New Joiners - Landscapes #825

I like that you've leaned into your bold colour choice in this image as it gives the misty morning an almost surreal feel to it.

The composition works well, with the duck on the right of the frame balancing out the tree on the left. The reeds in the foreground also help to lead the eye into the scene. The fog has consumed the background so there is no distractions and we're able to fully concentrate on the duck.

I'm sure this was one of those mornings that you'll never forget. Thank you for sharing!

The majesty of the Northern Lights. I don't think I will ever get bored of seeing them, even if, with all the extra activity, I've now been able to watch them from my suburban glen in the Midlands!

Of course, that experience cannot compare to watching them dance overhead in the Norway where they are much, much stronger. They can be tricky to capture though, and I like the composition you've gone with here, allowing for a snowy foreground to lead the eye to the way the lights are formed throughout the night sky with a backdrop of a thousand stars.

Really nice shot that has been well processed. Thank you so much for sharing!

This image is all about the textures, with the surreal rocks appearing almost 3D in the frame. I love the description that you've given about the dinosaur remains because it allows me to imagine those giant creatures roaming this particular landscape and that context really brings the image to life for me.

The greys of the rocks are complemented by occasional flashes of red and yellow, especially in the foliage in the foreground. I like that you've leaned into the textures but the image feels a little over sharpened with has caused some artefacts in the sky especially. It might be worth dialling back the sharping a touch, but if it works for you that is all that matters.

A fascinating image of a surreal spot, thanks for sharing!

I love mornings such as the one you've captured here. Sunrise and the following light after it have this special quality that cannot be replicated. All the particles in the air have dampened down over night and there is just a freshness to the atmosphere.

Your composition works well, using the bend in the river to lead the viewer into the frame, aided by the path that runs adjacent to the river, flooded with early light and vibrant in colour.

In the distance there is a hint of early morning mist dancing on the horizon, and the clouds above provide some much needed texture to the sky. Nicely seen, captured and edited, thank you for sharing!

This shot is full of drama, from the impressive autumn trees that are sitting on the shoreline, to the snowy mountain in the distance.

The stillness of the water means that you've been able to capture an impressive reflection and the thin line of mist really helps to separate out the two halves of the image. There is a hint of light, but mostly you've leaned into the moodiness of the morning, and your processing choices have definitely enhanced that mood.

This is a classic example of when to break the rule of thirds because the reflection absolutely derserves half of the frame.

Thanks for sharing!

This image is all about how you've used the elements in the frame to create a compelling and interesting composition.

I think many photographers might have got frustrated by the presence of manmade elements in the frame (in this case the stairs) but you've leaned into that and used them in such a fashion that the eye follows the stairs downwards into the woodland.

You've also leaned into the greens in the image, aided by the even tones throughout. the portrait orientation works well, and I like that you've excluded the sky so we concentrate fully on the woodland. Thanks for sharing!

Oh wow. I love the Callanish Stones and will be back on the Islands in Feb so this has reminded me how much I have to look forward to.

The frosty morning really works here, evoking the feel of winter and asking the ageless question of why these stones were put there in the first place. Your composition works well, but it's the light that really makes the image pop, illuminating the stones, set against that cloudless blue sky. I like that the moon is visible towards the top of the frame,

Really nice work, worth standing out in the cold just to capture that light. Thanks for sharing.

Some images are just of the landscape and others tell a deeper story about how the landscape is formed. This is definitely the latter. We still get the context of the surrounding landscape, with the fields of crops on either side of the road, but we also get to see how that landscape is cultivated.

The cart is loaded up with hay and we, the viewer are watching it head away from the fields. The composition works although I find myself wishing you'd taken a step to your left to have made everything a bit more symmetrical, but sometimes you don't get the chance to readjust.

A really nice image that tells a story, thank you for sharing.

I really like this. It's unconventional but there is a certain feel to it that really made it jump off the page and grab my attention.

Most of the image is in monochrome, with the seed heads rising up, full of intricate patterns standing out against the light grey sky. What makes this image interesting is the shallow depth of field, so all the focus is on the foliage, and everything us is blurred to bokeh. This includes the sun, which is showing up as warm circles of red bokeh throughout the frame and for me that's what really brings the image to life.

Interesting and abstract, thank you for sharing.

This image is a lovely demonstration of the aged-old mantra, 'the best camera is the one you have on you'. To be fair, I had to read the description to know it was an iPhone image because on first glance there is no real way to tell if it was shot on a mobile device or a DSLR.

The foreground works well, with the rocks acting as a leading line into the image, moving the eye towards the water and the waves gently lapping towards shore.

Above, the morning sun is burning through the low cloud, tempering its ferocity and making for an atmospheric scene. The way the clouds are sitting around the sun puts me in mind of Turner and his paintings.

The portrait orientation works well and makes sure everything sits balanced in the frame. Really good work, thank you for taking the time to share.

This is what iPhone cameras were made for in my opinion. You're walking along the beach, taking in the sunset and you want to grab an image as a visual memory of the scene. To carry a camera may have been a burden, but the phone is already on you and the camera on it works really well.

Your composition works well, with the waves lapping against the shoreline, light against the dark sand. This leads our eye up to the fishermen at the end of the beach, illuminated by the low, low sun. I love how the light is catching on the waves and you've done well to manage the bright highlight on the sun considering you're shooting directly into it.

Nicely seen and captured!

I've see lots of images from Yosemite during my years judging, but I've not seen this angle before and I really enjoy when someone manages to find something unique at a well photographed location.

The conditions certainly help, with that line of mist helping to separate the foreground from the background. As does evoking the 'lone tree' trope, setting it against the dramatic backdrop, stalwart against the elements. There is a softness to your processing that really sings, and I love the autumnal trees that are just visible in the distance.

However, it's your composition that makes this image truly special, with the tree on the left of the frame balanced by the iconic waterfall on the right of the frame. Every part of the image is perfectly positioned, even the amount of sky you've included.

An absolutely worthy winner, thank you so much for sharing!

Your elevated position really helps with the composition in this image and we, the viewer feel as though we are looking down on the scenery. The rolling green hills are definitely very Swiss and I like that you've included several hills in the background to aid the composition.

What really makes this image work though, is the dramatic light that is bursting through the clouds and illuminating the mountain slope. There are some shafts of light to enhance this feeling further. I also like that you've included the low cloud on the left of the frame that gives the feeling that it might consumed the scenery at any moment.

Nicely seen and captured, thank you for sharing.

I'm a huge fan of urban landscapes and this is a wonderful example of why! Architecture can provide many different and unique opportunities for compositions, especially if they are close to water source such as the ones in this image. The buildings themselves are interesting to look at and I love that no two buildings are the same in appearance.

The conditions you've captured are really fun, and completely bring the image to life. It must have felt exciting to have stood there and watched the rainbow develop, knowing you were going to get the image.

Your slow shutter speed means that the water is smoothed out and we get some movement in the clouds. This means the reflection is tremendous and the colours of the architecture complement the colours of sunset overhead.

What really brings this image to life though, is the rainbow, arching over the buildings. Just a fabulous capture that demonstrates your skill as a photographer, thanks for sharing!