Landscape Photo Competition 5 2012 : Results

Judges Comment
Here is a beautiful mountain morning from a now familiar Dolomite silhouette, I suspect just after a lot of rain? With all that mist clinging to the ground… I like the soft sun behind the trees, which importantly also reduces flair, and the angle at which this shot has been taken. The details through the mist gradually appear as you gaze on. It is an amazing photograph. Beautiful landscape techniques and sound processing make this the winner of this competition. Big well done, won by a length!
Photographers Comment
This photo was taken during a photo workshop in the Dolomites that I led in October 2011. It was the amazing morning with fog at sunrise and we all got great photos in Alpe di Siusi. The camera is Canon 1Ds mkIII and Canon 24-70 f/2.8L lens. It's a single exposure entirely post processed in Lightroom 4.1. Hans Kruse.
www.hanskrusephotography.com/

Judges Comment
Such a peaceful portrait of one of nature’s wilder moments. The broken and tired looking fencing makes a lovely detailed foreground silhouette, leading the eye to the drama on the horizon. It is a well composed and exposed shot and the photographer did well to capture two or more lightning strikes. I like the clutter of the beach half of the photo which contrasts with the emptiness of the sky half. Well done, a firm favourite.
Photographers Comment
I've only recently started trying to capture lightning, and I had so much fun with this shot! Taken on the beautiful Gulf Islands National Seashore, I used my Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-70/f2.8, ISO 800, manual exp F18, 1/1.3 sec using bulb setting w/ remote cord. RRS Tripod/Arca Swiss head. Cropping in Capture NX2. I am honored to have this shot selected for Mark of Excellence amongst so many other stunning landscape images! Thank you, Kimberly Herold, Navarre, FL.
www.zenfolio.com/kdherold

Judges Comment
This is great! A wow photo! Well seen and captured statement. Nature’s green resistance reduced to little hopeful islands. I’m not sure about the pushed light of the house and ‘islands’ though, they have become a little washed out. Nice powerful telephoto shot and a welcome unusual approach to this theme.

Judges Comment
So original and bold. This high contrast, colour-saturated, blurry image portrays more of nature than so many others put together. Stunning work!
Photographers Comment
I am truly honored that you have recognized my photo! I took this on my way home from work in May in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland during one of the most beautiful cloudy days that I can remember. Although it looks like the ocean, the body of water is actually the Chesapeake Bay. I added some saturation and contrast during post-processing and I loved the sense of endlessness created where the sky meets the water. [Canon 7D, f/11@18mm, ISO 100, 90sec] Kerry Watson
krwatsonphotography.smugmug.com/

Judges Comment
The charming Manarola village on the Cinque Terre coast of Italy, beautifully captured in the twilight. This stunning village has been built around and shaped by the forms of the landscape and the photographer has managed to keep nature as the main subject in this photograph. The reflections on the water bring lovely warmth to the cool blue atmosphere of dusk and set off the colours of the houses. A nice, long shutter speed brings life to the sea and an enchanting dimension to this lovely photograph. Great shot!
Photographers Comment
Thank you for giving my photo a look. I captured this shot around 9:30pm with my Canon T1i. The camera settings were f/22, 8 sec, 200 ISO. I really wanted to show the raw beauty of Cinque Terre. I thought bringing out the mystic of the waves on the rocks would add to the shoot as well. Only wish the sky could have been more dramatical. Thanks again and cheers Ryan Turco of RT Photography (on Facebook)

Judges Comment
Well done here for this amusing and very clever composition and the framing of the final landscape through the window. Love this one, another unusual and welcome entry. Well done!
Photographers Comment
John Morey Photography | Natural Fine Art Photographics & More. Photographed at the base of Vermilion Cliffs, near Lee's Ferry, at a little place on the side of the of the road called "Cliff-Dwellers". Hundreds of people stop here everyday and this image is always available to capture, Thank you for the nod. Canon EOS REBEL T1i, f/22 @ 24 mm, 1/40, ISO 100 Edits were basic raw edits of contrast, shadow, highlights, hue, saturation, and sharpness
johnmoreyphotography.com/vermilioncliffs/h37D80215

Judges Comment
I love this shot. I’m sure we all would love to ride off into this amazing western landscape. Great contrast and depth, and well done for the yellow bike!
Photographers Comment
Thank you very much choosing my picture as a "mark of reference". I\'m an amateur photographer. I really appreciate your comment about my picture. My camera is a Nikon D7000.Nikkor 18-200mm.f/3.5..setting M f/20. 1/250..ISO 125. This picture was taken on my way to Monument Valley (Arizona) around 5pm, i just saw the beauty and colorful of this landscape and start shooting, I took like 30 images from different angles. The yellow bike was an unexpected object in the right moment.

Judges Comment
What lovely light and rocky texture. It is a fine and sensitive composition and a solid contender in this competition. Sadly it slipped down the ladder because of the less sensitive 3D frame and large distracting advert-signature.

Judges Comment
A beautiful snowy scene and sunny spell. The composition works well, I love the balance of the two trees and also the unbalance of the three posts. Nice light and nice absence of colour. Perhaps the contrast is a tad severe. Nice shot, more of those too please!
Photographers Comment
Sue Merante,Pittsburgh,PA,USA. Thankyou so much for choosing my photograph.I was so surprised. The scene was shot with a Canon T2i,and a 55-250mm lens.The day was crisp and cold and the trees just beckoned to be photographed.

Judges Comment
Quite beautiful. The atmosphere is so complete, the colours so warm. The details in the clouds are fabulous but the foreground rock formations would have benefitted from a lighter exposure, and perhaps a bit more space…
Photographers Comment
Thanks for honoring my photo! Lenticular cloud over Pine Valley Mountains, St. George, Utah, 2008. Nikon D70s and Nikkor lens at 55mm, 1/20sec, f/14, ISO 200, Photoshop CS4. The judges mention my challenges: lightening the foreground blew out the sunlit snow and stole from the mood and detail in the clouds, and any more space at the bottom would have revealed unwanted city structures. Please visit my Facebook page to follow my work. Website coming soon!
www.facebook.com/pages/Geoff-Horner-PhotoArt/302148569797770