The Weather

Firstly an overall comment: There were many entries in the contest which showed "fake" weather effects which had been partially or wholly created in image editing software. Where an image was obviously faking the weather, or were so badly done that they showed little understanding either of photography or the weather and natural events, I have not awarded any such images. There were however some images which I have awarded which I imagine are not as captured, but on these the processing effects have been very well applied and show a strong understanding of light, colour temperature and the bahaviour of natural weather phenomen etc. I felt some of those deserved to be included in my awarded images.

On to the winning image: What I especially like with this image is the sense of depth to the shot, created by the way the image has been framed and composed. The eye is drawn through the image on a gentle curve from front to back, and the foreground, mid and far distance are distinct areas of the scene with their own points of interest, but all blend together for a very harmonious image. The fairly narrow aperture has maintained sharpness from front to back, softened only by the low cloud in the valleys. There is just enough illumination from the early morning light to reveal details, but at the same time retain a tranquil mood. There is a lovely warmth to the image from the golden light, despite the chill of the morning, and there is a nice naturalness about the shot, with no over-processing. A beautiful misty morning scene, congratulations on your winning image.

This scene captures the story of a sudden and substantial fall of snow in any British high street - cars not going anywhere, pedestrians walking in the slush in the road as the pavement is too covered by snow to walk easily. The conversion to black and white really suits the subject, and enhances that sense of grim. I like that you have not made the image too contrasty, as the naturalness about the scene tells more of a story. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

Some photos of misty woodland can take on a rather heavy and oppressive feel. Not so here, and what attracted me to this image is a lovely sense of lightness which you have captured. There is good balance to the composition, with the weight of the darker foreground trunk on the left being balanced by the foliage on the right. The colours are bright which add to the airiness, and to me the image conveys a lovely breath of fresh air and the promise of a glorious day once the mist has been burnt off by the sun. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

Although fairly heavily edited, the skill of the photographer in the creation of this image, both at the point of capture and in post-processing, shines through. Composition is very strong, with the five spindly trees as the main subject well placed in the frame, and the inclusion of the more distant rounded trees adding depth to the shot and interest in the background. The gentle colouring suits the subject and contributes to the chilly feel, as does the sensitively applied textured overlay, all showing a strong understanding of nature and the message being conveyed of the starkness of winter. A very creative and beautiful artistic image, congratulations on your second place finish.

I really like the abstract look of this image, created by capturing bands of different details of this cloud covered and snow dusted mountainside. The colours are nicely muted and add to the feeling of chilly damp. By focusing only on the land and avoiding inclusion of any sky (other than the low cloud), we get a stronger sense of the raw beauty of nature. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

What made this image stand out for me from many other snowy scenes was the way you have been able to capture the snow clinging to the tree trunks, telling a story of what I imagine was a near horizontal blizzard which had not long passed through. The dark outlines of the trees give a nice contrast to the scene. Such is the bleakness of the weather it is difficult to tell whether this is a colour image or one converted to black and white afterwards, but whichever, the monochrome look certainly conveys the feel of the weather. Composition works well, as the foreground trees look to lead us onto a path which takes the eye into the image through the woods. A bleak winter scene, well done on your top ten placing.

This image has several classic compositional elements, with the horizon across the upper third line and the sweeping curve of the water marks on the wet beach leading the eye nicely into the image. The lightning looks natural and even understated, but it works well with the image as a whole. I love the deep purply-blue tones which suit the subject. Exposure has been well controlled and there is a good balance of highlights and shadows. Beautiful image, congratulations on your top ten placing.

Capturing falling snow can be a bit hit and miss, and different techniques can produce very different results. I really love the effect you have captured here through the use of flash. There is no shooting data attached, but I imagine the image has been captured with a wide aperture with focus set on the distant trees, which has resulted in the foreground snowflakes to be gorgeously out of focus "bokeh" circles, frozen in place by the flash. There is just enough contrast within the shot to allow the trees to still be visible and the focal point of the image. Lovely dreamy capture of the harsh blizzard conditions, well done on your top ten placing.

There were a number of entries in this contest of nearby cloudbursts, but this was my favourite. The setting is simple but beautiful, looking down from a high vantage point to the lowland, the lakes and the mountains beyond. Lighting is lovely, with small pools of sunlight on the hillsides, glowing briefly before being overtaken by the passing downpour. The colours work well together, with the rich browns of the land contrasting nicely with the bluey- grey water, and the menacingly dark sky overhead. A shot that cannot be planned, but certainly in the right place at the right time for a stunning and beautiful image. Congratulations on your third place finish.

This is great, creative and very well observed. Being slightly critical I may have shrunk the "child" to move away from the sign slightly, as currently their arm strays across the front of the post. But otherwise this is great - could be the beginning of a whole creative project with elements snuck into the scene which have been "borrowed" from one of the accompanying iconic UK road signs? Love it!

Your capture of what I imagine was a fairly damp and chilly woodland has transformed the scene into a magical and beautiful place. You have realised the potential of the few remaining golden leaves clinging to the branches to be used as the focal point for the image, elevating the shot beyond a simple photo of some misty woods. What works especially well is your processing of the image which has added a soft cool blue to the mist, which contrasts wonderfully with the golden orange leaves on the tree and carpeting the forest floor. Simple beauty, well done on your top ten placing.