New Joiners - Landscapes #803

The use of panoramic composition in landscape photography can be really effective, and this image is a great demonstration of why. If you are using a more traditional ratio, we only see a small amount of the elements that made into the final frame. This can be an effective way to reduce the composition, but sometimes when you've got such a powerful visual scene the only way to do it justice is to capture the whole thing.

Panoramas are difficult to do well, because often there isn't an obvious foreground and it's easy to get lost in the composition. You do well not to fall into that trap with this image, and there is plenty going on to hold the viewers attention, from the contrast between the greenery and grey textures of the mountain slopes to the seemingly small towns that exist on islands in the water.

The mountain range stretches back as far as the eye can see, rising to meet the sky and the low cloud consuming the tops. You must've climbed high up to have attained this position and the image is all the better for it. Well seen, captured and processed. Thank you for sharing.

The conditions that you've captured in this image is absolutely my favourite kind of landscape photography weather. There is something magical about winter, especially when it's cold enough to create hoarfrost on both the trees and the ground. Increasingly it seems the climate change means the winters aren't as cold as they used to be so it makes conditions like this even more special.

I like that you've used the manmade architecture as the focal point and surrounded it with nature, demonstrating that the cold weather doesn't just affect the landscape, but also the humans that inhabit it. The pale cool winter light is just about visible on the buildings and the texture in the overcast sky compliments the texture of the fields below. One of those images that makes me look forward to winter. Thank you for sharing.

One of the things I really enjoy about judging these new joiner contests is that I get to see familiar landscapes from different perspectives. I have stood on the bridge that is featured in the middle of this image and I have taken photographs of Hamnoy from that perspective. However, rarely do I see an image that captures the bridge and the town itself, as well as the dramatic mountain range beneath which the town sits. Often, when I share pictures taken from the bridge, people ask if it's a drone shot, where is this actually is a drone shot, and it really demonstrates why photographers are drawn again and again to the Norwegian landscape.

I like that you've created a panorama as it almost gives the clouds an unnatural feel but the way that they're bending over the mountain range works and mirrors some of the lines and patterns visible in the landscape below. Your processing works well to emphasising those blues and oranges, which complements each other in the frame. I'd be inclined to crop the bottom of the image because it adds a little to the composition and by tightening up the frame, I think it would hold attention even longer. That side there is plenty to love here. Thank you for sharing.

This is a powerful and dramatic landscape that uses all the elements in the frame to powerful effect. I like that you've used a square ratio for your composition. This means that a lot of the elements in the frame are competing for space and it gives an urgency to the composition. The elevated position from which you've taken the image allows the viewer to feel as if they're standing on a precipice looking at the scene in front of them. What really makes the image work is the use of light.

The low sun (I’m hypothesising this was taken at sunset, rather than sunrise) is catching on the mountain tops, illuminating the different textures. The light is also catching on part of the valley floor, picking out certain elements such as the hedgerows and the trees.

Your use of processing elevates both the shadows and highlights, allowing that sense of drama to be the main focus of the frame. For me, personally, the image is a little over-processed however, processing is a very personal thing and that should be encouraged. Personal preference aside, there is plenty to love with this image, from the subject matter to the light and you can be proud of the image that you’ve captured, thank you for sharing.

Some images are all about composition and craft, and some images are more about mood and vibe. That's not to suggest that one is more important or valued than the other, it just means that some images radiant a certain feeling and transport the viewer. This image is definitely one of those shots for me. It transports me straight to a summer evening. I can feel the last of the warmth, hear the sound of the wood pigeon and smell all the different fragrances of the flowers. An image that is able to do that has something magical about it.

The dreamy feel is elevated by the shallow depth of field and you've done well to control the exposure by hiding the sun behind the tree on the far left of the frame. The warm tones shine through, and the processing compliments the feel of the image.

A really lovely example of how work with the summer light and create something beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

I think this image really shows how good you are at composition. A lot of people wouldn't think to position the trees the way you have in the frame. Many would take a flat on picture of the two trees, but instead you've used them in a dynamic fashion to get the most out of them in the composition. This creates tension and drama between the trees themselves, but also the surrounding landscape. That drama is enhanced by the low light hidden behind the tree closest to the left of the frame, illuminating all the grasses and landscape around the trunk.

The curve of the branches leads the eye from one side of the frame to another, and the warm colours, catching in the cloud, find repetition in the light on the edge of the branches. There is some noise, especially on the tree trunk on the left of the frame and that detracts somewhat from the effectiveness of the image. This could be addressed with some de-noising in post. That aside, however this really demonstrates your ability as a photographer. Thank you for sharing.

I’ve walked out to this island and lighthouse many times, and each time it surprises me how long it takes. The journey, of course, is certainly worth it, and I have to say with the lighthouse set against the mountains of Eryri in the background, it’s probably one of my favourite scenes in the whole of the UK. There aren’t a huge amount of different compositions available at this location and the one that you've gone for is the classic portrait orientation shot that positions the lighthouse just above the horizon and uses the rocks and greenery in the foreground, as well as the steps leading up to the lighthouse itself, as a way of leading the eye into the frame.

The greenery of the island contrasts with the deep blues and turquoise colours of the sea and the sky beyond, and that low band of cloud, catching on the mountains in the distance, seems to intercept straight through the lighthouse itself. Awesome to see images of this place at sunrise or sunset so it's nice to see it during the middle of the day with strong directional light picking out all the different colours and textures. You've done a good job of capturing an iconic location. Thank you for sharing.

