Made from Wood

The top placings in this contest was not an easy decision, but this landscape is my eventual winner. Although captured with a slow shutter speed, which obviously results in a view which the eye does not see in reality, there is somehow still a naturalness about this image, and it does not look to have been over-processed, retaining a mood of calm. The horizon has been centrally placed, which some would not favour, but I think here it works well, as it gives equal weight to the wooden stumps of the pier protruding from the water, and the lovely gentle sky above. I am undecided about the inclusion of the crane structure on the horizon on the right, and whether maybe it would have been best if it were cloned out, but being near to the edge, rather than more centrally placed, it does not draw the eye too much. A beautful shot, congraulations on your winning image.

This is a great image, looking down on some interlocking boats. There is a lovely abstract feel to the shot as a result of the zig-zag running diagonally across the shot, and the subject filling the frame. I love the limited colour palette of just blues and browns, as it creates harmony and beautiful simplicity. Sharp focus throughout allows all the details of the wood to be revealed. A well-seen, well composed shot. Well done on your top ten finish.

This long exposure image of a single abandoned boat is very creative and pleasing on the eye. Whilst focus on the boat is pin-sharp, the use of the slow shutter speed and careful post-processing has created a lovely softness to the image. The low key effect in the black and white conversion has worked especially well, and the areas you have chosen to maintain brighter highlights illuminate the subject perfectly to show form and textures within the wood. A lovely artistic image, well done on your top ten placing.

A simple subject, just three old wooden chairs, but effectively captured with great composition and perspective. I like that there is good space around the main subjects to allow some of the background surroundings to be seen, which gives context to the shot. The HDR processing has been very well handled and shows a scene full of detail. I like too the limited colour palette of greys and golden browns which creates a harmonious feel to the image. Congratulations on your second place finish.

This is a great environmental portrait of a lady at work in a simple factory. Lighting and exposure have been well handled, as the floor looks to be reflecting back a lot of brightness but is not over-exposed, and we can see plenty of detail in the shadow areas. The black and white conversion is also very successful, as there is a full range of tones from black through to white, and some good punchy contrasts. Well composed with sharp focus, captured at just the right moment to capture the lady in an active position as she works. A super image, well done on your on ten placing.

There is something which draws me to this rather unusual image, which I find difficult to put my finger on. The lighting is quite harsh, but I think that strengthens the image for me, as it creates a deep shadow and gives the wooden creature a slightly spooky and menacing look. Focus is nicely sharp throughout. The choice of background is good, with its shabby textured surface, and the bluey green contrasts well with the colour of the wooden toy. An unusual but interesting image, congratulations on your third place finish.

This beautiful seascape has a lovely calming feel. The slow shutter speed has smoothed the water nicely, but there is still a little texture and differences in colour there to stop the water looking like a milky smudge. I really like the colour contrast between the rich brown of the wooden groyne, and the soft pinky blue of the dawn sky. A clean and gentle image, with great composition and framing. Well done on your top ten finish.

This is a beautiful shot of this much photographed church at Buðir, which stands isolated against the mountainous backdrop. The lighting is beautiful and creates a lovely mood, complimented by the pastel colours in the sky. A well composed shot, with the church placed on the left, and positioning the horizon relatively low has allowed the lovely sky to be an important feature of the image too. Some slight haloing around the church roof and spire, but that is only a minor issue and does not detract from the image to any great extent. A beautiful landscape image, well done on your top ten placing.

The symmetry of the composiion attracted me to this image. The verticals have been precisely set, and the image has been captured from directly head-on, which I think is important in an image such as this where a key part of the shot is the lines and patterns - any variation from true vertical or horizontal would lessen the impact. I suspect the colours have been added in post-processing, but that does not matter, as the effect it has produced is striking to view. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.