Judge: Dr Nick Munnings LPSNZ
Capture the size of the forest in all its glory. Showcasing towering trees, winding rivers and dramatic mountain backdrops. Or Get down low to the forest floor and shoot upwards

Forests can be one of the hardest landscapes to shoot successfully as they are busy scenes full of contrasting light and shadows and often multiple components with trees, rocks and water, but if you have the right tools at your disposal and the right light, you can easily create captivating images.

15 Tips for Capturing Fabulous Forest Scenes  https://www.meghanmaloneyphotography.co.nz/post/how-to-photograph-forests

Golden Hour: The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset offer the most magical light for forest photography. The warm, soft light creates a beautiful glow and long shadows that add depth and dimension to your images.

Overcast Days: Don't shy away from cloudy days! The diffused light can be perfect for capturing even lighting and vibrant colours in the forest.

Backlighting: Shooting towards a light source can create dramatic silhouettes and sunbursts - Check out the video at the top of this page to see how this effect is achieved.

 

Members' suggestions: fill the frame, looking up, framed - using natural frames, symmetry perspective, ICM

Open

Set Subject

 

JUDGES INTRODUCTION

Your guest reviewer tonight is Nicholas Munnings.

My serious photography started over 14 years ago and after a few years I trained to become a PSNZ accredited judge, obtained my LPSNZ and became Webmaster for the North Shore Salon of Photography. Any chances of photo opportunities will get my attention as I have not found my niche and enjoy the challenge right across the board.

I am a member of two clubs, North Shore Photographic Society and Hibiscus Coast Photography Club so I sit through judge’s appraisals twice a month and I appreciate the variation in assessment levels as well as the subjective nature of judging. With the thousands of images I have appraised through judge training and the last few years I believe I can be fair with my assessments, trying to help educate photographers appreciate why some images pop while others fail to arouse interest.

This month I celebrated 50 years as a qualified Veterinary Surgeon and I am still working part time. It may well be the attention to detail while assessing patients has helped me be very observant in my image assessment.

Critiquing your images in the Forest set subject was enjoyable with so many wonderful images. My judging style is to look at all the images three times and using different calibrated screens while writing the notes than checking for spelling and grammar. It is a careful process and remember that I do not know who submitted the image so my comments are not personal and I accept that another judge may have a different opinion. I want to help photographers grow and enjoy success in external competitions.

Thank you for letting me critique your images and have a great evening.

 

C GRADE - SET - Forest 

    
Finding the Path Merit The photographer has seen the two trees with no bark and constructed an image around them I believe.
The chosen camera settings are well chosen and there is lots of detail to enjoy.
The black trunk behind the front tree is rather distracting I feel so possibly a step to the right might have solved this?
I do like the well handled lighting in the top left corner.
Fiordland Merit There is wonderful native bush around the centrally placed cascading falls.
Detail is sharp and th flowing water has suggestion of flow in it, not too milky.
As I look at the image I can see the inclusion of the foreground pebbles and water was for context but I suggest looking at cropping up to the shore as being bright it does unbalance the image in my view.
All those different greens in the different bushes and trees are pleasing to look at.
This critique was done on the jpeg and I rely on a suitable Club member to ensure the printing and matting are up to standard.
French Forrest Accepted The two trees help frame the composition and the urn makes a triangulation that appeals to my eye.
There is good detail throughout the image with the trellis as a leading line to the background.
When the image has a tree and a structure that might be expected to be vertical take care to ensure the image is straight. I feel the bright top of the image is distracting and a small crop will bring my eye down to the urn in the pond.
The variations in the green of the leaves and the textures of the tree trunks have been well seen.
Frosted Guardians Honours The beauty of nature has been so well captured and I appreciate the amazing pastel shades I am enjoying.
A small aperture has ensured good detail in the image from foreground right to the back.
The small areas of mist add a magic touch to the scene.
This was well seen and beautifully handled.
Giant in the Forest Accepted This must be great fun to see on a sculpture trail through the forest, peeping out from behind the tree.
The tree and sculpture are in sharp focus.
This might be seen as a record shot of someone else's work but I believe the photographer has been creative with the background as I can see areas above the hands and head that are the original background and have been missed?
While judges are trained to look for such oversights the average viewer sees them without comment but is aware that the image is not quite right.
Mossy Forrest Merit When is it moss and when is it lichen I find myself asking as I look at this wonderfully patterned tree trunk with green growths around.
The focus and aperture are well selected, giving a slight blur to the background.
I feel this image is more about the pattern on the trunk than the "moss" so I suggest a different title might help.
I think that a horizontal flip of the image may make it stronger with my eye landing on the solid trunk then drifting to the left, worth looking at.
Nelson Honours The sunburst peeping through the tree is lovely and the low down camera position works well.
Sufficient detail has been captured and the bright sky well handled without the blowing out that is often seen.
Perhaps the foreground is just a little dark and a little dodging might lift the image further.
The composition of this image is well balanced and clever.
The Long Walk Home Honours My eyes follow the path and I wonder what is round the corner.
There is good detail and the shadow combines with the trees to add more leading lines.
The sunburst is very well managed  and the scene is very calming.
The composition and capture are good in my opinion.
Where Giants Stand Honours The sediment laden river meandering from the back, over some rapids then disappearing off to the right is well captured.
The phases of the image, foreground, trees, mountains then sky all work very well and there is strong detail throughout the image.
There is a slight HDR feel as I look at the image which works OK.
This was a great spot to compose the image and you had your milky water without needing to use a slow shutter speed!

