Magical Landscapes

Hywel's winning shot of Whitby Abbey deservedly takes the top spot in this month's Magical Landscapes photo competition - congratulations! He's done a brilliant job of preserving those bright golden tones in the sky which bathes the scene and abbey in a truly magical light - great job!

Michael's top shot of a sunrise over Bamburgh castle caught our eyes with his lovely composition and subtle colours. The castle as some great sidelight from the sunrise and there's some wonderful motion in the waves too thanks to his slow shutter speed. It was a bold choice to set up his tripod in the waves but one that has paid off!

Gary has taken an impressive sunset here from Caddo Lake using the sun to backlight the light and turn his cypress trees into silhouettes for a dramatic and graphic look. The reflections from the lake add symmetry, helping to balance out the composition and he's masterfully exposed for this harsh light, perfectly retaining all of the bright details.

Joel has taken a stunning scene over Bamford Edge with luscious vibrant purple heather in the foreground to the Lady Bower reservoir in the distance and clouds above which are catching some warm red and orange tones above. The whole scene has been transformed by the magical golden lighting.

Paolo's stunning shot of St Magdalena in the breathtaking province of Bolzano in Italy has it all: gorgeous sunset lighting, quant buildings including the Chiesa di Santa Maddalena church in the foreground, lush green forests and striking mountains behind. An incredible capture - well done!

Jean expertly used a long exposure of ten seconds, just long enough to catch the colourful trails of the Northern Lights above Eagle River, without turning the stars into long streaks of light. It's a beautiful, colourful image - great job!

After a night of wild camping, Andrew took this breathtaking blue hour landscape just before sunrise from the summit of Sgurr an Fhidhleir in Assynt, North West Scotland. He's expertly combined the best tones and colours from three different exposures to end up with this awesome adventure photograph.

Liam has taken a magical landscape image here with the sun rising and bathing the Seven Sisters cliffs down in Seaford. He's also chosen a clever spot to frame up his shot, including the path down to the coastguard cottages which adds some excellent foreground interest.

Mam Tor is a beloved scenic spot for many landscapes in Derbyshire, but what makes Martin's image stand out is his creative composition which uses the wooden fence to lead the eye in to the image and also the amazing sunrise he's witnessed too, which bathes the whole scene in a brilliant glow.

Jay's shot a sublime sunset here of South Stack Lighthouse (Goleudy Ynys Lawd) in Angelsey, Wales. Using the concrete steps which curve down to the lighthouse is a clever way to lead the viewer's eye towards his focal point, which is also beautifully lit and has been expertly exposed.