Reflections

This is a fascinating image that makes me wonder about it's back story. I wonder if this was taken at a butterfly sanctuary or if it was in the wild? Either way, there's something artistic to the framing and position of all the butterflies. The low angle helps to create the reflection and the colours and beautiful. Nicely seen and captured.

Often when I'm out and about in the city, I find that there's a whole world existing below my feet, especially after it has rained. This image speaks to that desire to 'look down' and what you've captured is rather compelling. Instead of defaulting to capturing the Shard and it's reflection as many others would have, capturing just the reflection is so much more effective. However, what really makes this image is the tight framing, the diagonal line and the inclusion of the perfect, autumn leave which offsets the cool tones, provides context and scale and just lifts the whole composition. Lovely to see photographers thinking outside the box.

I think these 'miniature cityscape' homages are really intriguing. This is no exception. The use of staples to recreate Dubai demonstrates an amazing sense of creativity as well as undeniable patience. The lighting works well to pick out the buildings as if they were in the wild and the darker processing adds to the cityscape feel. Really clever stuff.

Time and again I keep coming back to this shot. Some images are full of natural beauty, some become metaphors for something bigger than the picture itself and some capture the moment perfectly. This image has elements of all three. The reflection is lovely, as is the fiery sunset sky which acts as a backdrop. I love the there is perfect separation of not just the two figures standing next to each other, but also the child in mid somersault. There's a playfulness to the image, but there's also evidence of great talent when one regards the composition and exposure. Marvellous storytelling.

There were plenty of submissions of this particular scene at Buttermere (and for good reason, because it's a delightful place) but this was the one that stood out for me. The panoramic ratio works to place emphasis on the trees and the reflection, but the real star of the show is the light that is catching on the trees and ensuring they appear 3D against the backdrop to the fell behind. Sometimes that's all you need to create something rather special.

This image has so many layers to it, and out of many hundreds of similar images of reflections shot through windows, this was the one that really stood out to me. The young man with his hand in his pocket, framed by the doorway and window, the colours of each complimenting the colours of the clothing. This in turn is framed by the figure of an older man, suggesting the metaphor of nostalgia and ageing. The light is lovely, helping to bring out the shadows and highlights, and enhance the colours. It's a masterclass on how to frame an image like this and very much stood out amongst the rest.

Reflections are so prevalent in nature and as landscape photographers we seek them out to enhance our compositions. In a way it's difficult to choose just a few for the top 10, but something about this one in particular appealed to me. Perhaps it's the way the light is catching the larches in their various stages autumn decay, or perhaps it's the imposing structure of the mountain reaching into the sky. All of this is reflected into the water below, with clarity but also with texture, mirroring the clouds above. There's something about all elements that just pull together to make something magical.

As you can imagine, there were plenty of submissions that depicted the majestic Kingfisher, either in flight or otherwise. I could easily have filled the top 10 with just cracking images of darting iridescent blues and orange, but there's something about this one that just does things a little differently. I like that the recognisable beak is submerged and all we have is the wings and tail feathers. It creates a fascinating reflection that is reminiscent of a butterfly when regarded sideways, whilst also appearing a little surreal. A wonderful moment captured and really nice to see a different kind of shot of this marvellous little bird.

This is a gorgeous image, full of soft light and powerful colour. The cool tones of the background contrast well with the warm foliage of the autumnal trees. In my humble opinion the image would be improved by cropping to the gap between the top of the tree and top of the image in the top right. The change in tone and lightness distracts from the beauty of the rest of the imagery. That aside, this is a lovely image with a majestic reflection.

This image has personality. It fulfils the brief, but it does it in a playful and fun way. You use what you have in the frame to make the most of the composition, from the diagonal line of the railing to the contrast between the red of the umbrella and the blues of the overcast sky. The low angle helps to create the reflection, and overall this was just one of those image that stood out from the pack because of all those different elements.

This image is all about serenity. The mist creates some gorgeous, soft tones, tinged with the colours of dawn. This is why I love going out for sunrise, there's just a gentleness to the start of the day before the wind picks up and steals the calm. The reflection of the two rowing boats works well, as does the 1:1 crop. There's enough of a hint of the backdrop to add some depth and overall, this is a cracking shot.

There were many images submitted of reflections in water, especially that of architecture/boats, but this was the one that stood out. The light that is bouncing off the origin of the reflection is rather lovely and creates a dichotomy of warm and cool tones. It's one of those images that makes you want to look closer.

The power of three is prevalent in landscape photography (and all genres for that matter) and this is a wonderful example of this. The lone horse is perfectly positioned between the two with riders. The fog and mist provides some separation of the foreground and background, and the hi-key processing enhances an already atmospheric image. This demonstrates real understanding of composition and the end result is magnificent.

I absolutely love the atmosphere in this image. The monochrome treatment adds to the timeless feel you've captured which is enhanced by the old style train and the gentleman in his bowler hat. It has a cinematic vibe that is made even more dramatic by the steam coming off the engine, framing the main character. The reflection works well, and this was very close to getting into the top 10. I find myself wishing that the figure was in focus rather than the surroundings as that's where my eye ends up. Wonderful storytelling. An image to be proud of.