New Joiners - Landscapes #670

I doubt I'll ever really tire of seeing images of aurora borealis, even though a still image can only really capture a small amount of magic found in seeing them with your own eyes. You certainly witnessed a beautiful show of them here, made even more impactful by the stars shining through. Often with images of the aurora, composition is sacrificed in the hope that the spectacle will be be enough, but thankfully that isn't the case with this image. The cabin works to provide a focal point and the inclusion of the human with the light provides scale and gravitas to the scene. The processing is tasteful and overall this is a rather special image, thank you for sharing.

Another well composed image that demonstrates thorough knowledge of composition and how to align everything in frame. That natural archway is the main star of the image, but it would lack any impact if you hadn't composed with the snowy foreground, distance cliffs and pink hue in the sky. This contrasts well with the blues of the water, and the long exposure has given the water a milky feel. Nicely captured and processed.

A dramatic image that uses the features in the landscape to powerful effect, from the sea stack in the distance, to the reflection in the pool found in the foreground. I'm assuming you've image stacked because of the angle and the sharpness front to back. The long exposure of the sea in the distance and the colour in the clouds reflecting in the still pool of water add drama and narrative to the scene. An accomplished image that demonstrates talent in both composition and processing.

Another great example of how using a fixed object in the frame can make images of the aurora much more impactful. Your choice here has been further enhanced by the flow of the aurora so it appears to be emanating from the the fishing boat like a beacon into the night. You've done well to light the boat inside and out. There's much to enjoy and be proud of here.

I absolutely love the mood you've captured in this image. I know exactly the kind of day it would have been, with that low cloud obscuring the hilltops but allowing for occasional bursts of light to spill through, illuminating the landscape below. The composition works really well, with the jetty disappearing into the lake, the clump of trees jutting out on the right side and the hint of light in the background. The long exposure helps to smooth out the water and give everything an ethereal feel.

I rather enjoy the grainy, misty feel of this image. It's far from the sun soaked images of the Californian coast that we're used to seeing. The layers that you've captured are made the more intriguing by that mist that's obscuring elements in the distance. The pathway that leads from the bottom right is a really useful tool to lead the eye into the heart of the image and the monochrome processing gives the scene a timeless feel.

Under the umbrella of landscape photography, woodland photography is an especially hard discipline to get right as it requires the photographer to make sense of chaos. Compositional, I think you've done well here, using the trunks of the trees on the extreme right and left of the image to create a frame within a frame. All the trees are well positioned, none are overlapping yet are in relationship with the others. The colours work well, with the greens and yellows marrying up with the warm oranges on the forest floor. Really nicely seen, composed and processed.

Cloud inversions are one of the hardest things to photograph in landscape photography because it is so easy to lose any sense of place as the fog consumes everything. However, as the inversion burns off, and the landscape is revealed, there's so much potential for intriguing and ethereal images like the one you've captured. There is a hint of light catching on the wisps of mist and the frozen details of the undulating fields draw in the eye. The low cloud mirrors some of the lines the landscape and that one prominent tree in the foreground really elevates the composition.

This is one of those images that could so easily be overlooked by most because it doesn't follow the 'classic' landscape photography tropes, and this is one of the reason why it works. The fact you have excluded the sky means that we focus all of our attention on the fragments in the frame, from the hint of the bridge on the left to the branches of the tree on the right, reaching out across the water. However, what makes the image sing is the colour in the water, turquoise and alluring, reflecting back greens and golds. It's an image that demands a second look.

For me, landscape photography is not just about the grand vistas we find in nature, but also about the urban, every day scenes that we might find ourselves living amongst. This image is a perfect example of that. I love the life you've captured in this scene, with the focus being on the two empty deckchairs, as if we're taking in everything with them, watching beachgoers and seagulls coexist. The almost cross-processed feel enhances the mood even further and all in this is an enjoyable and clever composition.

Some images are all about the content, whether that's a grand vista or a recognisable landmark, and some images are all about the mood they convey. This image falls into the latter category. You don't elaborate on the location, so it could be anywhere, and what works about it is that despite that anonymity, the mood prevails. I like the cool tones of the foggy scene, and how the trees on the left lead the eye into the image and the autumnal colour on the far shoreline. Thanks for sharing.

I was intrigued by the colours in this image as they almost feel unreal, like I could be standing on the surface of Mars rather than somewhere on this planet. I don't know if you've enhanced the colours or not, but I like the interplay between the light and shadow and the textures in the rocks. Thanks for sharing.

There is much to like about this image. The definition and tonality of the snowy peak reaching up through the cloud is rather lovely, aided by the hint of light dappling the snow. The swirling cloud also adds atmosphere and drama. However, the dark shape in the bottom left completely pulls the eye out of the image and distracts. I'd be inclined to crop it out and aim for a tighter crop overall, ensuring the eye always remains on the most important part of the frame, the mountain top.