2014 has been an amazing year thanks to all of you! We've ran many photo contests and the entries have been just breath-taking. We have been honored with the collaboration of so many amazing photographers who have helped us judge the contests, not an easy job at all! The following are some of our favorite winning shots along with the judge's feedback, enjoy!
“A great image that really feels like a dream. The sky and the water are composed well and make the body of the image but its the solitude figure that makes this image a dreamy image. In saying that I do think the distortion of the man could be corrected, it looks like he is falling to the left. The man completes this image and fills the role of the chaser in the dream. Congrats on this, well done.” – Anthony Moore
“What an incredibly gorgeous image! Purple truly is the star here, and the different hues along with intense shadows and lightly brushed clouds draw the viewer into the center. I also appreciate the use of light and dark here. There’s a beautiful marriage of the two that makes the scene all the more intriguing. I love this image!” – Wesley Taylor
“This is a spectacular wildlife shot. The background of the distant trees and branches might have been too busy if not for the perfect softening effect of the shallow depth of field. The backlighting was really key here in the way that it lit the dust in the darker areas around the zebras’ feet to provide needed contrast. Gorgeous.” – Michael Snell
“Anna’s 1966 Dodge Coronet 440 conjures up the marking of time. The worn out feel of an impressive American automobile which such a grand title and pedigree, neglected but still loved in it’s own way. The processing, composition, and feeling are all spot on. Wonderful lines and symmetry.” – Thomas hawk
“Hits the theme on two fronts and the execution is superb. I like the fact that it doesn’t look like a snapshot, which some of them did. It is a well composed, lit and executed image that is strong from a technical and creative standpoint. The use of depth of field in this photo further enhances the overall strength of the photo. The photographer quickly and effectively communicates the focus of the photo and the theme of the contest.” – Andrew Hancock
“The glitter becomes a beautiful pattern of bokeh giving this otherwise simple (but effective) portrait added depth and wonder.” – Justin Van Leeuwen
“The atmospherics are beautiful in this nicely seen shot. The mist not only creates a lot of interest with the beams of light coming through the trees, but it simplifies the scene into clean, flat layers of color. The buck is perfectly positioned to fill that space in the right side and draws the eye back into the frame by its gaze. ” – Michael Snell
“It made us feel a part of a cinematic world, great detail, fabulous reflections. Looks fake…but is it? A great combination. Well done. ” – Photofocus Editors
“Excellent tube shot with fantastic motion. The shutter speed allows for great texture in the water while highlighting the essence of a great wave image, the shape of the wave itself. In addition, the color of the water is striking and adds to the overall effect.” – Justin Reznick
“The color and texture in the stones of this image is only magnified by the ofset texture of the wood. The colors, technique, and post production on this are so impressive! Incredible work!” – Sara France
“I chose “Front Row Theatre” as the overall winner in this contest because to me it represents an amazing moment in a very unlikely scenario between the subject and the photographer. The composition is perfect, as you can see the huge mountains in the background which lets the viewer know just how amazing this moment is. ” -Matt Hernandez
“The best thing about this image for me, is that it’s packed with emotion despite the fact there are no faces seen. I love the interplay of the limbs; it makes it even more complex and I enjoy figuring out where everything is coming from. This feels like a pairing to me, in the best ways possible–composition, strong lines and distinctive colors. Beautiful capture! ” – Wesley Taylor
“This is an arresting and moody image that captures the very essence of nature. The composition of the eight bales of hay is perfect – almost if they have been placed there – and the reflection of the hay colour in the sky is perfect.” – Conrad Hechter
”I love the leading lines in this and the choice of making it black and white. It is so striking and simple. Stunning lead in to the Horizon. Overall and outstanding image with great execution and post production” – Sara France
“For me, it is just a beautiful photo that fits right in line with the theme and is the most unique subject among the group of finalists. While I have seen better lantern festival photos before, this one is certainly nice. That being said, part of getting a picture like this is just being there. If they had worked the scene and situation harder for a more engaging composition, it would easily have taken first place. Exposure for this image is spot on and the color is rich without being overdone.” – Andrew Hancock
“While this is the standard composition from Skogafoss, I find the execution to be spot on. The long exposure effect on the clouds is a perfect example of the technique. By streaking the sky and the Falls at the same time, you have a great complimentary effect and a compelling image as a result.” – Justin Reznick
“The first thing that caught my attention was the color. Although very monochromatic – the splash of orange/yellow adds visual interest. I found this photo to be extremely interesting in that it creates a void as it begs the questions – “where is everyone” and “what happened”. I also enjoyed the composition in this photograph – there were many areas to explore. ” – William Innes
“I absolutely LOVE this image! The light quality is magic- soft, warm, and wraps around the subjects beautifully, it really makes this image sing! The composition draws you into the frame starting with the horses expression and then leads your eye down to the boy and then to the baby animal- a triangle that keeps your eyes within the image and begs you to take a second look. Its very different than any horse image I’ve ever seen before- great work!!!” – Dixie Dixon
“While many of the photos were impressive on a technical level, I found this one to really speak and have some emotional process to it as well. Kudos to you, Chris, you’ve created a really spectacular image.” – Zach Sutton
“Ominous! Gorgeous tone, mood, and composition. I love the symmetry of the image. I can imagine this as a huge large format print in the lobby of some aeronautics company welcoming guests with awe. Awesome balance of dark and light. What a location too!” – Paul Roustan
“The colors captured in this image are incredible, while avoiding the monochromatic palette typical of “autumn” imagery. The reds pop against the green accents from the moss and blend well with the oranges we would expect to see for this time of year. The overall movement of the image from right to left, created by the composition of the tree branches, guides the viewer across the entire image.” – Erik Valind
