Urban Waterways

This image was a late entry into my top ten, but once there it rose through the placings on my later reviews. What I really like is the light, bright watery feel to the shot, in keeping with the subject. I love the tight focus with absence of sky, which allows the viewer to focus fully on the scend with no distraction. The boat is s strong focal point, well placed within the composition. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

For some this may be an unlikely winner, being the exact opposite of many entries in this contest, with their brightly coloured buildings, long exposure nightscapes or bustle of waterside activity. It is that difference however that attracts me to this shot. It is hard to know how the location would appear on a bright summer's day, but here it looks bleak, desolate and generally unwelcoming. The inclusion of the figure in the distance down the towpath is key to the success of the dhot, as it helps tell a story rather than just recording the scene. The way the weather has been portrayed is great, as we can really feel the murky chilly dampness in the air, seeping into the bones. Congratulations on your winning image.

A beautiful image of a city centre waterfront. The purply blue evening light is lovely, and contrasts well with the little pops of warm golden yellow of the artificial lights. Composition is spot-on, with the line of the watercourse drawing the eye into the frame. The choice of shutter speed has worked well, as the water is smoother to show some good reflections, but there is still some movement in the water that prevents the reflections looking too perfect or artificial. Congratulations on your third place finish.

The atmosphere portrayed in this image really drew me in to the shot. I love the wide angle of view, as this gives the viewer plenty to explore. The subtle golden light from the setting sun reflected on the water is lovely, and give a great contrast to the muted cooler colours throughout the rest of the image. The rising puff of smoke from the steam train draws the eye and adds to the atmosphere too. Congratulations on your second place finish.

Being captured with a relatively long lens has brought a wonderful perspective to this image, which really suits the subject. Captured from a raised vantage point, we get a great view down the river, with the perspective of the bridges being a little compressed, giving the impression the multitude of bridges are a little closer together than they are, which gives a great atmosphere. Timing of the shot in terms of the available light is perfect, as we still have hints of warmth in the sky and from the artificial lights, contrasting nicely with the cool purples of the evening light. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.