C GRADE - OPEN

    
Grove Arm Honours My eye explores the leading line of the shore then the layers of the hills before spotting the moon in the patch of clear sky.
There is great depth of field while the texture of the water surface is also well captured.
The balance of the composition is well thought out and this is a pleasing landscape in my view.

B GRADE - SET - Forest 

    
An English beech forest in summer Accepted The track through the trees is the landing place for my eye and this reminded me of my trip to the UK last month when I walked through such woodland, it is beautiful.
There is plenty of detail captured in the trees and leaves.
My disappointment is the areas of blown highlights where all detail is lost in the white and suggests the image is overexposed.
I believe there is a possible image by reducing the exposure then rendering in greyscale which will help those blown areas.
Attrition Accepted It took a bit of searching to find the shattered tree stump in this rather busy image.
Unfortunately everything seems to be soft in focus reducing the impact for me.
The bright top and the suggestion of the distant mountains do attract my eye from the area the photographer wanted me to look at.
An adjustment might be to crop out the tree on the right to give the magic odd number and slightly dodge the damaged trunk.
Beech Forest Accepted I see a forest floor aspect looking up to the tree tops angling towards the centre top.
The Monochrome rendering brings out texture in the ferns, trunks and branches very well.
In my opinion the branch top left, the branch touching the top edge and the few leaves on the top border all distract from the main composition and are worth looking at editing out.
A different aspect is always worth trying, well done.
Bird Eyes View over old Goldmine Road Merit The leading lines of the walkways with the curve of the river come together well in this image.
The resolution of drone cameras always amazes me and the colours have been captured so well revealing the amazing tree patterns that we do not normally appreciate.
I find myself wondering what a vertical flip might look like as this is a club image and not an accurate record shot.
Very enjoyable and interesting.
Blanket Bay Fiordland Honours This is obviously a working jetty well protected by tyres against damage from boats tying up.
All detail is spot on as we look behind across Lake Whatipu I believe.
The composition and layering come together well.
That sky looks a little threatening and I believe the lighting has been well handled.
Deep in the forest among towering pines Accepted The photographer has chosen to champion the tree trunks and has captured the amazing textures of the bark.
The detail in the front is good while fading off into the background which is fine.
The green cast over the image does not feel natural to my eye and those blown out areas on the right are a distraction I find.
I suggest looking at cropping out the bright parts along with the yellow line at the bottom.
Enchanted Forest . Honours This is very dense pine forest I believe and I can see the enchanted reference in the title works well.
There is a lot of texture and detail captured in the image and the greyscale rendering enhances this.
The composition is good as it is always a challenge to pick the best angle and which trees to feature.
The lighting has been well handled which makes this image special.
Forest glow Accepted There is framing from the spindly saplings and the centrally positioned path invites my eye to follow.
The colours are well captured and the lighting is well balanced.
I am disappointed that the image is not sharp and believe it needed to be.
The composition is fine, try the sharpen tool a touch and see if it looks better.
Forest to Sky Honours Looking up from the forest floor towards that blue sky with the trees all round is beautifully set up.
The focus is sharp and the glowing golden leaves complement the blue of the sky.
This is a great image and well executed in my opinion.
Milford Track Jungle Merit The waterfalls then rapids as the river disappears bottom left is a great story.
The photographer has chosen a slow shutter speed to give the milky water and I can see plenty of detail in the natïve bush along the banks.
I might suggest cropping out the top centre bright sky and in from the right edge a little when a more balanced image will result I feel.
It is a lovely peaceful image with all those green variations to enjoy.
Stand together Merit Intentional Camera Movement or ICM in the vertical plane has been employed in this image to good effect.
The pastel shades and straight trunks are well captured.
My eye does go to the right, once seen cannot ignore it, to the light angled area towards the bottom right corner and feel cropping that part of the image might improve it overall.
I appreciate that sometimes the slight imperfection was intended and accept it is a personal choice.
Wind swept forest Merit The human element gives scale to the image which shows the bent trees so clearly.
The focus and depth of field are optimal and the lighting handled well.
I do find that the thick trunk at the top right of the image is dominant and suggest looking at cropping it out when I believe a more balanced image will result.
This image has a strong story and is interesting.

