New Joiners - Landscapes #905

A striking black and white landscape photo with spectacular light and depth. The shafts of sunlight bear down on the mist shrouded rugged terrain. A small lone tree is cradled in the centre of the silhouetted ridgeline of the foreground. Distant clouds burgeon with light, crowning the gradient of the frame from dark shadow to glary highlight. Great work!

A wonderful scene of rain misted mountains and narrow pine trees by a calm lake. The hazy air helps to add depth to the scene and draw the eye to the distant mountains. The keen eye might also spot the person on the other bank that appears to be taking a photo in this direction. I wonder if you appear in their photo!

A wonderfully layered image with beautiful colour. The silhouetted trees in the foreground stand out against the distant hills. The positioning of the sun is visually balanced with the snow capped mountains on the other side of the frame. A minor point to mention is the details are a little soft, potentially as a result of a very high aperture. Still a wonderful shot. Great work!

A well composed and exposed waterfall image. The use of a longer shutter speed has given the cascading water a silky texture, while leaving a bit of detail in the pool of water. There are plenty of details and colour throughout the rest of the image. Well done!

A great shot of a windy branching through the landscape. The reflected sky in the water makes the rivers shape stand out well against the flat land. The small boat in the water and the scattering of buildings do a wonderful job of showing the scale of the location. And one branch of the river leads the eye to the landmark of the Martyrs Monument. Nice shot!

A beautifully vast and calming image. The bright and glary sky works well against the deep earthy greens of the landscape. The lighthouse is well positioned to reflect the sunlight from the other side of the frame. The smaller details of the distant building on the diagonally reflected position and the single soaring bird are nice touches too. Well done!

A wonderful leading line to draw the viewers eye through the visually interesting desert flora towards the distant and contrasting snow capped mountains. I think the best part of this image is all happening in the bottom third. While the vertical crop shows an expansive sky, it doesn't add much to the essence of the landscape itself. Try a landscape crop or even a panoramic ratio to really captivate the viewers attention.

You have a good eye to see the little things that make a good photo. Although the horse itself isn't centred, the emotional point of the eye is. With the weight of the body balanced out by the tuft of dune grass. The control of focus and colour grading is spot on too. My only suggestion for future contests is to carefully consider the brief. While this does technically fit into a landscape category, it would be better suited in the animal category. Still a great shot. Well done!

A well taken black and white image. The use of a shallow depth of field helps draw the eye into the frame and is situated on the human figure, which adds a story element and connects the ground with the sky. One thing I'd recommend is to see whether you like this image as a panoramic crop. Cropping from just below the clouds to just above the bottom of the frame. It might just give the scene a greater sense of solitude.

You've done a great job here to use the interesting flora to frame the distant mountain and describe the location. The vibrant lush greens go well with the blue of the sky while allowing the reds to pop out. A well composed and taken photo.

A lovely little waterfall scene. A slightly longer exposure has given the water a silky texture while the details in the river and foliage remain. The overhanging branches and partially covered portion of the falls add to the hidden nature of the location. A good level of exposure to balance out the highlights and shadows.

A relatively minimalist photo with a strong sense of grandeur and timelessness. The verdant slopes reach up towards the imposing rocky cliffs, unable to hide them completely. The shape of the land almost mirrors that of the sky created by the boundary between the two. Great shot!

An interesting story telling image. The direction of the precarious raft with people leads the eye down the river. The almost monochromatic steely green of the trees on the riverbank also help accentuate the more yellow tones of the raft and clothing. A well exposed and composed photo.

A great use of a leading line from the stream into the naturally framed volcano. You've done well to create depth and dimension to the photo and show a sense of place with the landscape. The volcano is definitely the star of the show, but doesn't take away from the rest of the image.