New Joiners - Landscapes #858

What a striking image. Photographs should tell a story, resonate with the viewer, or achieve an emotional reaction of some sort. I think this image does exactly that. There is a sadness about this image, but beauty too. The juxtaposition between life and death is poignant, with the gravestones contrasted against the open-space and beauty of the landscape behind. It's a well seen and captured image. The dramatic lighting, contrast, and active sky combine to create an engaging shot.

Iceland is home to some extraordinary scenery. The dusting of snow and low light help highlight the detail, shapes, and layers within this landscape. The sky is a little empty and uninteresting unfortunately. Therefore, I would crop this shot, switching to a narrower aspect ratio to exclude a slice of sky and keep the emphasis firmly on the landscape.

Although this view arguably lacks a clear or obvious focal point or 'anchor', this is still a very pleasing shot. The soft golden evening light is attractive, and the light and shade create contrast and a sense of depth. The shot is sharp throughout and well exposed.

What lovely, atmospheric conditions! I like how the photographer has purposefully used the dry stone wall as a lead-in line, placing it neatly in the bottom right corner to entice the viewer's eye into the frame. The square aspect ratio suits the scene well. The shot has a lovely sense of elevation and space.

These are fantastic conditions - well worth the early start to catch the dawn light and mist. Personally, I find the silhouetted branches on the left a bit dominant, and they unbalance the composition. Ideally, the photographer would have used a longer focal length in this instance. A telephoto lens would have helped condense perspective, isolate the lovely misty layers within the landscape, and produce a more concise, impactful result overall.

What a big view this is! This scene has all the right ingredients, with mountains looming large over an emerald lake surrounded by woodland. The composition is good and feels balanced. The thing that dilutes this photo's impact is the quality of the light - it is just a bit harsh and flat. The exact same image captured in golden, morning or evening light would have far more drama and beauty.

This is a lovely waterfall and good viewpoint. The photographer has controlled the high level of contrast by bracketing and blending exposures to extend the camera's dynamic range. The result is good, with detail retained in both highlight and shadow areas. You either love or hate 'blurry' water. Personally, I'm a lover, and like the creative level of motion captured in the waterfall.

I love the layers within this landscape - and the stormy, threatening sky adds wonderful mood and drama. But I wonder if there is a better composition found within this photo? The rays of light striking the landscape just left of centre are beautiful. However, they are rather lost and overwhelmed by the dark hill in the foreground which dominates the frame. A longer focal length (or tighter crop) would have produced a far more compelling result I suspect.

I really like this composition. The still, reflective water adds a sense of calm and tranquility to this shot. The road cutting diagonally through the composition directs the viewer's eye into the frame. The low sun adds atmosphere, but unfortunately the sky is overexposed and highlight detail lost. When using a drone, it is worthwhile bracketing exposures to extend dynamic range.

I love a silhouette. It's important to opt for bold, instantly recognisable shapes. The horses work well and contrast boldly against the sunset. It is an epic sky and more than justifies occupying over two-thirds of the image-space. However, in my opinion, the horses are too central. I would prefer more negative space in front of the animals, and less behind them.

Mist simplifies the landscape, reducing clutter, complication, and neatly highlighting shape and form. This is a lovely, moody shot. The dark, dead overlapping tree trunks, rising through the fog, produce an eerie and engaging result. The shapes and layers are intriguing. Personally, I would crop this image tighter to remove the dark trunk touching the left edge and also reduce the amount of foreground clutter. This would simplify the shot further and create a more balanced result overall.

Don't forget to check the edges of the frame for distractions before releasing the shutter. This is a decent shot, with the river entering the frame from the bottom corners and creating a triangle which leads the viewer's eye neatly into the scene. But the sliver of stone bridge at the bottom of the frame is needless and distracting. In this instance, a small amount of cropping would quickly resolve the problem.

This is a thoughtfully composed shot. The path and tree avenue create a really powerful lead-in line, which directs the viewer's eye neatly into the composition. The vanishing point created by the path also helps convey a three-dimensional feel. However, the file isn't sharp enough unfortunately. I'm not quite sure if this is due to poor focusing, too shallow depth of field, or even camera shake due to the relatively slow shutter speed (1/60sec).

This is a dramatic stretch of coastline and a nice enough shot. But it is the lack of drama and interest in the sky and water that undermine this photo. Often, the only difference between a good and great landscape is the light and conditions. It is a waiting game - the best photographs are often the result of patience and multiple visits. Unfortunately, in this instance, the flat light and lifeless sky and ocean simply don't provide enough impact.