B GRADE - OPEN

    
Cap'n Woof Accepted At first look it is easy to miss the little dog sitting proudly as the dinghy is rown across the smooth water.
I feel the focus needed to be sharper maybe this is motion blur but the distorted reflections are interesting.
Perhaps there is too much water and suggest looking at a tighter crop which will also help the distractions along the top border. The stern of the boat white highlights are rather blown I feel.
The potential shot was well seen in my view.
Happy as Merit This image is all about the interaction between the mother and child with that eye contact visible from both.
The chosen settings focus well in the foreground giving good detail in their clothes.
If this was street photography then the face behind Mum's head and the other background distractions might be acceptable but in a club entry I recommend some editing to tidy the image up.
With the bright yellow and the white jacket I think this image might be much stronger in black and white and the background distractions will be less noticeable.

A GRADE - SET - Forest 

    
Alpine Waterfall Accepted The centrally positioned waterfalls and the pool give a symmetrical image which attracts my eye to the base of the falls I find.
The detail in the native bush and the colours are lovely and although detailed do not intrude.
The amount of milkiness resulting from a chosen slow shutter speed is very personal as I have observed over the years. For me, the milkiness is a little excessive especially in the pool area where all is blurry and some indication of flow or ripples might have looked stronger.
The choice of camera position and composition are excellent.
Autumn Foresr Accepted The colours of autumn are always pleasing and I like the guy walking along the leaf covered track into the distance.
The foreground and human capture are great with the green trunks and golden leaves to enjoy.
I find the very bright sky at the top is a big distraction and either needs a linear gradient or perhaps cropping down from the top edge to give a far stronger and more balanced image.
This image feels to be slightly off vertical, possibly due to the angle of the trees and I recommend looking at straightening the human element at least in this potentially lovely image.
Beech Forest Waiuta Accepted Beech forests can be so enjoyable and we can see some trees then the misty hillside behind with a hint of more trees there.
Perhaps the focus is not as sharp as I might expect but generally it works to tell the story I feel.
In my opinion the composition is disjointed with an area of track, the bright foreground tussock, the dominant gorse layer before the trees then that bright sky at the top left corner.
I suggest looking at cropping in from the left edge to the dead thistle at the bottom to increase the interest and balance the image.
It is worth finding out about linear gradients as they can really help improve images in my experience.
Dawn in the forest Accepted The fascinating purple hue of the morning light has been well seen by the photographer.
Through the misty murk I love the ghost trees in the distance.
Personally I feel this is a less is much more image where cropping up from the bottom edge to lessen the really dark, distracting area and in from the right will champion the ghost trees and balance the image.
I always have respect for the early rising photographer, it shows real commitment!
Enchanted Forest Accepted There is a path to follow between the framing green trunks within this pleasing forest scene.
The detail captured is competent and those trees are fine specimens in my view.
I feel the lighting is a bit flat and the bright sky is certainly distracting to my eye.
I might suggest looking at cropping in from the right edge to remove the angled trunk and down a little from the top when a far stronger and better balanced image is hiding!
Forest edge Merit I find the reflections of the trees then the forest spreading up the hillside to the low cloud calming and peaceful.
The chosen camera settings have captured great detail, colours and textures that add to the image.
I think this image needs a little brightening and the composition balancing by cropping in from the right edge to remove the beach then up from the bottom to reduce the amount of lake.
This is a lovely spot to remember and enjoy.
Forest Understory Accepted Down on the forest floor we see some unusual green plants that attracted the photographer's interest.
The green is very vibrant and there are areas of sharp focus.
I find this image to be rather busy and the very shallow depth of field leaves most of it in soft focus.
I look at this image and wonder whether the image within is in the lower right corner especially if the dominant background is excluded.
The subject matter was interesting to photograph and those delicate white tips are fascinating.
Glacier country Merit My eye seeks the ice immediately as it is the brightest part of the image and the foreground hills frame this as well.
The detail in the mountain slopes is enjoyable with different colours and the scree areas.
In my opinion this image is rather flat and dull and suggest adjusting the exposure to bring out some detail in the foreground.
The hawk flying at top left is a bonus I feel.
Hanmer Forest Accepted These are mature conifers standing proud with the great detail in their bark and branches well captured.
This is a busy image in my view that results in my trying to find what the photographer was wanting me to focus on rather than it being a record shot of some trees.
I suggest looking at a crop in from the left edge to put the path on the third and believe it will result in a balanced and interesting image.
