Sand

From early on, this photograph was likely to be one of the front runners. It's not sand in any conventional sense (this isn't a beach or a desert), but the whole photograph is dependent on the photographer's successful capture of the individual clumps and grains of sand. I think that the photographer has done a great job in getting the depth of field spot on - it can be difficult enough when photographing the family pet in the back garden, but when shooting a top athlete running straight at you, it's almost impossible for most of us. Brilliant work.

You can do a lot of fun things in sand - as well as a lot of very dangerous things. This photo shows both extremes at the same time. Personally, I feel that the photograph is slightly overexposed, but hey when the photographer can show us such dynamic action, who cares?

So simple - yet so effective. I love the subtle tones of the sand. Then - just as you are ready to move on - you notice the darker shapes of the camels and the bright clothing of the humans. If I have one tiny issue with this photo, it's with the foreground where, I feel, there is an amount of dead space that would benefit from a crop.

Sand rarely stays still, as anybody who lives close to a desert or an area of seaside dunes knows. This photograph (which I have looked at many times to ensure that it wasn't - for my purposes - a composite) is a superb piece of composition showing what happens when the sand 'wins.'

This one made the top ten because I know the area and am aware as to how much of a desert the beach in front of Bamburgh Castle actually is. Thus, to take a photograph of the area that holds the attention takes some doing. Well done.

What wonderful use of tone. Most of us are used to seeing sand as gold or yellow and, occasionally in vocanic areas, black. However, to see sand in hues of purple and blue has opened my eyes in a way that I didn't expect two weeksago. Thank you.

Unusual and captivating in equal measures.. I've seen many sand sculptures over the last few days, but none where the sitter was posing in mirror pose with his sulpture. This picture might not be the best technical photo in the competition, but the boy, the sculptor and the photographer all deserve a share of credit for creating a very special photograph.