Clevedon pier with all its Victorian majesty, is a continuous draw the landscape photographers. There is something about the way the architecture contrasts with the natural surroundings that appeals to photographers and your image is a great demonstration of why.

I like the composition that you've gone with allowing the pier to enter the image from the right, framed by the rocks on the beach in the foreground. The use of long exposure works well, smoothing out the water and giving it a milky texture. Your processing is interesting and almost calls back to a different era and has the feel of an image that was taken in a different decade. That filmic quality is achieved by the cross processing that you've applied to the composition.

There are some artefacts and dust spots visible, potentially leftover from the long exposure, and they can be a little bit distracting, but they do not detract from the image. This is a good attempt at capturing one of the U.K.'s most photographed landmarks. Thank you for sharing.

When we think of landscape photography, I think something akin to the image that you've shared comes to mind. The classic American vista with woodland in the foreground that gives way to domineering mountain ranges and snow capped peaks. What is less expected is that we now have the ability to capture the majesty and drama on an iPhone. I'm a great proponent of the fact that the best camera is the one that you have on you and this image is a wonderful example of that.

The composition isn’t perfect. On the left of the frame there is some detritus that distracts the eye from the rest of the image. However, this can be easily removed or cropped out in post, and that would make the image even more effective. That aside, this must've been beautiful to witness in person and your iPhone rendition does justice to the beautiful landscape that you've captured. Thank you for sharing.

This is an intriguing water shot that uses the elements in the frame to powerful effect. I like that you've increased the shutter speed just enough to create some movement in the water, but you haven't gone for a longer exposure that would make the water milky in texture. This way we’re still able to see the original texture of the water but there is a sense of movement. Where there is movement in a still image there is narrative. The use of the woodland that surrounds the stream works well. The trunk on the left side of the frame is complimented and balanced out by the trunk that reaches over the stream on the right hand side of the frame.

I like that you have excluded the sky, so all our attention is fixed on the water and the surrounding woodland. However, there seems to be a little bit of a colour cast when it comes to the water, although this may be a personal editing choice as the whole frame is on the cool side. That aside, this image demonstrates your ability to create something beautiful out of a seemingly mundane scene.

Who doesn't love a rainbow, especially one as beautiful and complete as the one you captured in this image. For me, this kind of image is exactly what mobile phones were made for because they are spontaneous, unrepeatable moments that are fleeting in nature. That being said it isn't just a rainbow that makes this image. It's also your composition.

I like that you've got low to the ground which gives the impression as if we're looking up at the architecture in front of us and allows the full expanse of that rainbow to fit in the frame. It also allows two walls on either side of the frame to lead the eye into the heart of the image and shows really good compositional awareness. This is just one of those images that is a joy to look at. Thank you so much for sharing.

This is a fine monochrome image that uses all the elements in the frame to powerful effect. The main focal point of the image is that impressive cumulus cloud that seemingly consumes the entire sky in the middle of the frame.

Your compositional knowledge is demonstrated by the use of the wooden pier leading the eye of the viewer straight to the cloud in question.

The use of black and white means that we aren't distracted by any colour and allows attention to completely focus on the pier and the cloud. This is another great example of why the best camera is the one you have on you. Thank you for sharing.

From the EXIF data alone, I'm surmising that this image was captured from a drone. Even if it was you've probably had to gain quite a bit of elevation to be able to get this viewpoint and what a magical perspective it is. The camera’s positioning seemingly sores high above the mountain range and provides a dramatic expansive vista rolling out as far as the eye can see.

You've gone through some low-key editing, allowing instead for the shadows and highlights to speak for themselves. The landscape that we are looking at has so much drama and intensity that it demands a second look. It demands the viewer to take in the small minutiae and it makes me wonder about where this photo was taken. Unfortunately you don't provide any information in your description which of course is your prerogative and therefore this almost feels like a fantasy land from a novel.

That feeling is elevated further by the low clouds, catching on the tops of the mountains in the distance. There is a magical quality to every element of this image from the perspective to the content. It must have absolutely breathtaking to witness. Thank you for sharing.

Some of my favourite images demonstrate how nature and humanity coexist. This image is a really good example of that. On the right of the frame we have cityscape and on the left of the frame we have gatherings of people. In the middle, tying both parts of the frame together, is Niagara Falls. The sheer scale of Niagara Falls, is enhanced and compounded by the inclusion of the people and the buildings. It's rare to see all of those elements in the mix and it really demonstrates just how much we have encroached on the natural world. One of those images that makes you think. Thanks for sharing.

Sometimes, when it comes to landscape photography, we can get lost in seeking complexity, and often my most favourite images are the ones that embrace simplicity. This is a great example of that in practice and the reason this image works is because of how you have interpreted the scene. In the foreground we have a field of wheat and this takes up the majority of the frame. The colour is uniform with those brown, golden tones permeating throughout the composition. Above, there is a classic summer, sky, full of cumulus clouds that have been created by the humidity of the day, and they give way to a lovely pale blue.

You've made a decision to give 3/4 of the frame over to the crops and allow just a small amount of the sky to be visible, and for me, this is a crucial compositional decision. The really gives your image the edge of the some of the others in this weeks contest. It's a classic landscape that does what it sets out to do and does it well. Lovely work, thank you for sharing.