on your top ten placing.

A beautifully atmospheric image, getting a perfect balance between landscape and wildlife, with the dark silhouettes of the geese standing out well against the lighter mist. A gentle misty morning with warm light, the colouring is lovely, with some pops of green avoiding the orange and peach hues being too overwhelming. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.