Love of the land
With the winners of LPOTY 2018 recently announced, we speak to Charlie Waite about some of our competition favourites
Charlie Waite lends his expert eye to critique a selection of winners from 2018’s Landscape Photographer of the Year
Now in its twelfth year, Landscape Photographer of the Year is back, with even more entries than ever. This prestigious competition celebrates all that is great about the British landscape, and this year we were once again spoilt with a wonderful and varied selection of images across the four main categories: Classic View, Living the View, Urban View and Your View. Founded in 2006 by Charlie Waite, one of today’s most respected landscape photographers, the competition’s aim is to provide an ‘on-going platform for capturing images that best symbolise our land and our times, and that will stand as a record of our country.’
AP had the opportunity to speak to Charlie Waite, who still plays an active role in the judging process, about some of our favourite images. Over the next six pages he shares his thoughts on and critiques eight prizewinning images.
Car Wash, Lancashire Tony Bentley
Urban view – Commended ‘I’ve always liked the sense of isolation and nostalgia of this really simple, old-school petrol station. I was walking past with my dogs in 2016, in very similar conditions, but only had my iPhone with me. By the time I managed to return with my ‘proper’ camera, the snow had stopped and the light was bright, changing the mood completely. Last winter the snows never came, but this year I was ready!’
WHAT CHARLIE SAYSÉ
‘ The snow adds a simplicity and cohesion to what would normally be a busier scene. The structure and remote feel are reminiscent of road-trip images from the USA, and the restrained palette means that the only colours evident are the primary tones of red, blue and yellow, which work well against the winter snow.’
Fisherman on rocks, Porth Nanven, Cornwall Mick Blakey Living the view – Winner
‘Having planned a trip to photograph a beautiful serene sunset, I was in for a shock on arrival. There had been strong westerly winds for a few days, which resulted in a much bigger Atlantic swell than anticipated. I was happy to sit and photograph the waves and spray, but then some magic happened: a fisherman appeared on the rocks in frame; I could not believe my luck!’
What Charlie says...
‘ The spray behind the fisherman turns him into a powerful silhouette. As I have been known to say about some of CartierBresson’s work, it’s amazing how the smallest element can play the biggest role. The layered promontories unfold to the horizon and weaken in definition. The fishing rod shows clearly, which is essential as it gives a clear meaning to the story.’
Rannoch Moor, Scotland Paul Mitchell Classic view – Commended
‘ This was my first visit during winter and I certainly wasn’t disappointed! During my stay, the snow just kept falling, culminating in deep drifts and on our very last day, some amazing skies. I almost filled a memory card but then thought that the white snow and blue skies were looking a bit formulaic. It then dawned on me that I also had my infrared camera. As soon as I turned the camera on and saw the infrared effect, I knew I was going to capture something very different.’
What Charlie says…
‘Although a very cold image, the sky makes you think of fire and offers a striking feel of flames. It has a feel of the beginning of time, with no human presence. The summit points exactly to the centre of the image, which is key to its success, as is the textural variety and softness of the shadows.’
Clearing Fog, Beachy Head Lighthouse, East Sussex Rachael Talibart Your view – Highly commended
‘I call this photograph Clearing Fog because, when I made it, I thought the fog was indeed clearing. In fact, it quickly descended and I didn’t see the lighthouse again for the whole day. I made a few exposures, but this was the “keeper” because it was the only one where a flock of birds passed in just the right position. Thank you, gulls!’
What Charlie says…
‘ The sea is almost incidental in this image, although its presence is strongly felt in both the lighthouse and as creator of the mist. The birds add a living element to an otherwise remote and desolate landscape and, with the lighthouse, provide a joint focus. The lack of colour distils the image to its essential qualities.’
The Birds, Elgol, Isle of Skye, Scotland Stuart McGlennon Classic view – Highly commended
‘Having seen so many images from Elgol and being such an iconic place, I was quite conscious of trying to create something a bit different from my first visit here. On arrival, there were birds everywhere and the tide was low, which wasn’t ideal, but I did my best to work with them. Conditions were extremely difficult, and I was shooting in 40mph winds. In the end, I was happy to come away with something unique.’
What Charlie says…
‘ There is a juxtaposition of warm and cool colours, which is very appealing. The position of the rocks on the diagonal and their dark colour form a good relationship with the black of the swirling birds. The mountain beyond plays a pivotal role in offering a sense of dimension. There’s a lovely feeling of movement generally – a perfect shutter speed for the subject.’