Landscape Photo Competition 2012 : Results

Competition Winner : First Prize
$1,735.50

Judges Comment
This is simple, technically correct, well composed, and sensitively processed. A deserved winner. My eyes want to wander all over it. The low light and soft contrast are gentle and pleasing and i love the hint of green which seeps into this colourless scene from the headland. But also, and not least, what a beautiful, wild and natural setting, whose power has been so perfectly portrayed. I like the highlight trail along the surf which draws a sweeping arc to the distant rock formation, and the plenty more lines around the graphically divided sections of the foreground, which draw us in. The dark tones of the rock and sand have just enough detail to keep us looking at them and the dull sky and softer whites of the foreground balance one another harmoniously. There is a real echo between the near and far stack formations, the one enforcing the other… Wonderful photograph, well done!
Photographers Comment
This shot was taken at Dyrhólaey on Iceland on a phototrip. The weather was really bad, rain and a really strong wind from the atlantic was an issue. I actually wasen't expecting anything useful from the day, rain on the lens and the tripod was shaken during most of my photographing. But then I saw this one on the computer and loved the missing colors, the silver beach, black lava-sand and the lines. It was taken with a Nikon D700 with a Nikkor 24-70/2,8 lens. www.tsp-photo.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
This is a beautiful frozen scene with a lovely show of changing light and shade. I love the fairytale atmosphere of this snow plastered place, and the strong shapes and lines which divide this photograph up giving it several interesting and competing features. Perhaps a touch more space at the top of this picture would have given it even more strength. A definite favourite and firm 2nd.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Here is a wonderful, dreamlike shot of autumn colours. The soft, diffused light of dull weather lightens the darker shades and brings lovely saturation to the foliage. The mist and the water bring great balance top and bottom and add a little contrast. The photographer has captured a fabulous moment, the soft focus really effective for this view. I think a wider angle could have been beneficial to this photo but there is definitely winner material here!
Photographers Comment
This photo was taken on the Little Tennessee River near Bryson City, NC. It was early morning with beautiful low fog over the river. I stepped out onto a rock and captured this scene with a Sony Alpha 700 DSLR camera and Zeiss 24-80mm lens at f16 and ISO 100. The relatively slow exposure allowed for good saturation of those Fall colors. My name is Drew Campbell and I am an aspiring professional nature photographer living in Western NC near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Nice shot, and so original. I like the portrait format for this composition. Beautifully found and taken. The unlikely ladder is surprising and gives another dimension to this fun image. Well done.
Photographers Comment
My name is Stephanie Perez and this photo was shot at Fort Funston in San Francisco, California. Camera used was a Canon 20D. I used photoshop to bring out the contrast in the sand and texture on the ladder. I also had to adjust the levels to bring out the red and the blues in this shot.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Well this is a very warm blooded shot ! The colours are amazing thanks to a perfect exposure. The silhouette is sharp and there is fantastic detail in the clouds and on the water. There is something odd about the treetops just right of center, which i find a little distracting from this otherwise lovely sunset. Beautiful photo, well done!
Photographers Comment
My name is Craig LaBorde and I'm lucky enough to have a 7 acre pond in the back of my house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This was a very cold January evening a couple years ago when I noticed an intense orange "glow" coming from the backyard. I grabbed my Canon SX-10IS digital camera and walked to the edge of the pond......and I was rewarded with this glorious sunset!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
The square format works well here and the horizon is nicely placed in the middle. I like the slight vignetting and the soft contrast which leaves plenty detail both in the sky and the rocky foreground. It looks like a suitable place for a Salvador Dali painting! A little more room along the bottom of this photo would have given the main rock some more space and presence,.. Great effort !
Photographers Comment
This light drawing was made near sunset, as the sun was low and beginning to dip below the horizon over my right shoulder. I had spent the day climbing around Joshua Tree and ended up on top of a large rock formation where I shot this with my Bronica SQ-A and a roll of Kodak Portra 160VC film. No processing, a true representation of natures beauty. It was magnificent and the night continued with bonfires and dancing. My name is Justin Brauner, you can view more of my work at jjbrauner.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Well we say that it’s the right light that makes a photograph and that is definitely the case here. The mood is wonderfully calm and the soft sunlight just perfectly captured. The cropped composition is bold but works well. I love the ripples on the water which push our gaze into the picture. This is a lovely peaceful photograph, well done.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
This is a lovely, moody photograph. I can feel the fresh sea air in it. The composition is well balanced, the four distinct parts nicely clicking together. I love how the wave is just braeking over the rock. This photo would have been so much more powerful with a better placed depth of field, focus is so important. It is a great effort and the approach is very original.
Photographers Comment
My name is James A. Mahathey and this is one of the first shot I took with, at the time, my new NIKON D700. I was working in Minnesota and took a day trip to Split Rock, MN to shoot the lighthouse. It was a cold fall day but I was lucky to get this shot.
www.jamfilmproductions.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Well this one makes me laugh and wins a star for good humour. I think as photographers we have all experienced something like this! I expect this photo to be better than all the others we see being taken in it of only the sunset. Well spotted and nicely taken!
Photographers Comment
Jolyne L. Harris Shot with a Canon 7d at The Salton Sea, CA. No processing. JPG SOOC. I am thrilled that the humor of this photo was recognized, as that was my intent. On an outing with a group of photographers, I stood back and watched as they jockeyed for position for the perfect sunset photograph. From my vantage point, I laughed and shot. You can visit my Facebook page to see more of my photos at http://www.facebook.com/PhotOptions. Thank you sincerely for the recognition.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
I like this one because it is so dark and quiet. The photographer has managed to bring dusk and all its black beauty to life here despite the sun not being completely set yet. Walking out on that bridge would be somewhere between peaceful and fearful. A good shot with interesting use of light, and of the lack of light.
Photographers Comment
My name is Thomas Long. This photo is of Sandwich Boardwalk on Cape Cod. I used a Nikon DX. I don't remember the settings. Yes, I was not hoping for a blazing sunrise or sunset. My hope was to capture the peaceful beauty and hush that I knew darkness would provide to this scene. Thank you for recognizing my intent. And yup, lol, it was a bit spooky.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
Lovely warm colours and contrast make this stand out. It is a view we all know well as we drive around the countryside, but captured here in a nice moody way. I love the silhouette of the tree leaning in and the bales of hay which look as though they have been pushed into place. Great portrait of man made countryside. Well done.
Photographers Comment
This was one of those mornings when getting out of bed was difficult, until I looked outside and saw how beautiful the day was. I live in the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin. This photo is of the field next to our house. Shot with my Canon PowerShot SX120IS, no post processing. It was a stunning scene, and I felt a sense of gratitude and peace. My name is Jane Wells and I am honored and pleased to have been awarded the Mark of Excellence. Thank you!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
What an amazing sky. A very high contrast, saturated photo but the effect works well here. The composition is intersesting and shows us what was important at that moment… namely the pending storm.
Photographers Comment
Fortunate to have this balcony view near St. George, UT, where the topography generates myriad weather patterns, I keep my eyes on the sky. This October 2010 scene was no exception. Adding contrast was a must to bring out the clouds, and pumping up the saturation just comes with the territory here in colorful Southern Utah. Not much flexibility with framing on my balcony, so I cropped to bring out what I thought was the best effect possible. Nikon D90. Thank you for this honor!