Wanderlust

As we started seeing entries flow into the contest a couple weeks ago this particular image really stood out to us. We just love the depth and layering of this image. It makes you want to be the hiker, perfectly positioned in the top right of the frame giving a terrific sense of "wanderlust". It was unexpected to have a black and white photo be our top choice, but it captured the mood in a great way complimenting the mist and vastness of the Fjords. Congratulations!

This photo has wanderlust written all over it; a well conceived and executed frame. The composition is spot on with the with the contrast of the big scene and small person, conveniently in bright orange. Given the location, it feels there was a lot of time and energy in making the photo. While we love the jump, perhaps if the action of the hiker felt a bit more natural it could have made its way to number 1. Great shot!

There is a lot that we like about this image. The colour in this image seems almost pastel and feels whimsical, especially with the movement of the birds and the crashing of the waves. The photo was taken from a great perspective creating tremendous depth and nice layers. The power of Mother Nature is visible in this image and the scene was beautifully captured. It looks like a great location to make some truly beautiful photos. One fine day, indeed.

Beautifully captured image here. Last year we awarded a very similar image taken of camels walking along the horizon taken from the sea looking back to the shore. It's a great perspective. A frame a moment earlier might have been perfect so we could see the setting sun that is partially-obscured by the beach walkers. The sun might have helped anchor the image and create a center-weighted symmetry. Nice to see you got wet and utilised a GoPro to make this image.

This is a scene from Myanmar that we have seen on many occasions over the years. It's obviously a beautiful spot with the temples, and mist, and depth. What sets this photo apart from others is that it's clear the photographer took extra effort to not only get there when the light was perfect – at sunrise, with the mist and fog – but to get in the perfect position to place the temple just below the horizon. The majority of the shot's we've seen from here are taken from a lower vantage point where the temples cut into the sky, but this image is different and noticeable with just that one subtle difference.

Like all our photos in the top 10 this is another great frame that gives that sense of wanderlust. This looks like the subject is in a good place, taking in his surroundings. The fog and early morning light gives this image a moody feel. We like that you kept detail in the shadows, however the bottom half of the image seems a bit washed out like it needs a proper black point, which flattens the image. Overall, we very much like the image you captured here.

Coincidentally our top prize in last year's contest had a group of camels, so it was fitting to see a bunch of camel shots make their way into our contest again this year. What we really loved was the contrast between the camels' silhouettes in the shade and the brightly lit turbans. We also loved the framing of the herders' turbans through the camels. It has the making of a stellar photograph and makes us want to go on a journey with these men.

We've always wanted to witness the Northern Lights and this photo only intensifies that desire. Clearly this was a long exposure. This frame was nicely composed and executed. The stark contrast between the snow and the shadows and the stillness vs the motion of the falls really bring this scenic shot to life. The pop of color in the sky and the warmth of that color reflecting off the ground in this long exposure really elevate the scene. Nice shot!

This is the sort of event we've always wanted to cover. The mood created by the lamps create a beautiful warmth and feel.

A few things come to mind to elevate this image. Perhaps if the camera were moved a little higher, or closer to the water, we'd see the full reflections of these monks. Also, seeing the moment the lanterns lifted off would be nice as well, as it'd be a bit more of a moment within the scene. Nice frame!

This image has a great mood. The giant sun and red sky evoke a sense of wonder. If there is room for improvement, it is in the composition. Seeing only a sliver of ocean makes the edge of the frame feel cramped. It would have been nice to see the ship or the horizon anchoring the bottom third of the frame, with more of the ocean visible underneath. Seeing that it is an extremely horizontal crop, perhaps there is more of the frame to pull from.

One of the jokes during college in my photo classes at Ohio University when critiquing our photos was how much a rainbow and birds flying through the image would improve our photos. Well, you hit the jackpot here. We'd imagine there was a decent hike to find this beautiful waterfall, and while the photo does have those elements we love and joked about in school, the one thing the image lacks is depth and scale. We're assuming those falls are huge, so seeing perhaps hikers or other animals stacked throughout this scene would have elevated it a bit. Regardless of scale, a stunning photo to have come home with.

Having visited Marrakech in Morocco a few years back, I know the exact feeling wandering these amazingly photogenic streets and tunnels. There's a certain stillness to this image that's eye catching, but it fell short of our contest theme of Wanderlust. I wish there was more of a moment happening, either with the vendor, a biker, or maybe a cat turning that corner. I'm sure you know how quickly that scene changes. Regardless, the frame is nicely framed and invokes a sense of mystery. Nice shot.

This is an interesting image and very well executed from a technical standpoint. The steel wool effect is a fun technique but we didn't really feel that it fit the "wanderlust" theme of the contest. It feels too fabricated to achieve that natural sense of wonder. Still, great effort and nice job in balancing the ambient long exposure with the steel wool sparks. Some of my favourite images using this technique are the ones where the viewer does not see the source of the sparks/streams of light. Keep experimenting with this!

We had a great number of shots of people standing in vast landscapes, which really was in concert with our "wanderlust" theme. Some of them felt very natural and some a little more posed. We felt this fell into the latter category, because the subject is facing the camera and seems to be aware of its presence. I would love to see the same frame with the subject looking off into the distance. The scene is amazing, full of texture and contrast between the fog and the rocks, but the light is a little harsh and might be better earlier or later in the day. Great effort!

This is a beautiful image with perfect lighting. The s-curve off into the distance gives a nice sense of depth and isolation of the monk. The stirred up dust on the dirt road, which is illuminating the golden sun beams perfectly, matches the colour of the monk's outfit. This one nearly made our top three, we just wish there was more of a moment happening. Moment trumps all and the monk seemed just between one. This is obviously a great frame, nice shot!