It is important to ensure that the viewer is helped to find what was interesting the photographer and often less is more.
Into the Forest Merit There is an interesting centrally placed path with trees framing around it. The trees are festooned and their trunks green with so many green tones.
The chosen exposure works well giving detail and textures to enjoy in my view.
At this level I feel that the use of a linear gradient from the top might reduce the distraction of the bright featureless sky coming through the trees as it is rather bright and it will bring the viewers eye to the sunlit central area enhancing the image.
The composition is pleasing and shows the forest environment well in my opinion.
Mamaku Accepted This aerial view of the Mamaku is different and interesting.
The image is sharp and placed in the centre of the image to show the radiating fronds.
With the background being so sharp and the same tone of green as the fern I find the impact is diluted unfortunately.
The concept is great but needed a darker, possibly blurry background in my view.
Mono Mt Robert Track Accepted Mighty trees and dense forest with framing of the forest depths is interesting.
The branches and leaf textures are well shown with the monochrome rendering enhancing this.
I find the crushed shadows of some of the trunks, which is the opposite of blown highlights, gives areas of black with no texture that have become distractions as they are solid. Possibly careful dodging and exposure adjustment might lift this image.
Even something as simple as cropping out the partial trunk at the top right brings my eye to the centre I believe.
Mt Robert Track Honours The track invites me into the image where I speculate what lies beyond.
The misty light gives muted tones in the greenery but there is detail and texture to appreciate.
A slight increase in saturation in post processing might be worth looking at but I will not penalise this image.
Serenity and peaceful is what I think this image is about.
Ngahere from the Underworld Honours The figures are well framed by the cave mouth and are silhouetted against the vibrant green of the forest.
Tricky lighting has been well handled I feel and the image is different, telling a story and once I spot the helmets I can imagine the figures have been deep underground which is why they are wearing thick coats.
We often use the acronym RUM for Relevance, Unique and Memorable when assessing images and I feel this fits the bill very well.
Old Man Beech Not Accepted The old tree covered with epiphytes and lichens stands proud with gnarly twisted limbs.
I cannot identify any ICM and the image is not in focus so I find myself trying to find something to grip my attention.
With the bright leaves and bright sky this image is rather confusing in my view.
Pouakani, Majestic Ancient Totara Accepted The broad trunk of the totara towering up from the forest floor is a splendid sight.
The detail and textures in the foreground as well as the trunk are well captured.
The bright sky background is a strong distraction reducing my appreciation of the rugged tree trunk I find.
The central composition works being helped by the foreground fern.
Purakaunui Falls Honours These beautiful falls with the water cascading is a delight to enjoy.
The focus and aperture are spot on and there are the branches to frame the falls as well.
For me, the chosen shutter speed is correct giving milky water while maintaining the patterns of the flow.
This is a professional image in my opinion.
Sunlight on Nikau Berries Accepted The berries are colourful and the patches of sunlight show them well.
The focus is sharp enough for detail though possibly the depth of field makes the background rather strong.
The image size is small so while a tighter crop round the berries might enhance the image, I am not sure whether this is possible with this image.
Maybe a small crop of the bright top background may help the balance, try it and see.
sunrise in the bush Honours The pastel shades in this image are amazing then the ghostly trees pop through.
The exposure settings are well thought out and capture the image well.
The image is strong with layering from foreground to sky and a lot to enjoy.
This is a well executed image.
The beech forest at Mt Roberts Honours A well taken ICM image using vertical movement I believe.
The amount of camera movement is optimal and the colours are true.
My only comment is the rather bright spot at the top right that I recommend burning, cropping or cloning as it is one of those once seen cannot ignore distractions.
On the promise that the photographer will attend to the bright spot if entering the image into an external competition  I will not penalise in this case.
The magic that's right by your feet Merit This was well seen and the lighting of the fungus is well handled.
Careful focusing on the fungus with a slightly blurry background is a great idea.
I find that the bright sky is dominant unfortunately and suggest cropping down from the top and in from the right edge to champion the beautifully captured fungus.
Top marks for spotting the subject as I seem to only find decaying or damaged specimens with no interest or potential!
The Old Ghost Rd Honours The path placed on the third suits this image well and I feel it is balanced by the big tree trunk on the right.
The settings chosen are optimal for colour and texture capture.
The viewer is really invited along the path to who knows where.
The road through the trees Honours The frosted metalled road winds down the hill for my eye to follow.
Focus and aperture are good giving that lovely detail and texture.
The roadside bushes frame the centre and the colouration in the branches to the right is gorgeous.

