New Joiners - Landscapes #738

This image is all about textures and light. I like that you've given the sand dunes prominence in the frame, so our attention isn't distracted by the sky. The panoramic ratio works well, ensuring there is room for the epic twisting dune in the foreground. It's this dune that really sets off the composition, leading the eye through the heart of the image and folding back in on itself. One of those images that makes me want to spend time looking closer. Thank you for sharing!

This image is 'epic' in the truest sense of the word, especially with that mountain range in the distance dominating the frame. Your composition works well, using the road as a leading line into the heart of the image, ensuring that the eye ends up focusing on the mountain range and sky above. I love the distinction between the dark and light parts of image, with the shady foreground giving way to the bright impressively lit mountains. The singular car on the road helps to add scale and context. Majestic scene, well captured.

I had to include this in the top ten because it has a little bit of everything. There is a sense of autumn approaching with the burnt orange colour of the bracken and the yellowing of the foliage in the distance. This is set off by the backlighting catching on the distant hills and illuminating the passing rain shower. However, the part that makes the image really jump off the screen is that rainbow arching up into the cloud. It adds a little bit of magic and elevates the whole composition. Worth the three hour drive that you describe.

Honestly, this is one of my favourite images from this week's cohort of New Joiner entries. There is just an inherent nostalgia in this scene, something that feels just out of reach, like a vignette from the 1990s depicting a road trip long forgotten. The fact that it was shot on film helps with this, giving it a feel that can be hard to replicate with digital. However, the composition and subject matter also play a part, with the overcast sky and hazy mountains contrasting with the yellow desert and vibrant 'STOP' sign. It just works. An image that is more than the sum of its parts.

Gosh, this is an impressive waterfall! I can imagine how loud it must have sounded rushing off the rocks. I like that you've implemented a little bit of a long exposure to add some movement and narrative to the water. Unfortunately this has resulted in some of the highlights in the water blowing out and losing detail, but that doesn't detract too much from the overall effectiveness of the composition. I like that you've included the boardwalk on the right and the two people in the distance as they contrast with the both the waterfall and the surrounding foliage. An intriguing scene that is full of life.

This image is all about the contrast between the part of the woodland that is lit and the part that isn't. The blue hues of the trees in the foreground leads the eye to the much more vibrant and bombastic yellows and greens present in the back half of the image. Your choice of composition works well, with the path leading the eye from the dark to the light. I like that you've given it the context of being one of your favourite walks. Your image makes me want to do this walk and experience it myself. Thanks for sharing.

I like the processing choices you've gone with for this image of a well photographed landmark. The monochrome really brings out the contrasts visible in the tonal range. The dark grasses of the foreground compliment the bright white of the house on the right and lighthouse on the left. There is a hint of blown highlights visible in the cloud but it doesn't distract too much from the overall scene.

There is something surreal about this scene. We have no context of the wider landscape, only the bleached out, sandy foreground, an empty, cloudless blue sky and this low flying balloon full of vibrancy and colour. I could easily imagine it as album artwork due to the abstract and surreal nature of the content. The only distraction is the grasses viable in the bottom left that pull my eye away from the balloon and I'd be inclined to go with an even tighter crop to bring the balloon into the frame even more.

It looks like you had at the luxury of some lovely conditions as demonstrated by this image. I like the compositional choice to give room not only the interesting cloudscape in the sky, but also the reflection in the waters of Loch Katrine. This is enhanced further by the light catching on the distance hills, smattered with snow. You could quickly improve the image further by cropping out the foliage that has snuck in at the bottom of the frame as it pulls attention away from the reflection and the landscape. Otherwise, a fine photograph, thank you for sharing.

Nice to see a different take on the ever photogenic Ribblehead Viaduct. Instead of opting to shoot from a distance and include it in the landscape, you've made the decision to involve the viaduct as the main element in the frame, contrasting with the impressive sky. The curve of the viaduct leads the eye into the shafts of light making their way though the cloud and exposing the landscape beyond. The warm tones of the stonework compliments the cool tones visible in the sky. It's refreshing to see someone thinking outside the box.

I like the way you've incorporate the felled logs into this composition as a way to lead the eye from the bottom right of the frame to the pines in the distance. There is a juxtaposition between the trees that remain living and those that have already succumbed to their fate. This is aided by the light that seems to make the felled logs more pale and the living ones more vibrant. The sky is dramatic but a little overcooked in processing that has resulted in quite a bit of noise present in the image which distracts a little from the overall effectiveness. That aside, I like the thought process and message you've evoked.

I love the contrasts and textures visible in this frame. Snow has attempted to cover much of the landscape, but the dark slopes of the mountain range are finding a way through, adding some much needed interest to the scene. I like the idea of the summer equipment left out to endure the winter and the way you've incorporated it into the frame works really well. My only suggestion would be to crop out the little line of snow that has made its way into the bottom of the frame as it distracts from the impressive scene above. Nicely done!

This is an image that is all about layers. In the foreground we have the greens with the occasional pop of pink visible, contrasting with the darker tones of the sea and the bright blue of the sky above. The strong lighting helps to delineate between all the different textures and colours and your low angle elevates the image further. An intriguing scene, thank you for sharing!