Villages in France

Firstly, thank you for entering my challenge. As soon as I saw this photo I knew it would be high on my list as it fits the brief perfectly. It doesn’t only portray a typical look of a village in the south of France with its narrow streets, colourful wooden shutters, and the painted walls washed out by the hot Mediterranean sun... but it also comes with a strong story behind it about the inhabitants.

The elderly lady embodies the feeling of the slow, relaxed and gentle pace of life in a French village. And I really like the fact that she’s in the middle of the image, framed by the buildings in the foreground and shutters behind her as it draws your eyes directly to her. Lovely mood and great work. Congratulations for being my winner!

As soon as I saw this image I really liked it. I appreciate your original approach to the brief, emphasising wine culture as an important element of French life. Beautiful peaceful atmosphere. The wide open windows and the doors of the tavern make the viewer feel very welcomed. Looking at this image I can imagine myself sitting there in the hot sun and relaxing with a glass of cool refreshing rosé.

The only reason I didn’t place this in my top ten is the framing. Personally I’d try to avoid cutting the bottom of the wine glasses as they are one of the primary elements of the scene. Otherwise it’s an excellent photo so well done and congratulations!

I really enjoy the scenery and the mood you captured here. The bright yet very soft light makes the village so cozy and welcoming! The excellent exposure means we can appreciate the textures and fine architectural details of the buildings both in highlights and shadows.

I also love the exploring aspect you created here by the presence of one curious tourist on the street crossing. It reminds me how enjoyable it is to slowly wander through a new place and discovering its hidden gems.

Very well done and congratulations for a well deserved place in my top ten of this contest!

What a lovely image of a French village - so cosy and inviting! The greenery and flowers compliment the street and buildings in a great fashion. The colour palette and light are well balanced making the image very pleasant to the eye.

I also like the angle you took that photo from. The bending road makes me wonder what’s behind the corner. You’ve captured the village as a place where people are proud to live, by keeping it neat, tidy and paying attention to its aesthetics. After seeing this I would want to go there and explore the place myself! Great work - congratulations for a well deserved 3th place in my challenge!

I really appreciate what you saw and how you have composed this photo - rather than just concentrating on the curious fountain, you have captured a very interesting background too. I like that its not blurred as it complements the main subject in a lovely way.

The colours and textures throughout the scene are so well balanced. 3 bottles in the centre is also a lovely detail that adds to the quiet, dreamy mood you created here.

Excellent work and well done. I’m proud to place this in my top 10!

This is a lovely photo showcasing the periphery of a French village. There is a feeling of calmness and serenity to the place, created by the surrounding nature. Soft light and fresh green tones add to the overall peaceful atmosphere.

Composition wise I really like that you have framed it with the fence in the foreground, which leads curiosity towards what’s behind it.

It’s a very pleasant and well processed image that emphasises nature as a strong element of village life. Well done and big congratulations for entering into the top ten of my challenge!

This is a beautiful and skilfully taken image! The perspective and composition are excellent thanks to the shapes and repeating pattern of the arches and the lines created by the light and shadows. This gives the image a great depth. It’s a high contrast photo but still no details got lost in the highlights or shadows. And I appreciate the fact that I can see the texture of the pavement, wooden structures of the ceiling and fine architectural features of this village.

Finally, I really like the story of the lonely empty chair facing to the street, which heightens my curiosity about the place. I wonder about the aspects of life I could witness by sitting there. This simple detail adds much to the overall mood you captured.

You portrayed the village as a very peaceful and friendly place that anyone could sit, relax and enjoy their quiet time. Well done and congratulations for being my runner up!

Firstly, thank you so much for entering my contest! I really love the fact that this shot reminds me of a painting. The soft light and delicate pastel colour tones fit the scene perfectly, creating a dreamy and quiet atmosphere. There is a strong feeling of calmness and serenity here, a place where time has stood still. Fantastic work and big congratulations for placing in the top 10 of my challenge.