With thanks to Justin Cliffe for adjudication

A nice set of images this month - quality rather than quantity, with a diverse selection of 13 to consider from all around the world. After some deliberation, I have picked, as my winner for August:

Avenue Of The Baobabs Morondava Madagascar by Rob Morgan

This is a strong travel image with a wonderful sense of place, combining the extraordinary baobab landscape with the everyday lives of the children. The repetition and varied scale of the trees create a nice depth to the image, while the sandy road provides a natural leading line through the frame. 

The children add human interest and a sense of narrative, making the image more than simply a landscape. The clear blue sky and warm, earthy, tones work well together.

A tighter crop, taking out the trees to the left of the frame, would, to my mind, give greater emphasis to the children whilst retaining enough of the iconic baobabs to establish the location. All in all, a very pleasing photograph and a worthy winner.

I also have three Highly Commended images which are, in no particular order:

Parade Day, Krakow, Poland by David Cummings

Another striking travel photograph, again with a strong sense of place. The dramatic sunburst and towering clouds create an impressive backdrop, whilst the mounted figures, particularly those in the foreground, provide scale, movement, and historical character. 

The warm tones of the horses and uniforms contrast nicely with the cool blue sky and stone architecture. The composition is particularly effective in leading the eye upwards from the riders to the church tower and on to the sun at the top of the frame. 

Overall, it combines atmosphere, storytelling, and a distinctive cultural setting.

Lone Boatman at Amber Fort by Tim Lawson

The grandeur of the Amber Fort and its dramatic setting is well captured here. The warm, golden tones give the scene a distinctive Indian atmosphere, while the water in the foreground creates a useful separation from the architecture. 

The small boat and figure, to which my eyes are immediately drawn, provide an excellent sense of scale and add human interest to the image. The fort’s extensive detail is well rendered, although the composition feels slightly weighted towards the top and right. 

One suggestion - a lower viewpoint would have reduced the impact of the dark water and perhaps cropping a little from the right would concentrate attention more on the fort and boat. 

Maria Hilf Kapelle, Fronalpstock, Switzerland by Laura Morgan

This is a iconic travel photograph with a strong sense of scale and place - very much the Alps. The church provides an excellent foreground anchor, while the dramatic mountain srising behind it creates an immediate visual impact. 

The mist / low cloud adds atmosphere and nicely separates the layers of the composition, while the small figures beside the church provide some useful scale. The simple blue / green colour palette is also well suited to the scene. 

Does one need all the grass in the foreground - possibly not? Consider taking a little off here and removing the tree on the far right to give a little more emphasis on the chapel and the people seated outside.

All of these images provide an excellent sense of place - and I’ve enjoyed reviewing and critiquing them all.