A GRADE - OPEN

    
Arrived Accepted With the open wings this creates a triangulation with the other bird that appeals to my eye.
The  focus on the birds is sharp giving good feather detail and the dark background works well.
I feel the shadows need a little lightening to make this image pop and there is a lot of detail in the foreground that I do not feel adds to the image.
Photographing Gannets is always a challenge with busy backgrounds, motion blur and blown whites all there for the unwary and this photographer has managed those, just needing a look at the shadows I suggest.
Borland Alpine Walkway Honours The layers in this catch my eye to enjoy this image. We are on a hillside amongst the tussocks with a distant lake and a foreground puddle triangulating with the human element I feel.
Detail is preserved throughout the image and it gives a look of HDR with the texture detail in the tussocks.
The composition is well balanced and there is an interesting sky as well.
Mycena sp. with guttation Honours I admire photographers who find the fungi but here we have the amazing drops of water that add interest.
There is sharp focus with a typically shallow depth of field seen in Macro photography and a blurry background.
In my opinion the background on the left is a little bright and selective burning might lift this already good image.
The lighting of the fungus has been well handled.
Westland Milk Silos Merit Peeping over the top of the security fence we can see the intricate pipework connecting the milk storage tanks and this image is about geometry, leading lines and shadows.
The focus is sharp on the structures and the lighting good with no blown highlights.
My observations are that the lower right area is a little dark but the big distraction is the structure top centre that I find to be distracting and recommend cropping out or cloning out.
The black and white presentation is well considered.

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