New Joiners - Landscapes #831

Mist, fog, rain and snow are all conditions that can add atmosphere and mystery to photos. They diffuse and simplify the landscape and help highlight shapes, form, and structure. The photographer has opted to isolate this little group of trees in the snow storm, producing a bold, mono result. Nicely captured.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the HDR look, favouring a more natural touch. But this is a well-captured image, boasting lovely texture and detail. The shutter length has creatively blurred the water's motion, but retained energy and interest in the water's flow. It is a well composed scene which grabs the viewer's attention.

This is a very atmospheric view - the soft light and warm tones are attractive and the reflections add a sense of tranquility. I'm unsure about the inclusion of the wooden ladder-like structure, though - it feels quite heavy and dominant. I would argue that it unbalances the frame. Sometimes less is more - don't include foreground subjects unless they are appropriate and genuinely enhance the photo.

I love the perspective of a drone - they provide a fresh take on familiar scenes. The more you study this photo, the more you enjoy it. I love the little rowing boats circled around the jetty toward the bottom of the frame and the lines and shapes within the scene. The light's quality enhances the shot too. A nice capture.

This is a beautiful winter's scene. Snow can produce quite mono looking conditions, so I can understand why the photographer has decided to convert this file into black and white. A large aperture of f/4 has produced a shallow depth of field - a smaller f/stop in the region of f/11 is often a better choice for landscapes. A step to the right would have allowed the photographer to exclude some distracting reeds and branches from the foreground.

The Lake District is home to many photogenic jetties and they make great subjects and compelling lead-in lines. This is a lovely shot. The conversion to black and white really highlights the texture of the wood and simplifies the scene. When shooting along a jetty, it is important to set-up centrally to create perfect symmetry. In this instance, it looks to me that the photographer ideally needed to shuffle slightly to their right to ensure the gaps between the posts were mirrored either side. Personally, I'm not a big fan of vignettes and I wonder if the sky and corners of the frame are a little too inky on this occasion.

Kelly Hall is a lovely, photogenic tarn and this is a nice shot. Separating key objects within the landscape will often maximise impact, and - in this instance - a small step to the left would have allowed the photographer to place all the tree's branches against the sky, rather than have them overlap the ground behind. From a processing perspective, the vignette is a tiny bit too obvious and artificial in my view.

The black and white treatment really suits this urban view. There is a timelessness about this shot that I like. Compositionally, I would crop this shot slightly to remove the side of building jutting up on the left, and also trim a little off the right to tidy up the frame. I would keep the Eiffel Tower central, though, as I think placing the building smack bang in the middle of the frame works well in this instance.

This is a classic view, made famous by pioneering landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Despite being a well-photographed scene, this is still a successful shot - well composed and nicely balanced. While the light is a bit flat, the rich, fall colour provides depth and impact.

This is a lovely seasonal shot. The vibrant, rich autumn colour really give this image instant impact. But, personally, I find the trunks on the right of the frame a little too dominant - the frame feels slightly unbalanced as a result. It is also a shame the photographer couldn't find a viewpoint where the cars on the left were either excluded or hidden.

This looks like a nice photo, but unfortunately the file quality is low, so the image is slightly pixelated and difficult to assess. Next time, submit the highest image quality allowed by the competition. There are a few dust spots visible in the sky, so a sensor clean may be required soon.

It is fun to play with the various filters and effects on our phones - and they can genuinely enhance photos. However, too much editing or processing can ruin a shot. In this instance, there is an ugly white halo along the skyline, and the colours are saturated and artificial. Edit your images sensitively to produce pleasing, natural looking results.

This is a nice viewpoint - well spotted. The foreground reeds, tree avenue, and reflections combine well - and the waterway provides a useful lead-in line. The dull, overexposed sky and flat lighting let the image down, though. This same scene captured in better, warmer light would have far more impact.