New Joiners - Landscapes #680

There's lots going on in the image and it's a visual feast for the eyes. The elevated viewpoint allows the eye to roam over the scene below, with the crowds of people in their various different coloured clothing contrasting with the coloured rooftops and coverings. They stretch off into the distance under the archway which is catching that lovely light. A really nicely established and processed cityscape that demonstrates that landscapes don't just have to be rural to be effective.

A fabulous image full of light and drama. I know those beach huts well but rarely have I seen them so atmospheric, with the low light of the rising sun not only catching on the huts themselves, but the high tide that is making its way up the beach. The image is improved further by the inclusion of the fisherman in the bottom right, providing scale and context to the rest of the frame. Nicely seen, captured and processed.

This is a well crafted seascape that makes excellent use of all the elements in the frame whilst drawing upon technical expertise to make the image interesting. The 1:1 ratio works well with each element in relationship to the other two. The groins in the bottom left lead the eye into the post which in turn ensures that the eye ends up at the structure in the top left. This is aided by the long exposure, smoothing out the water and creating the illusion that there is no real horizon, merging land and sea. The monochrome processing allows for a uniformity of tone and all in this is a masterful example of how to create an effective long exposure. A worthy winner.

There is a dreamy quality to this image, aided by the long exposure technique which helps to smooth out the water. I like the low angle you've adopted, which provides a space for us to look through, flanked by the boulders on either side. The pebbles on the beach contain a myriad of colours, some of which are mirrored in the colours of the clouds passing overhead, elongated by the slow shutter speed, only revealing a hint of the sun trying to beak through. Everything works well, although the long exposure has revealed all the dust spots on your sensor which proves a little distracting. Removing these in post shouldn't take too long and would make the image even more impactful.

Always nice to see the Northern Lights make an appearance and it certainly makes the image feel dramatic. The composition works well, with the sweep of the shoreline and the grandeur of those mountains beyond. I may be mistaken, but it feels like this is two separate images that have been composited together because of the way it's almost merging with the mountain tops and the lack of any reflection in the water from such a strong showing of the aurora, and although there is no harm in composites, it would have been nice to have some indiction of your processing in the caption.

I'm a big fan of wintery images and this is a lovely example of why. Snow can make even the most mundane of scenes seem magical, rendering the whole landscape fresh and revealing hidden beauty. The three trees in this image look great in their winter coats, and I like the choice to position the sun behind the branches to dampen the highlights but also allow the shadow of the trees to be cast into the foreground. This is all topped off by the sun halo that is cast like a fogbow above the trees. An intriguing and well-crafted image.

This is a moody image that contains a lot of drama. There is a clear relationship between the choppy waters and rocky, textured shoreline. I like that you've given most of the frame over to this relationship. The (short) long exposure helps to elevate the drama, elongating the waves crashing off the rocks and adding narrative to the scene. There is a colour cast to the image that is warm in nature, which may well be a deliberate choice, that gives the image a surreal feel.

A nice twist on a classic scene. The wintery bite is evident through the dusting of snow that has fallen on the ground, but it's not enough to completely obscure those deep reddish colours so indicative of Monument Valley. This is all cast against a bright blue, cloudless sky. The horizon feels a little wonky which slightly detracts from the image, and is something that could be easily corrected in post. That aside, this is a rather enjoyable photo.

This is a lovely, delicate image that shows off the landscape as well as those colours in the sky. I'm not sure if it's sunset or sunrise, but ether way, the still water reflecting the sky and clouds works well. The composition benefits form the portrait orientation, with the cut of the land is almost mirrored in the cloudscape. My only suggestion would be to crop in a tiny bit at the bottom of the frame to get rid of that bit of water and ensure there are no visual distractions.

I like the title of your image and I like the viewpoint you've taken, with that low angle mimicking what a crab might see and providing an altogether different perspective. The fact that you got the idea from your daughter is even more delightful and demonstrates how childlike wonder can help us to see beauty in the mundane. The depth of field means that the foreground is blurred out and that places more emphasis on the boat in the bottom right and the bright sun in the top left. There is a lovely balance to the scene which demonstrates a thorough understanding of composition. A really interesting image with a lovely backstory, thanks for sharing.

It's always nice to see a photo of a location that I've never seen before, especially when that location has an inherent drama to it. The natural archway that you've captured is interesting, and I like that you've included some of the standing water as a nice foreground, but for me the part that really works is the rock in the distance, illuminated by low light. It stands in contrast to the granite archway and beckons the eye into the frame. Thanks for sharing.

I had to include this image in my selection for 'highly commended' because of the myriad of different colours and textures evident throughout the frame. Those oranges and yellows in the foreground dominant the composition, giving way to turquoise tones, rugged firs and the blue sky beyond. Those bold colours compliment each other and there is a relationship between the ripples in the foreground and the cloud formation above. Even with the people present on the right hand side this is a compelling image.

I'll never tire of the Norwegian landscape, whether it's captured during the summer months, winter months or the transitional point between the two, like in this photo. Those lush greens are still evident at lower levels, with the hint of winter gracing the peaks. The colours of the landscape are complimented by the colours of the water, turquoise and blue against the abundant greens and yellows. Your high viewpoint provides us with a panoramic perspective and the composition works well.

A rather atmospheric wintery scene that is dominated by the big tree on the left of the frame. I like the detail that there is a bird mid-flight, about to land on the tree, frozen in time. The icy water leading away from the tree is reflecting the warmth in the morning sky and leads the eye into the trees and bridge beyond. Although there is quite a lot of noise in the image it doesn't detract too much from it's effectiveness.