New Joiners - Landscapes #541

This is a lovely, fresh image that uses the strong directional lighting well and manages to control the exposure using the branches of the tree on the right hand side. The bright yellows and greens contrast well with the bright, blue sky and the child on his bike adds a little something extra to the scene, as well as providing some scale to the mid ground. I appreciate that having a watermark is sometimes necessary to protect your work, but the one on this image detracts and distracts, so perhaps it might be worth making it a little smaller in future. Otherwise, an enjoyable summer image.

This is an intriguing cityscape image that has a lot going on within the frame. The structure looks like a mini Eiffel Tower and acts as a focal point for the rest of the image. You've done well to use the light trails of the traffic to lead in the eye and create some diagonal lines to offset the verticals. I also like the way the lens has created hexagonal starts out of the street lights.

I enjoyed the simplicity of this particular composition. You've made all the elements work for you. I like that you've just captured the afterglow of the sun rather than the sun itself, it gives the image a sense of romanticism. The colour of the water is balanced by the colour of the cloud above, and the warm tones contrast with those blue hues. There are some dust spots at the top of the image that could be easily removed in post, but otherwise this has a lovely feel to it.

I always enjoy images that demonstrate weather in action, and you've managed to create a rather lovely example here. By using a high shutter speed to capture the individual flakes of snow you provide a sense of motion to an otherwise static image. Just by looking at the photo I can almost feel the cold and the smell of snow. Composing with the trees helps to show up the snowflakes and gives a focal point to the image. I'd have implemented a more ruthless crop to get rid of the distracting foreground in the bottom left, but otherwise this is an enjoyable capture.

I really like the juxtaposition present in this composition between the modern cityscape in the background and the sandy beach in the foreground. It really provides an almost jarring contrast between human construction and nature, yet they are quietly co-existing in this image. There's enough of the beach to create a nice lead in to the skyline beyond, and the fact there are some lines in the sand diagonally leading towards the buildings helps too. The image has a little bit of a blue colour cast that could be easily adjusted in post-production to provide a more even finish.

I really enjoyed the way you've composed this image. Using the vineyard in the foreground the eye moves through to the layers beyond, with the variation in colours, from green to yellow. Those colours are mirrored but some of the colours in the evening sky, which provides a lovely sense of balance. The two little huts also add a sense of interest, and the atmosphere you've captured makes me want to be there and experience it for myself. Really nice work!

Drone shots can provide a fresh perspective on the landscape and I think this shot is evidence of that. Although the main focal point of the image is the structure on the left, the part of the image that I find more intriguing are the pathways that move through the foreground like veins. They add a little something else to the image. The low light here helps to elevate the composition, especially with the soft colours catching off the fluffy clouds. Really nice example of drone photography.

You've made a good attempt at capturing the unmistakable Scottish landscape in this image. I enjoy the light making it's way across the scene highlighting the peaks and the fluffy clouds above. The inclusion to the lock/tarn below creates a nice focal point and gives a sense of scale. It may not have been possible from a safety perspective, but composing so the whole body of water was in the shot it would have been more aesthetically pleasing. Otherwise, an image with a real sense of place.

The image demonstrates the power of leading lines. The pathway is the heart of this composition and by it's very definition, leads the eye upwards towards the shrouded mountains beyond. This is quintessentially Snowdonia, from the low cloud to the lush greens. An atmospheric image that is well seen and captured.

The drama that this composition conveys is palpable. The dark clouds hanging over the scene, the sun peaking out and flooding the mountains in the mid-ground, and the deluge of rain pounding the right hand side of the image. The green in the foreground helps to balance out the warm tones of the low sun. The composition would have benefitted from a bit more of a careful crop, especially at the bottom to get rid of that distracting object in the bottom left. That aside, you do well with the elements here and have done the scene justice.

This image has a lot of atmosphere contained within the frame. That sea mist really gives the whole scene an ethereal feel, obscuring the horizon and providing a sense of mystery. The soft pastel tones of the mist is mirrored in the colour of the sand and balanced by the gentle colour of the crashing waves. The soft light helps to illuminate and elevate the scene. I'd have loved to see a tighter crop where you framed the image with those rocks in the foreground as the detritus from the sea is quite dark in colour and distracts the eye. Overall, an effective image.

Although this isn't a classical landscape image, I think that photography is not a static sport and if we're always just looking at the horizon then we'd miss a whole world of compositions. The low perspective allows for a more compelling foreground, leaving the pebbles in focus and giving much more prominence to the shoreline whilst still allowing the sea and mainland to give some context to the composition. An image that reminds us to 'look down' occasionally.

This is a classic pier shot that ticks all the boxes. The colours of the sunrise create a really lovely, pastel backdrop to the pier itself which is the main focal point of the composition. The colours reflecting in the tide works well, and the motion you've captured in the waves add to the overall impact of the image. This is a classic landscape/seascape image that's demonstrates thought and understanding of how to create interesting imagery, well done.

Reading the description to your photo, it's clear that this is one image that tells a story and demonstrates the bigger picture of our changing landscape. On the face of it, this is a powerful capture of a luscious sunset, but with the knowledge that it's the product of a nearby wildfire creates a deeper, more impactful narrative. You've done well to compose the image, using the log in the foreground as a tool to lead the viewer into the image, with the forest traversing the middle of the scene. Great colours, interesting backstory and compelling composition.

There is a calming, gentle stillness to this image that immediately made it stand out from the crowd. Sometimes the most powerful images are the most simple and minimal in their content. The three elements in the image are well balanced, from the rock in the foreground to the pole and island in the background. The image has the feel of a long exposure because of how still the water is. The whole composition is elevated by the pastel tones that permeates the scene. Well seen, well processed and a worthy winner.