New Joiners - Landscapes #682

This is a powerful and dramatic monochrome cityscape that uses the best of the urban and natural environment to create an impactful image. The buildings and architecture on the shoreline provide the context, reflecting in the water, but really it's the cloud formation that steals the show. Bright, large and dramatic, it gives scale to the buildings and speaks to a change in the weather. The choice to edit in monochrome means that those highlights and shadows really pop. It's a shame you weren't able to include the full reflection as that would have elevated the image further, but even so this has a lot to offer.

A cracking image that is well balanced with all the elements in the frame playing their part. The chapel is made up of colourful rocks that have some interesting textures, and the colour of the roof is mirrored by the dark greys of the clouds above and granite peak of the mountain in the distance. The autumnal colours that surround the chapel are delightful, and the stream running along the left side of the frame creates a sense of space and balance. Really nicely seen and captured.

Who can resist a foggy tree image? Not me. The fog in this scene is thick and completely obscures the scene behind. We're just left with the trees in the frame and a pathway that leads off into the mirk. That path is an important part of the framing, leading the eye into the line of trees, some of which are bending over to create a sort of archway. The grass adds some much needed colour with those greens and yellows make the image pop. Ethereal, dreamy editing helps elevate the mood even further.

This almost has the feel of a diorama, like we're looking into a snow globe on an imaginary town. That fairytale feel is enhanced by the sheer volume of snow on the town and the surrounding trees. I really like how you've framed the buildings at the bottom, using the trees. I wonder if a 1:1 crop to remove the empty space in the top right would balance the image and make it even more effective. Either way, there's a touch of magic about this scene, thanks for sharing.

Firstly, thanks for writing out the story behind this image. So often there is little explanation behind the image so it's refreshing to read an in depth exploration of how you were feeling and how you attained the composition. It certainly sounds like it was a moment that you fully connected with and I feel that backstories such as the one you describe only enhance the scene. I like how the waterfall on the right is balanced out by the colour of the sunrise on the left, and your choice of angle helps to lead the eye through the water in the canyon to the sky beyond. The tight framing ensures the eye doesn't wander and the processing is complimentary. Thanks so much for sharing the image and the caption.

This is a really nicely seen and processed coastal image, that benefits from the monochrome conversion. Those sandy dunes in the distance could easily be mistaken for snowy mountain peaks, especially with the grass adding texture. I like that you're shooting with your back turned to the sea, demonstrating an ability to think outside the box. The 'swooshery' of the tide mimics the movement in the clouds caught by the long exposure, creating balance in the frame. Overall, this is a sterling effort that I very much enjoyed.

Drones can offer up interesting perspectives on the landscape and provide intriguing opportunities to explore familiar locations in unfamiliar ways. This is a lovely example of this, looking out over Devil's Dyke from above. Your decision to shoot into the sun is a bold one as it could have blown out much of the highlights, but here it adds drama and interest to an otherwise clear sky. The directional lighting flooding over the sheep filled fields below is delightful, and all in this has the feel and class of a distinguished landscape photograph.

There's plenty to enjoy in this frame and you've done a good job of bringing all the elements together and allowing them to co-exist. There is the foreground which is littered with rocks underneath the surface of the water, and the exposure length means we're allowed to experience the movement of the water as the tide ebbs and flows. This is balanced out by the drama in the sky, with that sunrise adding colour and light to the various cloud bases visible. I love the vibrancy of that high layer of cloud and the distant hint of the sun on the horizon. A dramatic and competent seascape.

A powerful and dramatic monochrome image that uses the elements in the frame to good effect. There is almost a line in the beach and points towards the single rock that becomes the main focal point for the scene. This gives way to the bright highlights of the sea, made smooth by a long shutter speed and mirrored in the movement of the clouds above. A simple, yet effective seascape.

This is one of my favourite places to visit in the Peak District. There's so much to explore in every season, but it becomes especially interesting and photogenic when the heather is out. Your image is a lovely example of why, with those pinks and purples contrasting with the sharp greens and yellows of the birch. Those bright and bold colours are balanced out by the blue sky above, and even though the light is harsh, there is plenty to enjoy in the scene.

Although this is a landscape contest, I always enjoy when someone is able to incorporate wildlife into the landscape. It's a difficult skill and this image is a great example. The impala in the foreground is framed by the tree behind which in turn leads the eye to the mountainscape beyond, enhanced by the scarf of cloud. The tones go from warm to cool and it gives the humble impala context. Nicely done.

I absolutely love this image. It's full of colour and texture and it's of a location that I've never experienced before so there's an extra layer of intrigue. The foreground is delightful with the terrance of Travertine providing intense blue and turquoise colours. Not only that, but the textures are delightful, with the lines of the terrace leading the eye through the scene. Although there are other people in the image, they don't interrupt the flow and there is a balance evident between the blues of the terrance and the greys/blues of the sky above. The only thing I would consider changing is to crop in a little on the left side of the frame as the dark foliage on that extremity pulls my eye out of the image. That aside, there is plenty to enjoy in this unique and intriguing photo.

This is a crisp clean snowy image where the cold seems to resonate out of the frame. I like that there is a hint of the road in the bottom left that leads the eye into the snowy trees and mountainscape beyond, all co-existing underneath a clear blue sky. Well seen and processed, thanks for sharing.

This image has a minimalistic feel to it and it's all the better and more interesting for it. The blanket of snow is interrupted by the hole revealing part of the geyser and the sun is reflecting back in the water. The atmospheric conditions in the distance are obscuring the mountains beyond, with the sun trying it's best to break through. The warm tones give the image a surreal feel, and all in this is an intriguing shot.

This feels a little like a mural or a painting rather than a photograph. I love the rural scene you've captured and how the elements in the frame relate to one another. The trees on the right marching into the distance and the cut field full of hay bales. The sky is a rather surreal tone of violet which adds to the painterly feel and makes the scene feel a little otherworldly. I do wish there was a little more space between the end of the hay bale on the left and the end of the frame because it's a little unbalanced. That aside, there is plenty to enjoy here.