New Joiners - Landscapes #559

There's lots going on in this image that demand the viewer takes a closer look. The buildings are illuminating the scene along the cliff face, and the sky is almost clear, with some stars shining through. You've been clever to catch some of the light trails, specifically the taillights, adding some bold colour and making themselves useful as a compositional tool, tying the rest of the scene together. Intriguing and different take.

This was definitely the stand out image from the set and it made me stop and really consider all the intricate details that you’ve captured. Lewis is such a fascinating place, and often overlooked for it’s smaller, more compact sibling, Harris, but I often sing the praises of the Lewis coastline and this image demonstrates why. The sheer diversity in the colours amongst the cliffs and rocks are beautiful, mirroring the orange sunset above. The composition here works well, encompassing a little bit of the cliff top and leading in to the stacks and sun behind and the long exposure gives a sense of drama and narrative. Masterfully done and a worthy winner!

This is a competent, classic seascape that uses all the elements available to create a pleasing overall image. The use of the wooden groyne as the main way to lead the eye through the image works well, with the diagonal intersecting the water, creating lines in the landscape. The main pleasing factor at play is the lovely pastel colours of the sunrise in the cloudless morning sky.

I always find that one of the most difficult skills to master in landscape photography is shooting directly into the sun when it's low in the sky. It's easy to get all kinds of lens flare that you might not want in other parts of the image and it's difficult for the camera to cope with that sheer dynamic range of the highlights and shadows. You've done well here, capturing a nice sunstar but still maintaining the exposure throughout. I like the hint of mist on the hills in the background and the drystone wall in the foreground. An image that makes me want to explore the scene further.

This is an intriguing image and one that I spent quite some time looking at and exploring. A sinking boat is not necessarily something you expect to see in such an image, but it's a rather powerful scene. The tight portrait composition works well here, because it focusses all our attention on that boat. The reflection is almost abstract in nature and set off by that one cloud that hovers above the boat. Really nicely seen and captured, as well as tasteful processing.

This is image is all about the relationship between the highlights and the shadows. The way the sun is falling on the hills is delightful, illuminating that lone building in the crater. The light is extenuating the curves and lines of the hillside, and those rich colours contrast with the cooler tones of the sky. Nicely seen and captured.

Some images have a wonderful way of conveying how it must have felt to be there, and this is a good example of that. The feeling of the end of summer is palpable in this shot, from the pink and purple of the heather to that low, warm morning sun illuminating the flowers, moorland and hillside. I like that you’ve gone for a low angle, as the heather almost mirrors the peak in the distance. There is a little bit of unnecessary space at the top of the image where the clear blue sky adds little interesting and a tighter crop may well be more pleasing to the eye.

This is a fascinating scene that has many layers, each one building up to the peak of the mountain. The low angle helps with this, leading the eye from the water to the reeds, then the reeds to the lush lower slopes before the illuminated mountain beyond. The light is rather lovely, catching the cloud above and creating some colour. The very front of the image is a little distracting and the whole composition may well benefit from a tighter crop.

What I like about this image, aside from the dramatic sunset and colours in the sky, is how the elements in the frame are all in relationship with each other. You have the industrial site on the left and the rock formations on the right. In the middle is the silhouetted figure, pulling together the rest of the composition. The panoramic crop really helps here, although it's a shame that the reflection of the water doesn't extend to the bottom left, but that's a small issue. Nicely done.

Some photos just have an energy about them, they’re more about emotion and conveying a feeling than perhaps anything else such as composition. This is one of the those images. It’s virtually impossible to look at this shot and not feel the cold on some level, from the rough sea, to the spindrift spilling off the cliff edge. The inclusion of the wind farm helps to anchor the image and provide a sense of scale. It also tells the story of how we can harness the awesome power of nature. The drama is intensified through the stormy winter skies. A compelling image that demands attention. Well done.

This is a classic, well composed mountainscape that has a profound sense of scale. The clear blue sky and low light provides the interest in this image, flooding the slopes and peaks on the right hand side. I like that part of the range is still covered in snow and the other half isn't. I also like the sweep of the snow in the foreground which helps to lead the eye into the rest of the image. Definitely worth your long hike.

There is plenty to enjoy about this image; the luscious light flooding the foreground and picking out the greens and yellows. The light finding a way through the cloud and shafting onto the scene in the background. The crumbling line of the landscape that intersects the heart of the image works well as a compositional tool and the different texture of the rocks help to balance out all the the competing elements. I would say that the colours are a little off, especially the blues that are a little overwhelming but could be easily tweaked in post for a more balanced result. Still, nicely done.

This is a really nice of a monochrome seascape which has been well seen and well captured. Often I find that such harsh light is more suited to this kind of processing as it brings the image back to it's basic elements of of shadows and highlights and how they interact with each other. I like how the pier on one side is balanced out by the rocks on the other side and the clouds in the sky mirror the scene below.

What really stands out about this image is the way you've framed it. With scenes like this there is a temptation to focus in on the main element (the water feature) and ignore everything else, therefore missing out on an opportunity to create a more pleasing composition. The fact you've composed this using the foliage to frame the water feature shows that you have a good understanding of what can create a compelling scene. I would say the colours are a little 'muddy' and green. Some colour adjustments would rectify this and make the image even more impactful.