New Joiners - Landscapes #658

Llyn Padarn is mostly known for 'that lone tree' so it's nice to see a different take on the location. The moody low cloud is obscuring those mountaintops and maintaining an even, flat light across the scene. The processing focusses on those greens and greys, and the portrait orientation ensures that almost everything has a place in the frame. I like the rocks in the foreground as a focal point, it's just a shame that those out-of-focus reeds have snuck into the bottom of the frame as they distract and detract from the effectiveness of the composition.

There's something timeless about a landscape image that includes a barn. It speaks to a sense of rural life and agriculture, as well as the sense of a worked landscape. This is no exception, and the barn is elevated by those gorgeous autumnal colours in the trees on the right, contrasting with the neutral tones of the barn. There is a tint of light but the sky is mostly full of textured cloud. The sky is a little blown out which is a shame but only marginally detracts from the effectiveness of the image.

An intriguing, almost abstract scene that makes the most of the conditions. The reeds in the foreground give way to the colours of the trees behind and that rising mist catching the early morning light. I like that you've kept the composition tight and not included the sky as that could have been distracting. I also like the way you've used the reeds to lead the eye into the scene (and the fact that if you look close enough there is a duck just hiding amongst them). Powerful, colourful image.

This bold and bright image is certainly worthy of a top ten spot as you do well to create something compelling from the conditions and subject matter. Those desert dunes rise up, light catching on the one side and creating shadow and texture on the other. The bold oranges contrast with the bright blue of the cloudless sky. It gives the image a graphical feel. I'd be tempted to have cropped out the messy foreground and just have that untouched dune and the sky. Either way, not an image that's easily ignored. Thank you for sharing.

There's a lot going on in this image, and although compositionally it isn't perfect, it's the kind of image that demands a second look. There's so much contrast, between the grand building in the top right, the broken chainlink fence in the foreground and most intriguingly, the cormorants on the reed bed, their stark black feathers standing out in the frame. Thanks for sharing.

The one thing that drone photography does really well if to give a new and refreshing perspective on familiar subject matter. The instinct for many drone photographers is to point the camera directly down and imitate a 'birds eye view' so it's good to see an image that uses the principles of photography with regard to composition, albeit from an elevated angle. The composition here works well, with the graveyard and church in the foreground and the village behind. The light is creeping into the scene and you've controlled the highlights well enough to maintain exposure levels and atmosphere. The stylised processing also works well.

Although this is an image of a bridge, what makes the image is the bridge's relationship with the world around it, especially the sky. Because the the panoramic stitch, the curve of the bridge is mirrored by the curve of the cloud, creating balance in the composition. The subtle processing works well. Nicely seen and captured, thanks for sharing.

I love the layers in this image and it's nice to see a photograph of a location I've never seen before! The range of colours are really delightful, from creamy tones to rusty reds and browns, standing in contrast to the pale blue sky. The strong directional lighting helps to elevate the textures of the mountains and highlights some of the features, such as dotted foliage or the patchwork of different colours. The tiny boat in the bottom left really provides a sense of scale! Nicely done.

A simple, yet effective seascape that uses the elements in the frame to good effect. You do well to control the exposure of the sun, low in the sky, surrounded by the warms tones of the evening (or morning). The shoreline moves diagonally through the image mirrored in all the waves that are about to break onto the sand, catching some of that warm light. You use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action and I like that you've cropped out a lot of the sky, keeping the composition quite tight.

This photo is all about the atmosphere provided by the prevailing mist permeating through the bare branches of the trees. Shooting into the sun can often be tricky as it's difficult to control the highlights, but the mist has helped control the lighting here and it adds to the atmosphere. The monochrome processing works well, and although the composition isn't perfect there is plenty in this photograph to enjoy.

This image has lots of atmosphere and uses it powerfully. Everything about it speaks to those chilly winter mornings (similar to the ones we've been experiencing recently). Oaks tend to lose their leaves last which means they often still have their autumn coat on when the weather turns chilly, standing them in contrast to the bare branches of the trees positioned behind. The fog helps to elevate the image, as does the person standing on the right adding scale and interest. The aspect ratio works well and focusses attention, as does the muted post processing. Evocative image, worthy of the top spot.

Really enjoy this image which is a lovely example of how monochrome processing can really elevate a composition. The tones of the gnarly tree against the tones of the Grand Canyon in the background contrast well, balanced out by the sky and that little bit of cloud. The composition is also spot on, with the tree on the left leading in the eye to the canyon behind. It's one of those images that just demands a closer look and is worth spending time viewing to appreciate all its nuance. Thanks for sharing!

North Wales is a primordial landscape that speaks to a sense of history, and can easily make one feel small in comparison to the grandeur of the mountain ranges. I love that feeling and this image does well to convey that sense of space. The light is lovely, spilling over the mountain side, illuminating the stream flowing into an unseen source. Not sure leaving the top of the stone wall adds much and I'd be inclined to removed it, cropping tighter in and focusing attention on the landscape and the light. Thanks for sharing.

The power of three is prevalent here. Although not a classic landscape, the landscape is involved and integral to the scene. Those three boats, with even space between each, make up the bulk of the composition, but the distant shoreline and snowcapped mountains beyond are also part of the scene, and that line of mist in the distance helps to separate the boats from the landscape. The sidelight enhances everything and this is a good example of where the landscape can be secondary subject matter, but still important to the scene.

Undeniably an Icelandic scene, you manage to evoke the atmosphere of the place through your image. The imposing low cloud, the lush greens and browns of the cliffs and ground and the veracity of the water tumbling over creating the impressive waterfall. The vertical orientation gives space to the waterfall helping the composition and the chap in the bottom right adds a sense of scale. As is always a danger when near water, there are a couple of droplets on your lens, but it doesn't detract too much from the image. Nicely seen and captured.