New Joiners - Landscapes #827

I love this location. My grandfather was a slate quarryman here for most of his adult life and when I stand looking out across Yr Wyddfa in the distance, I imagine he must have done the same thing, day in, day out. A tonic for the brutal conditions.

I like the foreground here, with broken up bits of slate speaking to the location and its heritage. The lake below is just visible and the mountain range standing out against the overcast sky. An image that shows some of the drama of the place, thank you for sharing.

This is a really powerful photo that demonstrates your talent both as a landscape and nature photographer. The composition works well, focusing on the two trees that take up the majority of the frame and excluding any distractions, such as the sky. The trees themselves could easily carry the image, with the interesting foliage, some of this hanging down and some of it bright with autumnal colour.

I like that you have included some of the reflection in the water and despite the background being rather busy it does not distract from the trees. The cherry on top, and the reason I suspect you like the image, is the heron/egret sitting just at the base of the trees. Not only does this add a little bit of interest to the frame, it also adds scale so we can really feel the size and imposing nature of the trees.

Really well seen, captured and processed, a worthy winner, thank you for sharing!

This image has a rather dreamy quality to it, something that you lean into with your processing choices.

Your composition works well, with the boat on the left of the frame balancing out the boats on the right. In the middle is the low sun, as it peeks above the horizon and warms up the new day. You've done really well to deal with the bright highlights cause by shooting directly into the sun and instead of allowing it to be a distraction, you've incorporated it into the frame and made it an integral part of the image.

Your processing choice uses the warm tones of the sunrise and magnifies them, making everything feel a little bit unreal. I think it's something that works really well with this kind of images and makes something that could be somewhat mundane much more interesting.

Nicely composed and processed, thank you for sharing.

I think there would be many people who would fail to see the magic in this photo at first glance. It is one of those images that has a quiet magic and it requires a closer look as it doesn't have an epic vista to rely upon, just the marrying up of composition and light.

It was the light that indeed first caught my attention, catching on the cactus on the left of the frame and backlighting all the needles. The makes the cactus positively glow and for me that's hard to ignore. In fact, the whole composition is well thought out, demonstrating your skills as a photographer. The cacti in the foreground on the right of the frame set the scene and lead the eye into the image, and we follow the light catching on various aspects of the scenery. A lesser photographer might have been compelled to include the sky or some wider context but your confidence in your own composition shines through and the image is all the better for it.

There is a little bit of noise visible that could easily be removed in post but other than that this is one of those images that reminds us not to overlook the detail because there can be magic to be found. Thank you for that reminder.

The title of this image 'Rain in Scotland' speaks to many of the experiences I've had up north. However, as your image demonstrates, it's one of those places that really works in the rain, even if the low cloud is stealing some of the mountain tops and you're left soaked to the skin. Well done finding a composition, with the little burn full of peaty water, smoothed by the long exposure and leading the eye to the cloud streaming over the top of the hill in the distance.

The greenery is made even more lush by the rainfall, and I commend you for battling against the conditions to get this shot. Thanks for sharing.

This is a fabulous image that makes me really want to visit the location. I love the idea of these trees rising out of the water, undeterred by nature, and seemingly existing wherever they're able to. In this case, your image evokes that well-trodden and popular photography trope of the lone tree. It's popular for a reason as it speaks to the tenacity and perseverance of nature. A stalwart lone tree against the elements, thriving more than surviving.

Your composition helps, with the tree bent over and catching the light, separated from the darker background by the mist running across the water and the light catching on all the branches. I like the way the light is creating patterns in the water and how you've excluded the sky to minimise distractions.

In a week of good tree shots this is up there with the best, thank you for sharing.

I really like this image, with the energy of the wave crashing over the rocks framed by the really gorgeous sunset or sunrise above, colour catching in the clouds, making the sky really interesting. There is much to appreciate about the marrying up of composition and content, and you make the most of the light.

