Surfing in winds up to 60 knots is not for the faint-hearted, and shooting such fast-paced action involves a fair amount of trial and error. Richard submitted a number of excellent surfing images to the competition, but this is arguably the least successful. The positioning of the surfer and the horizon is spot on, and the decision to use the panoramic format is a sound one, but it would be nice to see just a little more space above the sail.
Iceland is a photography hotspot, and the iconic mountain of Vestrahorn on the Stokksness peninsula receives more attention than most. As a result it’s hard to find an unusual take on the subject, but Steve has come up trumps. The image was made on a cold February morning when the black sand had frozen and a dusting of snow remained underfoot. The rocks and tide create a nice lead-in line, and as the eye travels back the level of sheer detail becomes apparent. Steve has used an aperture of f/11 and an ISO of 100 to assist this.
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There is an appealing quietness to this picture. The exposure is spot on, and the slither of wall to the left is crucial to the balance of the composition. The perfectly placed lines, curves and shadows make this as much a study of form as anything else. It’s extremely pleasing, and very calming, to look at.
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Photographers working in black & white often say that colour is a distraction. When we remove colour from the equation, the rules of composition, framing and lighting shift their parameters and require the photographer (and viewer) to see the world in a different way. With everything pared back we tend to focus on the graphic elements of a scene in the form of angles, shapes, lines and textures. Light is another key factor here. When black & white and atmospheric lighting combine, the result can be very powerful. To hone your black & white skills it can help to look at the work of monochrome masters such as André Kertész, Bill Brandt, Michael Kenna and Sebastião Salgado. Toning is completely acceptable in this round.
