New Joiners - Landscapes #668

A nice take on a famous Scottish location that uses all the elements in the frame. The lighting throughout in even due to the grey cloud consuming the sky, but this helps the castle itself to stand, with it's similarly grey stonework. This contrasts with the yellows, greens and oranges of the surrounding foliage. Using the rocks in the foreground as a lead in works well, and the fact this is shot on an iPhone demonstrates that the best camera is the one you have on you. Thanks for sharing.

Lovely rendition of a glorious location. I know what it takes to get over to this location (although my experience was during a snowstorm which probably wasn't the best of ideas) and you really highlight the vastness and grandeur of the (empty) beach. You've done well to capture the sun as it's dampened by some of the low cloud on the horizon, creating a nice sunstar. The light catching on the sand and the cliffs is really nice, adding texture to the scene. For me through, it's that flock of seabirds rising upwards that elevates the whole composition. An image that does justice to the location.

You're right to have been taken and intrigued by the two bushes that are in the wheat field. They seem to have a relationship and the greens contrast with the browns of the crop as well as the deep blues of the sky. However they get a little lost in the frame and I'd consider a tighter crop, possible 1:1 to rid the scene of too much negative space at the top and bottom of the frame. That aside there is plenty to enjoy here. Thank you for sharing!

Gosh, this is an image that oozes gravitas! The landscape, frozen and cold, endlessly matching back through the image into the cloud obscured mountain peaks in the distance. Your composition helps to make sense of the all the elements in the frame, from the expanse of snow in the foreground, to the larger icebergs in the distances. This is mirrored by the colours, through white to colder blues and darker greys. However, it's the human element that really elevate the image, with the figure clad in yellow adding scale, narrative and colour to the scene.

This is a simple image by all accounts, but I think people underestimate how difficult it can be to get such an image right. Shooting into the sun can present problems with lots of lens flare, but you have controlled it well in this image. Your compositional choices really shine here, as you've split the image into different layers, from the sand in the foreground, the darkening waves (catching some of that low light) and the sky, graduated from blue to warm oranges, the clouds adding a much needed dash of texture. The low-key editing develops the mood even further and all in this is a rather delightful seascape.

Considering that this image depicts a fortress, and one which a large amount of historic value, the conditions in which you have captured it seem rather fitting. The low cloud is encroaching on the top of the image, obscuring the cliff top, and that ethereal lighting makes the fortress look even more mythical. Your choice to shooting in portrait orientation work well, although I feel the horizon is marginally off which could be easily corrected in post for maximum impact.

I absolutely love hoar frost. It's one of my favourite parts of winter, and when the conditions are right everything it covers becomes magical. This is a nice example of why I love hoar frost, as it takes over the trees and bushes, demsonqrating how cold it is. This is elevated further by the time of day you've chosen to shoot, with those pinks of dawn adding atmosphere and contrasting with the frost. Unfortunately I think your sensor is rather dirty and there are quite a few dust spots on the image that can be rather distracting. These can be easily removed in post to help increase the impact of the scene.

Often when I see photos of this particular location the photographer has chosen to even out all the tones so all the texture of the rocks can be viewed throughout the frame. I rather like that you've gone against the grain and kept those deep shadows to contrast against the brighter parts of the scene where the light is breaking through. Some of the highlights are a little blown out, but there is still plenty of detail and texture to be found.

This is an image that layers up from the sea and ships at the bottom of the frame to the low cloud, grey and ominous hanging on the horizon, and then the rather glorious colours of sunset fill up two thirds of the frame. Those intense reds and oranges traversing the whole of the sky really elevates the mood of the scene so I'm glad you've given over most of the frame to it.

This is a rather dynamic and powerful image that really makes the most of the monochrome conversion. Those impressive clouds consume much of the image, and there is almost an infrared feel to the processing, with the green grass and wagons showing up as the brightest elements in the frame along with the clouds. The square crop helps to focus attention and the elements are well positioned in the frame.

I find that cloud inversions (when you're above them) are notoriously difficult to photograph because there is not much to anchor the composition and the eye can get lost in the frame. Thankfully when there are some elements of the landscape breaking through the fog, this can help immensely. The notion of the hilltop in the foreground brings some interest the the scene, and is balanced out by the land mass in the distance. The lack of intense light ensures that the tones are even throughout.

It's not often I see images of Shetland in this particular competition so this was a welcome addition. There is a lovely symmetry through the composition with the biggest landmass in the middle sandwiched between a thinner piece of land below and mirrored slice of cloud above. This adds texture and interest to the scene. I like the light that's catching the headland and picking out some of the houses to add scale. The colours seems a little odd, almost cross processed which may be an intentional choice, but it gives everything a rather yellow colour cast that could be easily corrected in post.

You've captured some lovely autumnal colour in this image, and the lighting is rather delightful, filtering through the foliage. The way you've framed the image with the two trees on the right and left ensure that the attention focuses towards the middle of the composition and the house in the distance. Nicely seen.