Water Sports

The satisfying leading lines of the spray paired with the angle of the skier draw the eye to the action. Lighting the subject from behind, creating the anonymity is very resourceful. This effect is not something that is seen often in action shots as it requires that extra creativity which deserves recognition.

Is this chap completely out of control on this wave or will he pull it off? The uncertainly in this image is one of the aspects that makes it so compelling! Additionally the contrast of the spot colour leads to the viewer instantly to the subject which adds to a great technical side to the photo. Congratulations!

The eye is drawn straight to the surfers face, indicating that you have achieved a well balanced image. The colours and contrast in the detail of the surfer help draw the eye to his intense expression which makes for a compelling image.

The sense of solidarity in this photo is what made me choose it to review. The simplicity creates a powerful story behind the image. In contrast to the other entries in this competition, this image portrays a calming presence. Well done on a very narrative image.

The vibrancy and motion blur in this photo really makes it catch your eye. You can see the speed that the canoers have and the effort they are putting in to beat the opposition. Achieving focus on the girl's face is impressive and completes a lovely sporting portrait of her.

This is very much a "sharp intake of breath" photo! Not something I expected to see in a watersports photo competition but I love the originality of the image. The water surface and the grass allow the photo to be focus beautifully into the centre, drawing the eye to the action. Well done on a fabulous image! (and I hope the diver didn't get bitten!)

The pin sharp focus you have achieved while panning is superb. The motion blur exhibits the sheer speed that this boat has in an unambiguous way. The vibrant colours and detail in the subject make for an eye catching photo. Panning at such speed can be incredible difficult so congratulations on creating a fabulous image.

Your use of lighting here is fantastic. The clean backdrop allows the vibrant kite to really stand out and the lines in the mountains lead you to see the surfer as a point of interest. The aspect I love most about this photo is the portrayal of the power of the sea. To me that's what makes a watersports photo stand out most.

The colour palette of this image is a pleasant change from the deep blues of surfers. A well thought out composition placing the animal's head in the centre makes for a compelling image. The dynamic and contrasting details really make the image pop. Well done!

I like the composition of this image as the black background gives a sense of depth and solidarity. The dark colours contrasting with the thin vertical sun rays reflects the isolation and concentration of the free diver. It is refreshing to see a calm and peaceful image amongst so many action shots as these require far more artistic thought than an action shot.

This image shows a real sense of power and movement. Your use of a slow shutter speed to induce blur into the wave and the contrasting colours you have achieved help the surfer to stand out. This makes the image eye catching and the viewer is drawn to the surfer.

There is a great feeling of anticipation in this image. Technically it is a well shot photo, with spot on focus and good composition. The contrast between the black of the background and the white of the spray against the red helps the image to "pop." Well done.

What a dramatic image! The composition of this photo is excellent; it helps express the sheer size of the wave. You could have cropped closer into the surfer but including the detailed and vibrant structure in the foreground completely changed the image.

The backlit lighting you had for this image is delightful. The spray of the wave frames the surfer wonderfully. It's a pity the image does not have a sharper focus otherwise it definitely had potential for a top ten spot!