Trees Without Leaves

A beautiful image that has perfectly captured the weak sunlight on a midwinter morning, with just a touch of a golden glow to add a tiny bit of warmth to the chill. We get a real sense of the place and of the day, with the harsh frost and the stillness of the water, reflecting the trees on the far bank. Everything looks natural as the eye would see it, capturing all the beauty of nsture without any gimmicky effects or dramatic composited skies etc. Makes the end of my nose feel cold just looking at it!. Congratulations on your third place finish.

There is a certain something in this image that conveys a mood and a feeling, and although it may not turn out to be a top crowd-pleaser, I think it is a fabulous image that gets my well-deserved top spot. A simple composition with the dead tree centrally positioned, and the foreground filled with great textures of the mixed ground vegetation that looks to have been beaten down by the weather. I love the tones of the greens and greys that, along with the dead tree, convey a real sense of the dreary. However it just goes to show it is not necessary to add a stunning sunset sky onto a photo, as so many seem to feel the need to do so, to make a great shot! Congratulations on your winning image.

I was hoping to see some images that highlighted the unusual shapes of some trees, which is usually hidden when full of leaves, and here we get a great example. The tree has also taken on a slightly comical appearance from what looks to be fairly recent pollarding. Captured in black and white makes the most of the subject, as we are immediately drawn to the form and shape of the tree, with no distractions. There are enough little details of grassy tufts poking up through the snow to prevent it looking like a cut-out, as can sometimes happen with rather minimalist winter scenes. Congratulations on your second place finish.

A beautiful image, capturing a lovely scene with the little wooden bridge inviting us further to walk in the golden rays of the weak low sun. Tricky lighting conditions, with the brightness of the sun and the snow, along with the deeper shadow areas, have been very well handled, with everything looking natural and nicely exposed. I like the inclusion of the footprints in the snow, as even though no people are currently present, it brings a sense of life and tells a story of the previous hours when walkers passed by, no doubt admiring the stunning beauty of nature. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

An unusual image, especially in a contest dominated by rural scenes, which I find myself drawn to more the more I look. The more-or-less mochrome look adds a sense of simplicity and highlights the main features of the composition. The tree does not dominate but is a clear focus, and the brickwork on the wall has some interesting textures and different shapes to create interest. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.