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International Landscape Photographer Competition

The words "over processed" and "bad taste" seem to have no bearing....

Yes, the style of landscapes popularized by photographers like Marc Adamus is currently what is considered the top of the landscape photography heap (especially images 11, 13, & 14).  Landscape photography goes through cycles from ultra realism, to ultra fantasy, we are currently in a fantasy era.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love most of Marc's stuff but I do consider it more digital art than I do photography - not saying there's anything wrong with it though as some of it is absolutely beautiful.

I think a few are very nice... Marc Adamus should probably sue Max Rive though I have to say.....

The thing that put me 'off' the most was the formulaic style of the images. It was as though they had produced the images by osmosis from watching the current crop of "masters". I was so hoping to see a fresh approach in some way. There are some pretty images amongst them but they are so much to a formula that they become boring. That seems to be a gift from the digital age and the internet where all have a quick learning tool to hand.

There are some pleasing images amongst them all, though one of the rules seems to be demonstrate how good you are at keeping detail in the deep shadows of low key images.  The other might be go to Iceland.  They demonstrate some mastery of HDR processing but a lot I wouldn't hang on the wall - too much of the frame is dark and you have to squint to see what the foreground subject is.  The tiny images on the webpage don't help either- they are displayed at reasonable size in the book galleries.