Thank you to all the photographers that participated in the Dramatic Light In Nature Photo Contest, sharing their best nature photos with dramatic light. We have teamed up with our friends at Visual Wilderness to bring you a series of Visual Wilderness photo contests!

A special thanks to our friend and professional photographer Christine Hauber for her collaboration as a guest judge in this photo contest: "Photography offered me everything I always wanted - a way to record the results of my innate curiosity, the opportunity to do so in a creative way, and the freedom to move from one place to another. As a full-time photographer for over 20 years, my love of photography has pushed me forward through the tough times as well as the absolutely amazing times. I have captured the quietness Mother Nature gives us to the amazing faces of man and beast."

Grand Jury Winner

"Often what separates a good photograph from a great photograph is multiple amazing elements coming together at the same time. I was drawn to this image for many individual reasons such as the effective use of a few different leading lines, the dramatic clouds, the striking light, the subject and finally the timing of when the camera shutter was pressed to capture the glow under the bridge. What resulted is a poignant image that draws me and entices me to really look at all the elements that create the completed photograph." - Christine Hauber

Runner Up

"I consider a photograph excellent if it evokes an emotional response within me. And what makes art unique is that it is subjective, meaning that my response or feelings can be completely different than that of everyone else. This images takes me to a subconscious level that reminds me of childhood. Water and the color blue has that calming effect. So in addition to the emotional impact, this image has visual elements that led themselves to a beautiful image. The leading lines of the sand take me to the stingray, the curve of its tail leads me to the ocean’s horizon line and the lightness of the sunrays shining on the water’s surface captures the movement of the ocean waves. My eyes just want to bounce around inside the photographs borders creating curiosity of the story behind the image." - Christine Hauber

Runner Up

"Great light can make a good subject great and this is the case of this amazing image. Not only is the glow of the sun on the wispy and perfectly placed clouds beautiful but the glow through the opening adds another dimension. In addition the photographer utilized a more natural looking dynamic range between the foreground water, the front of the large main subject rock and the bright clouds to produce a dramatic and believable image. Coupled with a longer exposure, the sense of movement in the water leads my eyes back into the image and to the main subject." - Christine Hauber

People's Choice
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"Paralel" by ludgerozorro

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"Gemsbok on the run" by MMRossouw

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