Seascapes

This photograph is a beautiful capture of a very popular scene, with expert shutter speed selection to show movement in the waves while maintaining detail and texture. But it feels a little too balanced and 'safe'. With the lighthouse and Puffin Island falling equally on the left and right rule of thirds, combined with the horizon squarely running halfway through the composition, my eye loses interest quickly. At the expense of some of the top sky and foreground, I think a tighter crop would emphasise the wave action to make a more robust image. Nonetheless, this image is an excellent seascape example that really stood out amongst the other entries.

I love this image, there's great colour and structure helping to build an interesting scene. I have stood on this very spot and photographed the same view, and I think in this case I would have opted for a landscape crop instead of a portrait crop. The edges of the black sands are very close to the left and right edge of the frame, which feels a little awkward. They need a little more breathing space. The top and bottom of the scene, on the other hand, have too much space with little detail. This image really stood out to me, and if it had a wider crop, I think it might have made my top 10. Still an image to be very proud of though. Well done.

Wow!! The moving water effect is exactly how I like to see seascape photography - plenty of movement but still lots of detail. It all comes down to the correct shutter speed choice, and you've absolutely nailed it here. I can't help but want to see more of what's going on out of shot on the left and bottom. Those rocky, water splashed areas would make the image more interesting, even if re-composing would mean losing some of the less interesting water areas on the right. There are beautiful colour and texture elements in this image though, well done.

A classic shot of Hamnoy fishing village and a great composition, balancing everything just right. I've spent days myself trying to capture a good shot of this scene, and the one ingredient that makes the location come to life is great light. It's possible you didn't have the time to hang around if you were only on holiday for a few days, but it can make all the difference. Just a small ray of light from on those mountains would have made the image come to life. It's still an image and a memory to be proud of though. Well done.

Excellent skill in capturing the northern lights has been used in this photograph. It's always surprising to people who have never experienced the phenomena themselves just how fast they can move and dance across the sky. Personally, when I photograph the northern lights, I ask myself if the composition would work without them, whether the image would work on its own. I prefer to see the lights as an added bonus and not the only focal point. The image would also be improved with the removal of the post at the bottom of the frame. A great arc across the sky; I'd love to see one like that.

Some beautiful light and colour in this image and the distant city light make a strong focal point. Be careful how you're composing leading lines however, the row of posts in the water take the eye out of the image. I think if you'd stood in a slightly different position to get the posts more on the right side of the image, leading up to the large mountain in the background, the image would be much stronger. It's still a great, interesting image, however. Well done.

A very strong image of a famous lighthouse. There are some very nice colour and texture elements going on. There's something jarring going on though, to my eye the long exposure of the water doesn't fit with the exposure length of the clouds. Maybe I'm wrong but this looks like it might be a sky replacement. I think a stronger leading line through the foreground seaweed would have made a stronger composition. It's still a very interesting image though, well done for capturing it and sharing.

Seascape photography is one of the most challenging landscape photography forms, requiring the vital elements of composition, structure, depth and light. This photograph shows mastery in all those ingredients. However, award-winning photographs demand something else, something more, an additional level to capture the eye and the soul. Movement, raw power and visual story are the spices that add that extra layer, that winning element. You can see them all in this winning photo; you can feel the brutality of standing on that cliff edge, you can empathise with the people that live in those houses and the elements they battle every day. This is a genuinely excellent photo and a very deserving winner of this competition.

This gorgeous photograph is a very close second place. It contains all the ingredients needed for a winning seascape image, captured with great skill and technique. However, my eye wants more; I want to feel more of the raw wave power cropped off to the image's left and right. Personally, I would have tried a slightly wider crop, even at the expense of a slither from the clouds at the top. It might have given it the edge to bump it that one extra level. It is nonetheless an incredible image, with beautiful light and movement. Well done.

I'm quite jealous! I'd love the chance to photograph a scene like this, and you've handled the exposure beautifully. Personally, I would have experimented with a different crop. While I love the ice blocks floating in the water on the left side, my eye wants to see more of the wooden structure and the detail of the ice. Maybe using a portrait composition and using the structure as a leading line towards the building in the distance would have added some more interest.

I love this scene, I'd love to be there and photograph this myself. Nicely positioned composition with the building on the right rule of thirds and balanced by the rocks on the left. In my opinion, I'd like to see some more refinement in the post-processing. Using selection and masking tools could stop the exposure darkening from bleeding into the building, and the rocks on the left deserve a little more detail and exposure. It's still a beautiful photo though, well done for capturing it - I hope you're proud of it.

Neist Point has and always will be a classic go-to scene for seascape photography. I've spent many days here, waiting for that perfect light and cloud structure. This image is a great example and beautifully captured and edited. Maybe a little too far on the white balance slider for my own personal taste, but it really creates a stand out image. I think I would have cropped the left edge in a little tighter to remove the two areas of light on the cliff face. Bright regions at the edge of the frame lead the eye out of the picture. I find my eye always being pulled to them and away from the main focal point. This is, however, a great example and one to be proud of. Well done.

This image has a very interesting composition and beautiful colour. It really stood out amongst the others - I like it very much. I've noticed however that there are a lot of dust spots visible in the sky area. These typically show up when the sensor of your camera is dirty and you're using a small aperture - f/22 in this case. I'd recommend that you clean the sensor - check your manual for that, there should be an in-camera cleaning function. Dust spots are also easy to remove in post-processing, just a dab of the spot healing brush and they're gone. Nice work though, keep it up!

Arnastapi sea arch makes a great seascape photograph, a place I have been lucky enough to visit myself. I love this strong image and the action going on in the waves. Some great detail and action in that crashing water behind the arch. I think a slightly tighter crop, removing some of the less interesting areas to the left edge and possibly across the top could make this a stronger composition. It's still an image you should be very proud of though. Well done.

I really like this extreme composition. It really breaks every rule in the book, but it works, purely through simplicity. My eye can't stop being drawn to the one rock on the bottom left edge of the frame, and I don't think it adds anything to the image. Personally, I think I would have either cropped it out or cloned it away in post-processing. It's still a brilliant shot though. Well done.