People and Waterfalls

When looking at over 700 submitted photos, this one immediately stood out among the other entries: the portrait of a boy against a background of white water power. The contrast this creates immediately draws the eye to the main subject. The conversion to black and white clearly adds value to the artistic impact of the photo.

This photo immediately grabbed my attention because of the amount of (cold and wet) energy it radiates. The scene looks natural and not posed. The use of the complementary colors yellow and blue gives the photo additional value. Wonderful photo, thanks for entering.

By zooming in at 400mm, the photographer succeeds in transforming a landscape shot from a mere representation of the location to an intimate encounter with place. By zooming and reframing the perspective, patterns and textures that would otherwise go unnoticed start to play a crucial role in the composition. This photograph is full of contrasts. The combination of lighter and darker parts adds depth, creates a stunning mood and draws the eye to the key part of the frame, being the waterfall. But there is also the contrast between the raging waterfall in the back and the soothing aspect of the water in the foreground. Finally, there is the contrast between us, little humans, and the grandeur of the waterfall. The photograph is properly exposed. The water flow is not completely bleached out while in the dark parts all details are still nicely visible. The shutter speed chosen is long enough to prevent the water feature from completely freezing, but also limited enough to prevent the waterfall from turning into a stream of milk. The reflection of the waterfall in the foreground waters add extra vertical balance to the image. Congratulations with the number 1 spot in this contest. Well deserved.

The power of water is perfectly captured here, with the gigantic waterfall taking center stage and the mist spreading across the entire frame. There is action in every part of the photo, without the image starting to look restless. As far as I'm concerned, the title could just as well have been 'Enjoying life'. A man in the great wide open visibly enjoys the journey he is undertaking. Storytelling is an important part of photography. I love the combination of brown and dark green tones with the addition of a human element in striking yellow. Adding the human element gives the waterfall an even more powerful appearance. The photo is focused across the entire depth. Both the bushes in the foreground and the trees that form the background are in focus.