Summer

This was one of my favourite shots of the competition, as it was taken on an iPhone and caught the moment perfectly. It takes some quick reactions to capture such a moment with a phone! So well done. I love the crashing water that is frozen by the fast shutter speed, and shear fun that nature can provide.

I am a big fan of semi underwater photography, and was pleased to find a couple of shots in this competition. I liked this image the best as it has a real photographer's perspective. The feet of the photographer on show, adding fun to the image in their flippers. GoPro's are a great little asset to have for underwater shots, with wide lenses for that ability to get up close to subjects but also capturing the full scene.

Aerial shots over a beach with the surf at the start or end of the end always works for me, as those long shadows of people create patterns across the sand. The image becomes very graphic and the detail captured in this shot is really good.There is a good balance of surf, sand and people too.

There were lots of shots of flowers, especially sunflowers, mostly open, as this photographer says (it is difficult to capture one that isn't open). But I totally get why they have taken a closed up shot, as the detail in the centre is mesmerising. It looks like the centre of a planet or something. Nicely taken using f/22 for all that detail in focus, and a steady shutter speed if holding camera by hand. Although when taking a close up of a flower, it is very easy to have camera shake as sometimes it's too windy or the focal plane moves. But not with this shot, well done.

Another busy beach scene, but I love it. Sea, sand, mist, sunset, hectic amount of people and what amazing golden light. With the curvy hills beyond, and the solid building structures in-between, it's a shot that has depth. I think an angle slightly further down would have been good to take too, and definitely trying a longer lens for an alternative look. This view has lots of opportunities for great shots.

This image was super powerful and dynamic, with dramatic action and light, it’s a winner! I love the colours and posing of the wakeboarder. Needed a super fast shutter speed and 1/2500th made it work and the water splashes sharp. Great shot

This image showed me that nature likes to surprise us and invites us to find out more. The detail and the texture of the leave-shaped wings of the butterfly is everything. The photographer has taken this shot using a 44.98mm focal length, which is a surprise in that it means they got really quite close to the butterfly without it flying off. The light perfectly describes the texture of the wings. A great shot.

I usually don't enjoy images that have had colour removed in places, with one colour left. But it works on this image as those strawberries are just delightfully juicy and plump. Just the right amount of them too. Love the soft light coming in from the side and the textures all around. A great shot using a tripod I assume, so the spacings and elements can be judged perfectly using a very low ISO. Awesome.

This image just has a great feeling about it, and sums up summer beautifully. The excitement of kids and their surfboard. Nicely taken with a 50mm fixed portrait lens. I think the space left by the photographer and the sunlight captured is great.

This landscape was fascinating to explore. The hot air balloons almost look like children’s balloons which could pop on the spikes of the temples below. The mist really brings the shapes to life. It’s a view that cannot age and this is why it works so well too. I believe F/11 to be the best aperture for landscape photography, and all settings set to support this is how I shoot landscapes, and this is a great example.

Festivals are a photographer's dream! Nice moment caught in this shot of the guy with tattoos, with lots of energy from the crowds of people. I also like that the photographer has created a black and white version as it reduces the colour clashing impact and makes it easier to view. I might have increased the shutter speed for even sharper control when so many people are going crazy

I wanted to provide some comments on this image, as it's one of those shots that invites you to spend time looking into it. At first, I didn't know what the huge colourful lump was, until I saw the tiny figures around. The evening light is particularly electric. If I were super critical, the horizon looks slightly wonky which could be straightened but it's not a big deal.

Another fun shot of a child enjoying the surf. Maybe this image has been enhanced in its colour a little too much for me, but it is a great shot as that water looks like frozen ice or something? It's a snapshot of summer, and a great answer to this brief.

Just a crazy beach scene, I liked this shot as it sums up what summer can feel like sometimes. Loads of people crash on a popular beach and it all gets too much. Here the photographer has managed to compact the scene together using a long lens, but has still retained a good level of focus with an f/11 aperture.

A perfect looking deer, in a perfect looking summers field. Shot using a 500mm lens at golden hour! The feeling you get from this image is fresh nature at its best, and it is a really great shot. Clearly the photographer knew where they needed to be, and at the right time of day. Well done. If it was me taking the shot, I would always be tempted to increase the ISO in case I needed a faster shutter speed. But it wasn't needed here.