Streets at sunset

This is a super image, with a lovely balance to the composition. I like the inclusion of the leafless tree on the left, as it provides an additional element of contrast between the built environment and nature in the city. Unfortunately the image could not be awarded as this contest is for sunsets, and the image description and title describe it as being a sunrise scene of dawn in the city. A great image, but not for this contest.

I really like the mood of this image with the dark silhouettes of the urban residential street with the glorious colours of the low sun and the light reflecting on the cars. Unfortunately, by the complete lack of any artificial lights in the street or windows of homes, I am not convinced this is a shot of sunset, looking more likely to be an early morning dawn street scene, so unfortunately not awarded in this contest, but still much appreciated.

A beautiful image with a grand vista through the buildings to the city below. Nicely balanced exposure, often tricky when shooting into the sun. A lovely contrast of colours between the cool purples and warmer golden orange. Unfortunately I could not award the image in this contest as the absence of artificial lights in the city below hint at sunrise not sunset, along with the image title also indicating this is sunrise, not the required sunset. Great image however, but not for this contest.

An attractive image looking down onto the streets of the beautiful city of Dubrovnik. We get a good perspective, viewing both the rooftops and the steet below, disappearing off into the background. I have not awarded the image however as I could not be convinced the image was captured at or near sunset, as although the light has a lovely golden hue, the shadows cast by the pedestrians look too short to be captured in low sun, instead looking closer to midday. Still a great perspective on the city.

A great image of a gently curving city street, captured after rainfall, bringing a lovely gleam to the paved surface which despite the street being empty of people, helps bring the image to life. I like the perspective, looking to be shot from a fairly low angle, which adds to the dynamic of the shot. Unfortunately the image could not be awarded in this contest as there is nothing evident to indicate the time around sunset. In judging I have included images before and after sunset where the colours cast in the sky are still evident, but here it looks to be much later in the night with no colours from the sunset visible. Still a great image, just not for this contest.

A stand-out image capturing the streets of a city in the low evening sun. Captured from a great viewpoint, a good balance between tbe "real" scene and the reflections captured in the glass of the buildings. The lines of the architecture and the long shadows all act as a lead-in to draw the eye into the frame, towards a little pop of green and a glimpse of nature amongst such massive man-made architectural structures. Lighting has been well balanced to capture the essence of this time of day as the late sun streams up the walkway between the buildings. The inclusion of the zig-zags on the overhang of the near building adds interest too.

An unusual capture, and one which will indoubtedly not appeal to all, but there is a lovely sense of vibrance and movement captured in this simple street scene. The motorcyclist in the foreground is merely a passing blur with a pop of vivid green, contrasting nicely with the rich orange of the shutters behind, illuminated by the late golden sunlight. The passing figure on the pavement has been well captured, nicely positioned in the frame and still in the light of the sun. The placement of both figures is well balanced, each on their corresponding "third" lines, adding a touch of symmetry to the composition.

In my judging I have included any image which looks to have been taken around the time of sunset, whether before or after, and here we have an image dominated by the beautiful pinky purple hues after the sun has sunk away for the night. Anyone who has visited this location however will know that as the sun sets the market place here comes to life, and the artificial lights along the lines of stalls give a hint of the temptations and delights on offer. The steam rising from the food stalls adds to the atmosphere and vibrancy of the scene. By retaining some brightness in the sky we are also able to get a glimpse of the architecture of the city beyond.

An image which is all about the light. Captured at any other time of day this would be a rather mundane image, but with the golden light of the setting sun flooding down the street, casting deep shadows, the image is elevated to an atmospheric street scene. Despite the depth of the shadows you have still managed to retain some detail in the darkest parts to prevent a dominance of fully black areas. The viewer is invited to create their own story around the figure lolling in the evening sunlight.

An atmospheric scene, perfectly captured to both document the pilgrimage and to create a lovely mood. In other circumstances, the bright over-exposed area of the sun would be an unattractive distraction, but here, with the star-burst lens flare spilling around the head and shoulders of the dominant foreground figure, it creates a strong focal point. Composition is well balanced between the foreground figure on the left and the cart on the right. The mist around the more distant figures also adds to the mood and gives a real sense of the pilgrims pressing onwards on a long journey to reach their destination.

An atmospheric shot, capturing the mood of the city at sunset. Exposure of the image overall is great, as there is a balance between silhouettes and detail to retain depth throughout the frame. Composition is a little unisual, dividing the frame in two, but the lightened archway on the left adds interest and links the darker side of the frame with the other. The slight misty haze and rim lighting around the central figures help create a lovely mood, as does the capture of the illuminated ornate street lights. The overall golden tones complete the scene.

An image clearly demonstrating that colour is not essential to visually communicate the setting sun, as through this capture the viewer should be in no doubt as to what time of day the image as captured. A strong composition, with the two dominant elements of the foreground figures and the tower in the mid-distance being nicely balanced. The fairly low viewpoint adds a good dynamic to the shot, and enables the lines on the paving to draw the eye into the frame. The long shadows have not been cropped at the bottom of the frame, and the balance of light seems spot on, as despite shooting into the light, you have avoided the figures becoming complete silhouettes, retaining some features and a variety of tones. Perfectly capturing a relaxed stroll through the city close to sunset.

This is a striking image, carefully composed to capture the setting sun in the carrier of one of the figures. The silhouettes, also reflected in the water add to the impact of the image. Everything looks natural and not heavily processed. Unfortunately the image could not be awarded in this contest as it does not look to show streets at sunset, looking more to be rural fields. Still a great image, just not for this contest.

A lovely capture of two carefree young children, skipping across the ancient cobbles into the low golden sunlight. There is a lovely rim of light around the hair of the children, and their long shadows are visible but not too harsh. I like that you have managed to retain good colour in the clothing and avoided the figures being in full silhouette. There is just enough of the surrounding architecture included for this to still be a shot of the streets, rather than purely a portrait image. The golden sunlight creates a light sunny mood.

There were numerous entries of similar cityscapes in this contest, but this one caught my eye. Composition works well, with plenty of foreground interest in the cobbled dockside, and the length of chain which then leads the eye to the vast structures of the city along the waterfront. The slow shutter speed has calmed the waters sufficiently to create some attractive reflections in the water and the contrasting golden colours of the artificial lights, and the purple hues of the sky create a great atmosphere. Unlike many entries which could equally be showing the time around sunrise, the lights still burning in the offices and apartment blocks confirm we are at the end of the day.

I really like what you have attempted here, using a wide aperture and near focus on the foreground to create a shallow depth of field. I like the catch of golden light on the upper part of the fountain and the colours reflected in the ripples of the water surface, however for me, due to the low light and setting sun, the image does not quite work, as on initial viewing all I saw was a blurred image, as my eye was drawn to the brighter light in the background where everything is out of focus. If possible, a great spot to try the same view at different times of day and in different light - maybe at sunrise the structure of the fountain would be more illuminated to be a little more dominant as the focal point, and the out of focus background would still be nicely lit, but maybe then not the brightest part of the shot and drawing the attention. If it is a spot you can regularly visit in different lighting conditions, it would certainly be worth experimenting as it has potential for a great shot.