New Joiners - Landscapes #967

Misty woodlands are a staple of any landscape photographer but I always say that shooting trees and forests is one of the hardest disciplines because you are trying to make sense of chaos.

Here, you've done a good job of finding order, helped by the somewhat uniformity of the trees. The lush greens of the forest floor and the foliage on the trees works well. The thing about mist is that it is great at separating out the foreground from the background, so the trees at the front of the frame inevitably stand out more because the ones behind are obscured by the mist. This elevates the image and gives purpose to the frame..

I like the processing you've done, upping the contrast, and overall this works well, thank you for sharing

When there is a reflection involved, I believe that the most obvious place to pop the horizon is in the middle, breaking the rule of thirds, but for good reason. Placing the horizon in the middle means that we get the mirrored effect demonstrated so well in this frame.

You've composed the shot well, with the jaws of the cave seemingly filled with teeth, about to chomp down onto the little landscape that exists in the gap. The main focal point is the tree that sits in the open mouth of the cave, framed by the landscape behind. I like that there is a little bit of light having found its way onto the rock face on the right of the frame, showing off the different colours and textures, and illuminating the water.

This is a really nice composition that demonstrates the power of having a camera on you at all times, even if that camera is an iPhone. It would have been good to read some of your thought process behind this image rather than an description that seems rather impersonal and feels a little like AI (that em-dash is a bit of a giveaway), but otherwise thanks for sharing.

This is a magical scene with the kind of conditions that most landscape photographers dream of encountering. It must of felt like a dream to be standing there watching the light break through the winter mist, bringing colour into the cold.

I like your framing, using the branches of the trees to bookend either side of the image, ensuring that our attention is on the two swans swimming side by side.

The warm tones of the light contrasts with the cooler tones of both the swans and the snowy trees. There's a bit of a blue colour cast that could be corrected in post for more accurate tonality, but creatively it works.

This is a magical image that uses all the elements in the frame to powerful effect and it is a reminder of how beautiful the world can be, particularly at sunrise.

Well seen and captured, thank you for sharing and well done.

This is stark, monochrome image that uses the elements in the frame to powerful effect.

I like that you've gone for a wide angle view, bringing us, the viewer, as close as possible to the left over groynes from a pier that no longer exists. The groynes seemingly go on for a while, disappearing out of view as they merge with the moody sky again.

Your contrasty processing adds to the vibe, bringing out the textures in the wood, the water and the sky. I like that this was shot (and likely processed) on an iPhone, demonstrating that the best camera is the one you have on you.

An interesting, stylised shot, thank you for sharing.

I think a lot of people would overlook this image and assume it wasn't really a landscape photo, but I think that would be a mistake. I'm a big fan of urban landscapes and an even bigger fan when photographers think creatively. This is a really compelling example of taking a composition that would otherwise be rather static and uninteresting, and finding a way to make it dynamic.

Having the person walk through the frame, slightly blurred and looking at the main architectural focal point adds some much needed movement and helps to pull the eye to the structure in the middle of the frame.

The grey sky complements the autumnal tones, and the colour of the building is elevated by the white jumper the woman is wearing.

One of the more interesting shots in this cohort of images, thanks so much for sharing and congrats on making the top ten.

The power of three. There is something about odd numbers that appeals to photographers. To have one, three or even five cows in a line would be infinitely more satisfying than having two, four or six. For reasons that would probably take a little too long to explain, our brains prefer odd numbers as they create a sense of movement. Therefore it's great that you captured three cows in a line as used them as a compelling foreground.

The cows lead the eye to the foliage beyond and ultimately the hill/fell/mountain in the background. The lack of light ensures that the tones are even throughout and I like that shade of brown seen on the cows is complemented by the lighter shade of the bracken (where there is a fourth cow hiding).

A wonderfully pastoral scene, thank you for sharing.

I love sunrises and sunsets, but they are both very different propositions. Sunrise is after the darkness of the night and there can be a stillness to the world. All the particles have been dampened down and that is reflected in the tones. Sunset comes after the warmth and frenzy of the day so there is activity in the air that also has implications for the tones and colours.

That phenomenon is seen in this image with the last of the light catching of the clouds, bringing forth a beautiful array of colours and tones. The portrait orientation works here as it allows room for both the landscape at the bottom and the cloud at the top to exist is the frame.

I really like the yellow and peach tones in the middle of the frame, sandwiched between the thicker orange colours at the top and bottom of the sky.

This is a vibrant scene that does that sunset justice, thank you for sharing.

I love a good reflection and I believe that when there is a reflection that it's the appropriate time to break the rule of thirds and position the horizon in the middle. You've pretty much done that in this composition, although you've allowed for a bit more of the sky.

