New Joiners - Landscapes #931

I love looking up when I'm in an urban environment. It can lead to interesting images like this one. The architecture of a city can be just as appealing as something more rural, especially with the bold shapes and lines you find on modern buildings.

I like the curve of the building on the left of the frame and the relationship it has to the more frenetic architecture on the right. The image is elevated by the cloudless blue sky which gives the image a rather cool feel. I'd be intrigued to see what this looks like converted to monochrome. It might be even more interesting.

That aside, there is plenty to like here, thank you for sharing.

Some landscapes are all about big vistas or iconic locations, and some are just about quiet moments where you happen to be in the right place at the right time. This is when a mobile phone comes in handy as it enables you to capture the landscape without getting in the way and ruining the moment.

I love the simplicity of this image. Most would be inclined to pop the horizon closer to the middle to even out the frame, but the way you've composed is much more appealing. The thin sliver of the sea gives way to the sky above, a slight hint of warmth that quickly becomes a sea of blue.

There is something really calming about it, and although there is very little to look at, I want to keep looking, keep exploring that expansive sky.

Well seen and captured, thank you for sharing.

The sea is an amazing, yet terrifying beast. Often, with seascape photography, the images are smoothed out via the method of elongating the exposure, but I think there is much to love about capturing the sea in a single moment. You've done that really well with this image, demonstrating the power of the water as it crashes against the rock in the middle of the frame.

I like that you've cropped in and focused on just the rock in the foreground rather than including the sky, which could have been a distraction.

There are two elements that make the image work for me - first, the light that is coming in from the left side, illuminating the rock and the crashing wave. Second, the cresting wave on the far left of the frame that is turquoise in colour. It really adds something magic to the image.

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

I'm a huge fan of urban landscapes. I think cities can offer up numerous opportunities for amazing photography and your image is a wonderful demonstration of that.

London is one of those cities that has undergone a lot of change over the last decade, and the addition of lots of high rise buildings really elevates the skyline. I like that this is taken from a little further down the river, so it's not the usual suspects in the frame, but a different perspective on the city.

You've shot this at the right time of day, with that low sun casting across the buildings, illuminating everything, including boats on the river.

I like that you've included some of the sky, but there is not much going on in the top half of the frame, partly because there is no cloud to add texture. I'd consider a tighter, panoramic crop to balance out the frame a little better.

Otherwise, there is plenty to enjoy here, thank you for sharing.

This is great example of using nature and animal life in a way that enhances a landscape image. The backdrop of the Grand Tetons has its own appeal, with the mountain peaks rising above numerous pockets of woodland, but the addition of the bison really elevates the image.

This is helped by your composition, with the bison closest to the camera acting as the main focal point, leading us from the road to the herd behind and then the mountains in the distance. It really adds context to an otherwise fairly benign landscape image.

The light is rather flat, and because of that the image feels a little underexposed. It might well be worth seeing if you can brighten it up in post to make for an even more effective image.

An amazing sight, thank you for sharing!

These are my favourite kind of conditions. To me there is little better than a frozen, misty morning in the dead of winter, where the sun is strong enough to burn through the low mist and create magical moments like this one.

Your composition works well, with the sweep of the road in the foreground leading the eye to the sun bursting through the trees. I'm glad you went with a portrait orientation as it keeps everything tight in the frame.

It's also great to see images like this being captured on a mobile device, going to show that the best camera is the one you have on you, enabling you to capture magic.

The effect of the sun coming through the trees is what makes the image for me, and the light on the frozen road. I like the silhouette of the tree on the right of the frame, and all in all this works really well. Thank you for sharing.

You haven't specified a location, but this looks a lot like Tuscany and specifically the place that was made famous in the film, Gladiator.

Although I've never been myself, it's an iconic location that attracts photographers from all over the world and your image is a demonstration of why that is. Even though this is taken on a phone, rather than a "big" camera, it does the scenery justice. I'm a big advocate of the best camera being the one you have on you, and an iPhone is always in my pocket ready to be utilised when the moment occurs.

I like that you've used the foliage in the foreground, although some of it is a little distracting and a higher angle might have prevented that. The misty conditions really add some atmosphere and you get a sense of the rolling hills that dissipate into the distance.

Nicely seen and captured, it must have been magical to witness.

This is a really nice example of how including a human in the frame can improve a landscape image. In this case, the image itself has plenty to enjoy, with the low light illuminating the water and catching on the clouds above. However, the figure of the person standing on the shoreline is evocative, reminding the viewer of their own relationship with the sea whilst also creating a sense of scale.

I like the panoramic framing, and that you've included the birdlife on the far right, as it balances out the silhouette of the figure on the left.

