Lighting... Hard light

My favourite shot which demonstrates the power of hard light - shooting towards the sun to create striking silhouettes. This scene has the added element of smoke. The human figures and the tall buildings provide great balance, and the banners giving the viewer the knowledge that this shows a demonstration. A 16mm lens is perfect for such occasions.

I loved the positive and enriching feelings this image gave me when I saw it. A pet at home in a garden, with the sun just bursting through the clouds and creating amazing back lighting for every blade of grass. Nicely framed with the dog just in the right spot.

Again, a very strong backlit image. The light picks out every detail of the teasels and cobwebs, against the black background. Nature in all it's beauty and randomness. Perhaps in processing the background to be so black, has some of the details gone? Just a question rather than a criticism.

Deserts feel like a different world to the average person, and this image certainly makes you feel you could be on Mars. The contrast is extra high, but I love the colours and framing of this. The line of the crescent of the top of the sand dune takes your eye on a journey.

It's the texture and shapes of the leaves that captured my attention on this image. It would only work to do this in black and white, but is very clearly managed. It looks like a studio image, but was taken at Calke Abbey. I've been there and there is a tree lined avenue of these trees I think. Very nice image of a very often, forgotten leaf,

A powerful close up portrait which keeps your attention due to the sparkling eyes and strong dots of light on the subjects face. F 2.8 seems the right choice as using a more open apeture may not have captured the light in the same way. Works really well in black and white.

Another back lit image, but they are my favourite. Silhouetted people doing a mixture of activities. The lighthouse being the sun blocker this time, dead centre. It creates an image of two halves, and it works really nicely. I like the hills in the far distance which just gives an 'anchor' to the image.

This pose caught my attention, and gives the vulture an almost human impression. The wing looking like it could be shoulder. An intense stare too. But, the side light is captured beautifully, and making me put this into my top 10.

Here, an other example of sunlight through a small window, with lots of dust within the room. It is a very big contrast in light levels, but I like the fact that the shaft of light hits the family in the foreground.

liked this image as it could have been taken 100 years ago, or just yesterday. Light coming in from a window like this where the room might be dusty, can always make a winning combination. like it as a square format. Great.

Grabbing an image of an owl is so difficult as a close up. But here we have a shot where you can see the face perfectly. Using a 560mm lens and a super high ISO, plus a very fast shutter. Lots of challenges to get this shot, but clearly the photographer knew exactly how to achieve it. Great effort, and amazing result.

A great shot, to show meditation, and fits very well with this brief of hard light too. It's great to see the detail on the boulder. But the key element which makes this a great image, is the scale between the huge boulder and the tiny figure.

Wow, amazing colour, and a great reflection in the water. One source of light, so makes it great for this competition. Simply taken shot, but very often the more simple the better. Long lens likely needed for this as otherwise the photographer wouldn't be able to get close to the bird. 1/125th perhaps on the edge of fast enough normally when shooting wildlife.

Love this shot as the sun beautifully describes every wrinkle on the person's face and hands. It doesn't matter that you cannot see what's inside the room very well. The whole of the action is on the left half. Great.

I'm very much in agreement with the photographer about city living - and inhabitants going about their daily business. Photography taken at train stations show random figures intersecting the concourse, and this image shows how striking that can be. The shadows of course make this a stand out shot, and using a shallow focus helps.