The reflection is not perfect because of the breeze rippling the water in the middle of the lake, but I actually enjoy the effect that has on the image, separating the mountains from their reflection. It's a shame there is no cloud cover to add some texture to the sky and its reflection. A blank, blue, cloudless sky can be a landscape photographers worst nightmare.

Thankfully there is some colour behind the mountains that interrupts the blue and complements the brown of the peaks, smattered with snow.

There is a calmness to the image that resonates. Thank you for sharing.

There is something really satisfying about a road that leads towards the mountains, and it can play an important role in a composition, leading the eye in the same direction.

It also speaks to journeys and road tripping, imbuing the image with a sense of adventure and anticipation.

I like that you've gone with a slightly off centre framing for the road so it leads us in from the left side of the image, disappearing round a bend. The image breaks down into the four layers; the road, the trees, the snowcapped mountains and the moody cloud above. Cool tones become warm from the top to the bottom.

An image the evokes adventure, it must have been wonderful to drive. Thank you for sharing.

Sunsets are something that I like to think are a universal experience. Even if you aren't a photographer, sunsets are something that binds people together as we experience the end of a day that will never happen again. It reminds us that life is finite but it is beautiful.

I've discovered in my years of photography that a good sunset is a rare thing indeed, and a great one is even rarer, so well done for capturing one. I like that the sun is yet to descend below the horizon and is being tempered by the line of low cloud that often forms close to the horizon and the sun sets. This gives the image a little bit of contrast and pulls the eye into the middle of the frame.

You've leaned into the purple and pink tones, adding your own interpretation of the colour palette in processing, and bringing the image back to what you ultimately experienced at the time. It makes for a dramatic image, so thank you for sharing.

This is one of those images that makes the viewer feel as through they are standing where you as a photographer stood, looking out over the valley below. It's one of those images that feels as though it stands outside of space and time as there are no indications of technology and few hints of human existence other than the signs of agriculture. The only real indication of time that we have is the colour of the foliage which suggests that this was taken in late summer/early autumn.

Your framing works well, with the natural gap in the trees allowing for us the viewer to peer out towards the landscape beyond. The panoramic aspect ratio works well as it ensures that the bright sky is kept to a minimum and doesn't pull our attention away from the scenery.

The soft lighting brings out the colour and overall this works well. It would have been nice to have some insight into why you took this image but otherwise there is plenty to enjoy here, thank you for sharing.

I love the aesthetic of this image. I could tell just by looking at it that it was taken on one of the earlier iPhones. It has a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the early shots we used to see on instagram back when it was all about photography and less about reels and video. That nostalgia is powerful, and I don't know where this image is from that time period or taken more recently, but it really captured something.

Processing and vibe aside, the composition works well, with the snowy peak of the mountain sitting at the bottom of the frame and those impressive high cirrus clouds taking up the rest of the image. The bold blue tones consume the majority of the image and overall this works well, thank you for sharing.

When spring rolls around that means that the attention of some landscape photographers turns towards bluebells, and if you live in the UK there is no shortage of woodland where the whole of the floor becomes a sea of purple once May begins. However, often those woods are messy and chaotic, making it hard to find a composition.

You've done well with the chaotic trees in this image, using them as a barrier for the rising sun so the light cascades through the gaps, illuminating slithers of the bluebells rather than the whole lot. The portrait orientation works well, and I like way the trees are silhouetted.

You've left the image quite dark, particularly in the foreground which gives the image a foreboding feeling that is countered by the light finding its way through the trees.

Overall this works well, and you've done well to take advantage of the misty atmosphere to elevate the composition. Thank you for sharing.

I know this location well. One of the more accessible parts of the Lake District where you get a lot of bang for your buck.

The 'lone tree' trope persists in landscape photography because it speaks to the idea solitude and resilience, standing alone against the elements. It's a powerful metaphor and one that few can resist.

I like that you've allowed the tree to be silhouetted against the fluffy white cloud, and I'm glad you've placed the horizon in the middle of the frame so we get the full reflection of the tree and some of the reeds in the foreground.

The sky feels a little overcooked and unreal and that gives the image a a surreal feel, but that might have been what you were going for. Other than that, there is plenty to enjoy here, thank you for sharing.

This is an atmospheric image that makes the most of the elements in the frame.

It can sometimes be difficult to shoot directly into the sun as there is potential for the highlights to be blown cause it's such an overwhelming source of light. Thankfully, here the sun is being tempered by cloud and atmosphere, which means we get to see it hanging in the sky like a glowing orange orb.

There is a parochial feel to the scenery, with the makeshift dwellings scattered around the landscape appearing quiet, and there is a humid feel to the frame.

I think it was shot on a phone looking at the EXIF data, in which case it's done a great job of handling the softness of the colour palette, especially how the clouds have been rendered above and below the setting sun.

A really lovely, pastoral scene, thank you for sharing.