A splendid shot of a lovely sunset that does a good job of controlling the bright highlights that are inevitable when shooting directly into the sun, thank you for sharing.

There is something timeless about 35mm film. It reminds me of the holiday images my parents took when I was growing up and how there is an inherent sense of nostalgia whenever I see that grainy signature look.

Nostalgia and appreciation for shooting on film aside, I like the composition you've gone for here. You tell a story through a single frame with the man sitting on the rock providing some narrative and some scale to proceedings. He look so small in comparison to the water and I would love to know his story. Does he go there often? Why that spot? I love an image that asks questions. I also love the colour combination between the stark, bright rocks and the turquoise, blue sea.

Well seen and composed. Thanks for going to the trouble of scanning and sharing.

I love the vibe of this image. I've said a few times during the judging for this New Joiners contest that the best camera is the one you have on you. More and more, shots from an iPhone are good enough quality to be judged alongside ones from more traditional DSLRs, and your image a lovely demonstration of that.

What immediately pulled in my eye was the winding path that moves through the heart of the image. That leads the eye from the foreground to the back, past the palm tree and into the fog that consumes the dwellings in the distance.

The monochrome conversion gives it a cinematic, film noir feel and suits the vibe. The edit is a little too much in the top left for my liking, but that might have been the style and vibe you were going for, and it definitely makes an impact.

Always great to see when a photographer is thinking creatively, thank you for sharing.

This image is the definition of 'epic'. Sure, that word has been overused as a superlative over the years, but here it definitely applies.

There is a real sense of scale, helped by the trees in the foreground that look tiny in comparison to the mountains beyond. I love the smattering of snow on the peaks and also on the ground, adding some texture to the scenery.

Foreground aside, what really makes this image jump off the screen is the cloud swirling around the mountains. The peaks are covered by low cloud, but there is enough of a gap to reveal some blue sky and allow in a little light. The low cloud becomes mist, clinging to the slopes of the range all the way to ground level.

This must have been an amazing sight to see, thank you for sharing.

I love a good cityscape and it's always gratifying to see photographers treating urban landscapes in the same creative way that we might approach a more rural scene.

You use all the elements in the frame to powerful effect, from the bridges on either side of the church to the river itself. I'm a big fan of breaking the rule of thirds when a reflection is involved, so I'm glad to see you've placed the horizon in the middle to ensure the reflection is impactful.

I like the balance of ambient and artificial lighting, with the blue of the sky complimenting the warmer tones of the lights. The sky is full of texture and I really love the little cloud on the left of the church and it's reflection in the water.

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

I feel like this is one of those images that could easily be overlooked. It's not bombastic or 'epic' in the truest sense of the world, but it has a quiet appeal that pulled my attention in almost immediately.

The stone marker with the Japanese writing piqued my attention the minute I looked at this image. I've always wanted to visit this part of Japan, so I find imagery from there completely fascinating.

You use the stone sign as a foreground, leading the eye into the snowy scene behind, with the remnants of other people's foot prints visible beyond. There is a balance to the frame, where the sky and the snowy path mirror each other in shape, connected by the hill that stands between. This is achieved by shooting in portait orientation and demonstrates you have a keen eye for a composition.

An intriguing image that makes me want to look closer, thank you for sharing.

This is a classic landscape image that does exactly what you set out to achieve. You show off the landscape in a flattering light and demonstrate the scale, from the valley floor to the highest peak.

At risk of sounding redundant, as I've said it multiple times during this round of judging, the best camera is the one you have on you, even if that's an iPhone 8. I find that if I'm hiking up a mountain, the last thing I want to do is lug my camera kit up there. The phone is able to get a representative shot and not get in the way of appreciating the landscape in the moment.

Your composition works well, with the blue of the river moving through the valley like a vein, the turquoise water contrasting with the greenery above. The dappled light is really lovely and all in all this works well, thank you for sharing.

This is a classical landscape that uses most of the elements in the frame to powerful effect.

In the foreground we have all the hallmarks of land that has been used for agriculture, with the lines of grass ready to be bailed acting as a lovely diagonal line through the heart of the image, leading the eye from the foreground to the middle of the frame. I like that there are some bales that have already been shaped dotted around the landscape.

In the distance there are signs of civilisation and a hint of low cloud and mist drift across a far off valley. My only criticism would be regarding the sky, which is a little blown out and doesn't add a lot to the image. I'd consider a tighter crop, losing some of the sky, so our attention stays focused on the foreground, flooded in that wonderful low light.

There is plenty to like about this image, and it makes me think of summer. Thank you for sharing.