Spring Flowers

This is a very pleasing composition, with the gently backlit pasqueflowers 'looking' into the negative space and toward sunset. The depth of field is spot-on - the texture and look of the bokeh really suits this photo. The file is sensitively processed, with the softness, tone, and warmth adding to its aesthetic appeal.

I appreciate that this slightly more abstract take won't be everyone's cup of tea. Personally, I really like it, though. The choice of composition and shallow depth of field is bold and unconventional. The image stands out from the crowd and I just love the shapes and tones. It is a shot I keep returning to, with the composition pushing my eye around the frame and never allowing it to settle. Love it or hate it, it is an eye-catching close-up that justifies its top 10 place.

It is good to see the spring flowers theme interpreted in different ways. I thought we'd see far more environmental portraits, like this one, showing flowers in context. At first glance, this is a very striking shot. However, this is clearly a composite image, with the mountainous backdrop added to the photo of the flowers. You can clearly see blurred edges around the flowers and the light, depth of field, and context just don't match up.

This is a well produced close-up, with the streaks of 'rain' adding interest and producing a beautifully textured backdrop. The flower is nicely lit and bitingly sharp throughout. The dark background contrasts neatly with the white snowdrop. A striking image with a compelling three-dimensional feel.

At first glance, I really liked this photo - very striking with layer open layer of colourful, contrasting flowers. I initially had this shot in my top 10, but on closer inspection, the image quality isn't quite high enough sadly. A great idea and interpretation of the theme, though.

We had lots of lovely shots entered into this contest that featured bees, butterflies, ladybirds and even birds. I've seen some lovely nature photos, but the theme is spring flowers and with some entries, it was hard to say if the main subject was actually the flower or the animal? For this reason, I've kept my top 10 as strictly floral only. However, that doesn't mean that I don't appreciate photos like this one...

So many of the images entered into this contest didn't really fulfil the seasonal brief, but this image just shouts out springtime! Snakehead fritillaries are beautiful early spring flowers. The dewy conditions, perfect little spider's web, and gorgeous dawn light, all combine to create a stunning and atmospheric shot, perfectly suited to our theme. The low viewpoint, telephoto focal length, and shallow depth of field, really help the flowers 'pop' from their background. A very classy photo - well done!

It is nice to see a different perspective, and a photo where an individual bloom doesn't dominate the frame. Drone's are perfect for abstracting crops of colourful flowers - rendering them as a pattern or texture. The two people add a sense of scale to this vibrant, eye-catching image.

A dense carpet of bluebells is synonymous with spring, and this photo brilliantly captures the season. The warm sunlight and blue haze combine perfectly. The shallow depth of field helps draw the eye to the in-focus beech trunk, and the beautiful bokeh creates atmosphere and effectively conveys the sense of being in a bluebell woodland during spring. A gorgeous environmental shot.

I know this is a busy frame - with lots of twigs, branches and debris - but I just love the atmosphere and the strong sense of renewal. The snowdrops, pushing upward through the dead leaves, just typifies the season. The warm tones in the sky adds impact and mood. A beautiful, natural wildflower image.

I love this type of soft, dreamy flower close-up - it says much more about the subject's delicacy than a conventional shot. The overriding blue haze really suits the anemone, defusing and softening its colour and outline. The low-contrast, painterly result is both interesting and engaging. A beautiful flower photo.

This is a bit different, isn't it? Visually, it has loads of impact - the arrangement, cool tones, ice bubbles, and shapes combine to create a very arty and eye-catching still-life. Personally, I'm not overly keen on flowers being picked for the sake of a photo, but I do think the photographer has produced a really striking result.

There were so many tulip photos entered into this contest, but this is the one that grabbed my attention most! Flowers are so naturally vibrant and colourful that it feels counterintuitive to remove all colour. However, this is a very effective close-up which highlights the flower's shape, form, and flow. I love the simplicity and symmetry of this shot - the high-key effect works well in this instance.

This theme was very popular, with thousands of flower photographs entered. When entering popular contests like this, entries need immediate impact to stop the judges in their tracks. Innovation, light, and creative are key ingredients to producing individual shots. Photographs like this appeal to me. The shallow zone of focus and combination of colours make this a very pleasing and beautiful shot. Emphasis is on shape and colour, rather than capturing a lifelike appearance. Crocuses are popular subjects, so the photographer has done well to produce an image which is different, yet captures the flower's character and scale.

I love the bright, high-key processing which really suits this fresh blossom. This shot is nicely framed and focused and the depth of field is just right - with the background blossom out of focus enough not to compete with the focal point, yet in focus enough to be recognisable and provide context. A dreamy, spring photo...