Sonja Bella, The Land of Giants (LIGHT/SHADOW - Entries close 30 September 2026)

I captured this image during a wet and overcast cruise through Doubtful Sound in New Zealand, when mist and low cloud softened the mountains and transformed the scene into something deeply atmospheric. Using a wide panoramic composition, I sought to emphasise the scale of the landscape, then converted the image to black and white in post-processing to strip away distraction and draw attention to tone, texture, and form. In editing, I made subtle adjustments to contrast and shadow detail to preserve the quiet depth of the mountains and water while retaining the contemplative mood I felt in the moment. My intention was not simply to document the location, but to evoke its presence — a sense of standing before something ancient, vast, and almost mythical. Image was taken with a Nikon Z7ii using a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens @42mm. 1/100 sec @ f/11, ISO 100. Hand held on a boat. 9 shot panorama.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.