For our latest competition in association with Photocrowd, we challenged you to submit your best Winter Landscape images. After working through all the entries, the winners have been selected. As a prize, the expert winners will get a licence for Affinity Photo professional editing software. Congratulations to all of the winners – as usual, the standard of submitted images was extremely high, and it was a difficult task to select the best ones.
1st PLACE
We love the simplicity of this shot. We saw many amazing images of far-flung locations in this round, but the great thing about such scenes is that they can be found anywhere. The photographer has turned what is otherwise a flat, empty landscape into a minimalist study with great compositional features. Well done!
2nd PLACE
This one is a classic composition of an increasingly famous location. This image’s alignment is ideal for using the cave entrance as a natural frame for the distant mountain. The colour palette is almost monochromatic, allowing us to focus on smooth and rough textures. Nicely conceived and put together.
3rd PLACE
When the snow falls, the temptation for many landscape photographers is to capture big, broad scenes. However, looking closer is a great strategy for capturing engaging details. We are drawn to the naturally deep contrast of this scene, the bright snow excellently rendered against the dark shadows. It’s a beautifully quiet composition. Well done!
RUNNER UP
This a gorgeously tranquil shot. It’s also a little different in that it embraces colour when many winter images focus on bleak, barren landscapes. The placement of the sun in the centre of the image, framed by the snow-frosted trees is a magnet to the eye and the white balance has been handled with expertise.
RUNNER UP
Here, we have another wonderful display of minimalism. The sparseness of detail allows the tree's skeletal form to stand out against the plain background and sky, while the off-center composition draws in the eye. We like how the contours of the snow-covered ground almost look like paper cutouts.
RUNNER UP
What an iconic winter landscape! Although we have seen many images of this location, the arrangement of detail in this shot is exceptional. The subtle reflection, wintery hues and low clouds add atmosphere. The balance created by the focal length choice is also spot-on and the exposure is perfect. Nicely done!
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How to enter
Enter at photocrowd.com/digitalphotographer for a chance to win a licence to Affinity Photo editing software (worth £49 for Mac or Windows). The monthly rounds that are currently open are on the themes of Capture Color and Macro Studies.
Affinity Photo is a toolset for photography professionals. Whether you’re editing and retouching or creating multi-layered compositions, Affinity Photo has the power you need, with non-destructive editing, RAW processing, and color management as standard. Winners will be notified by email and can choose between Mac, Windows or iPad versions. Winning images will be revealed in an issue of Digital Photographer.
This article originally appeared in Digital Photographer, a monthly magazine, and the kitbag essential for pros, enthusiasts and amateurs alike!
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