Unfortunately you do not give any context or any EXIF data so I don't have anything to go on and the quality of the image is poor which means it cannot be experienced in its full glory. If it had been uploaded at full quality there is no doubt it would have made the top 10 as there is plenty to like about the composition. I hope to see more of your work in the future.

This is one of those images that also could be easily overlooked because it cannot rely on a grand vista to pull in the viewer, only on the marrying up of composition and light. In this case there is additional element of a monochrome conversion which helps to remove any colourful distractions and focusses our attention of the most important elements in the frame (according to your calculations).

The hotel is the main compositional element, and the mono conversion helps to bring it into the centre of the composition because the white colour of the building pops against the darker sky behind. I like that you've created a depth of field with the blurred bannister on the right of the frame pointing us to the hotel in the middle. I also like that you've included the ferris wheel.

A simple, yet effective image that benefits from portrait orientation and some bright, front lighting. Well seen and processed.

The sky here definitely works in black and white and I wonder if that's why you went for a monochrome conversion. I like the name you've given the composition as 'The Lull' really speaks to the scene before our eyes. The water appears to be completely still, reflecting back the interesting cloud formations above, and the boat is just sitting on the surface without the hint of any movement.

The mono conversion has a little bit of a blue tint which gives it some personality and I like the way you've made everything work in the frame with the shoreline on the right balancing out the boat on the left. The hint of mist in the distance is also a lovely detail.

Nicely seen, captured and processed, thank you for sharing.

The layers in the landscape are absolutely delightful in this image and your elevated position enhances the scene further. I love that you've leaned into the blue colours of that quiet light, and it contrasts well with the bright whites of the clouds drifting below your vantage point.

There is so much to like about this image, from the colours and hues to the mist and clouds. However there is a little bit of foliage on the left of the frame that has snuck in and pulls me out of the composition. Eliminating this distraction will definitely make the image sing. That aside there is plenty to love here, thank you so much for sharing.

These shots are the reason I love winter. When the snow has fallen and the storm has passed, the clarity of a winters day remains, enhanced further by the addition of some light.

Your composition is strong, with the leading line of the shore helping to bring us into the image and move us further along through the lines of snow-covered trees. I like that the foreground is in shadow and the trees in the distance are catching the light. The stillness of the water aids the reflection, and I enjoy the three rocks in the foreground that you included.

The light on the trees is delightful, bringing out details and really helping to make me feel the chill through the screen.

A magical, wintery image that shows off the best of the season, thank you for sharing!

This is what drones do so well. They take a composition and make it more interesting by showing you the scenery from an elevated angle so we feel like we're above the land and looking down at all the detail.

The composition works well in this image where you've focused mainly on the land and only included a little of that overcast sky. The light that is catching on the buildings in the foreground is lovely, and the sweep of the loch really leads the eye from one end to the other.

Nice to see a drone photo that works well and gives the viewer a different perspective, thank you for sharing!

This image has a surreal feel to it. It's something that I would have feared was more digital art of you hadn't included your EXIF data so I'm really grateful you did.

You don't give much in the way of detail regarding the location you took this or your thought process behind it so I'm left to wonder the circumstances and context of this image. The low sun and impressive clouds certainly set the scene and the inclusion of the two rocks on the left of the frame and the two paddle boarders on the right balance each other beautifully. I like the silhouette of the two figures on the water.

Your editing choices really lean into the surreal, with those reds and oranges remaining prominent in the frame. The light escaping the top of the cloud formation is an extra little detail that just brings the image to life. Really interesting scene that certainly has personality, thank you for sharing!

I really like the mood you've captured here and I like that even when you're supposed to be photographing nature, you're thinking outside of the box.

Shooting into the sun can always be tricky but you've managed it well here, controlling the highlights and ensuring the car and its occupants are silhouetted against the sky. The atmosphere is enhanced further by the dust that the car is kicking up catching the last of the light.

Nicely seen and captured, thank you for sharing.