Landscape Photo Competition 7 2012 : Results

  • Competition Winner : First Prize
  • $534.00 plus a Leica V-LUX 40 worth approximately $800
  • Judges Comment
  • Just stunning. A vey bold, high contrast shot, looking straight into the sun. It is well taken with great depth of field and perfect exposure, the complicated whites of the snow have been respected and are beautifully soft. I love the wide angle, the movement in the clouds and the way the frozen boat points into the picture. The black, icy water is unusual and reminiscent of a starry sky giving this image a magical feel. Well done, 1st place is well deserved, congratulations!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Photographer: Pierre Chaton. This photo was taken in Horten, a small town on the west bank of the Oslo fjord (Norway). Equipment: Nikon D700 with 14-24 mm lens at 14 mm. ISO 200, f 9, 1/800 s.
  • p-chaton.net/
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • A marvellous beach view with great detail. I love the footprints in the sand, the low angle, the wind patterns and the drift wood which all give this picture a wonderful sense of the wild. The sea brings depth and draws the eye into the distance. Great composition and nice post processing… This photo nearly won this competition, it competes well with the winner and shows sensitivity and originality. There is however (sadly) a greenish haze/flare in the sand near the centre, probably coming from the close angle of the sun, which knocked a decisive point off the technical mark. Great work all the same, we’d like to see more of this kind (in this competition) in the future!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you very much. My name is Michael Boyd. I really appreciate you comments on my shot. I took this in Long Beach, Washington and processed through Light Room. This is one of our favorite shots of the weekend. Again, Thank You, Michael Boyd
  • mlboydpix.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Well, the fact that such an awe inspiring photograph as this comes in third place just goes to show what high standards there are in this landscape competition. It is beautiful, the black and white works magically, the wilderness of these mountains so beautifully enhanced by a rare light. “Bad” weather can bring such power to a photograph and here the photographer has seized the moment, and the picture, just perfectly. Well done, a late entry which nearly took it on the line…
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thanks! My name is Geoff Horner. This was an early November storm that brought the first snow to the Pine Valley Mountains in southwest Utah, USA. Another first: I had just started experimenting with B/W, and saw this scene as a grand opportunity! Nikon D90, Nikkor 70-300 at 98mm, 1/50 sec, f/10, 100 ISO.
  • www.facebook.com/pages/Geoff-Horner-PhotoArt/302148569797770
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • The panoramic format works so well here and a clever, relatively fast shutter speed (for a landscape) keeps the birds nice and sharp and suggests that much patience and foresight were needed to capture this remarkably well balanced early morning view. The cold, winter atmosphere is beautifully portrayed here, as it is also in another submission from the same photographer from the same spot… Well done!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank you for your kind comments. This photo was taken with a Canon 60D and a 16-35mm L lens. The photo was processed in Photoshop with the aid of NIK software. Early morning in October is one of my favorite times of year to photograph. Thank you again. David Gray
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Another great shot. I love the dark of the forest, the lush greens and the poetical composition. I suspect the photographer got wet feet here! The slow shutter speed brings lovely movement to the water and a contrasting, hard reality to the rocks. This is a clever take… There is a slight flare though coming from the sky and this distracts a little from this otherwise perfect shot. Well done, another firm favourite…
  • Photographers Comment
  • Travis Etherton - Paducah, KY - Canon 5D MKII & 24-105mm f/4 L IS. Lightroom 4 or a tiny bit of post. Thanks for the kind words! The photo was shot in the Smokey Mountains near Cherokee, NC while we were on vacation. We trekked up that stream for over a mile taking various shots. The (fast moving) water at points was hip deep and I kept thinking that I should have invested in the MKIII Ds. Everything worked out though...
  • eth3rton.zenfolio.com/
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This beautiful, chilling photograph makes its second appearance in this competition and once again features in the top 10. The post processing remains the same (or very similar) so my previous comment still stands! A little more punch in those frozen branches - a little more light and contrast on those icicles - would draw one’s eye to the subject and away from the water giving this picture so much more power.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Photography is about catching a moment of time, seizing an instant so we can dwell upon it, sometimes revealing details and beauty we might normally overlook. This lovely photograph of a breaking wave does exactly that. The frozen movement of the wave is so unlikely and the exotic colours so beautiful. Great shot!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Thank You!
  • southerndigitalart.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • Here is a lovely graphic landscape with beautiful tones and strong lines. I love the pastel colours and the silhouetted details on the beach. Once again the photographer has seized a rare moment of piercing light, transforming an ordinary view into a work of art. Well done!
  • Photographers Comment
  • Name: Bob Cooper Location: Nashville, TN Image location: east coast of Ireland at sunset Camera: Sony f828, 28-200 Zeiss lens Processed in Photoshop 7; contrast, saturation
  • www.fotoflights.com
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This photographer’s work is familiar to us on this landscape competition (this amazing location is too!) and this is not the first time he makes the final selection. Congratulations…Once again the photography is stunning - great technique, composition and sensitivity combine here to make a remarkable, warm and pleasant image. This photograph however , despite its obvious appeal, cannot win this competition because such a large and indiscreet signature spoils the harmony, balance and composition of an otherwise cracking shot.
  • Mark Of Excellence
  • Judges Comment
  • This is quite beautiful, a potential winner, a perfect portrait of a wild coast. I love the grey weather light and heavy cloud which bring so much detail to the shadows, and the “after-storm” reality of this image. The misty and grainy finish are so clever and bring such a peaceful feel to this beautiful composition. We have here a photographer who no doubt masters landscape techniques but once again, and sadly, the very distracting signature undoes so much of the harmony that has been so well created.