The LEE 100mm System has a couple of essential elements you'll need to use our filters, and a wide range of optional accessories that give total flexibility.

I love the simplicity and minimalism of this image – it’s a great example of the reductionist approach to composition that I advocate i.e. taking out everything that doesn’t contribute to the core message of the photograph.

A Big Stopper combined with a 3 Stop ND filter have been used to good effect. The long exposure has emphasised the graphic composition and the movement & texture in the clouds gives a feeling of energy and dynamism. There’s also a lovely range of tones (important in a B&W image like this).

The only change I’d make would be to crop out the industrial structures on the right side of the horizon line – they detract from the otherwise clean lines of the image. Overall, it's lovely and a photograph I would have been pleased to have taken myself. Steve Gosling

Again, this striking photograph demonstrates less is more – it’s the simplicity that gives this image its strength. The light quality, tones and colours are superb – I particularly like the cool and warm colour contrasts – and the textures on the sand give a real strength to the foreground.

One question I have is over the choice of a Big Stopper to extend the exposure to 243 seconds. This has given a sense of energy to the sky that I find at odds with the calm & peaceful feel of the rest of the image. In situations like this it's important to experiment if time allows – so as well as the Big Stopper try a shot without any ND, use a Little Stopper (which would have given a 15 second exposure here and may have been the choice I would have made). Steve Gosling

The use of a 17mm focal length has emphasised the foreground and shooting at f/11 has given great optical quality making the most of the textures on the structure. The use of a Big Stopper to extend the exposure has smoothed the water ensuring that it doesn’t distract from those textures. Importantly the 480 second exposure has also allowed the hint of the rails under the surface to appear.

The blue cast (common with the Big Stopper) has not been corrected and I think that adds a great mood to the image as well as giving a colour contrast to the warm light in the distance and the green in the foreground. My only concern with this photo is that the sky looks like it’s been over filtered – a 3 stop ND Grad with a Real Blue 2 Hard Grad may just have been too much. Steve Gosling

A beautiful photograph that is well composed with the tree placed close to the centre of the image towards the top of the frame and the lines in the field leading up to it. The warm colours of the crop (a vital factor in the success of this photograph) have been enhanced by the use of a Polarising filter and an ND Grad has held detail in the sky.

I like the colour ‘stripes’ in the image – the warm foreground topped by the grey sky, itself topped by a layer of warm clouds. I would crop out the top band in the sky – its lightness is drawing my eye out of the frame. The foreground also looks a little soft (for me this needs to be razor sharp) and I wonder if an aperture of f/11 or f/16 would have been better than f8 to give more depth of field. Steve Gosling

I love the flowing, curving lines in this composition that sweep the viewer through the image. The attention to compositional detail has been good e.g. the separation of the top of the foreground on the right from the line of the river beyond is important.

The exposure has been well handled to prevent the distant headland from recording as a featureless silhouette, helped by a 3 stop ND graduated filter to darken the sky and bring down the contrast range. This was also aided by the timing – taking the photograph just as the sun starts to sink into the cloud below has reduced its intensity. A Little Stopper has given a 50 second exposure, just enough to record some cloud movement and provide some interest in the sky.

Unfortunately, the close foreground is not razor sharp – more precise attention should have been given to securing adequate depth of field. Steve Gosling

This is a lovely image in the traditional landscape format. The composition is well balanced, and the eye is led from the leading rocks, with that lovely soft light, through to the dramatic clouds in the distance. The use of the more forgiving 0.9 ND Soft Grad has really balanced the exposure whilst not affecting the tower of the lighthouse.

One aspect I particularly like is the area of flowing water in the foreground. The use of the LEE Polariser has cut through the UV light, allowing the foamy areas to stand out. The Little Stopper has worked well here also, leaving just enough detail in the rushing waters to add impact.

If I was to change anything, I might be tempted to crop a little from the sky, moving the horizon closer to a third, and perhaps a little from the right side, shifting the lighthouse slightly away from centre. Chris Ceaser

I was drawn to the subtlety of the light in this rather mystical image. The Little Stopper has worked a treat here, creating enough of a sensation of movement without losing areas of detail in the water, detail which may have been lost with a longer exposure. Cropping out the sky has eliminated the need for filters in that area.

There is a nice flow to this composition with the viewer being led through the image, past the cascading waterfalls to the bridge and beyond. The light on the bridge is what gives a little magic to this image, though I think those greens may need to be 'cooled down' just a little. Also, a slight crop from the left side would lose a little of that distracting rock wall, and make for a more powerful composition. Chris Ceaser

This image really caught my eye. The composition is stunning. There is a natural flow to everything, starting with the curved rocks at bottom of the image. From here the eye follows the curvature of the cliff edge to the lighthouse itself. Deciding to frame the image at the bottom with the rocks themselves is very effective and provides a clean starting point for the viewer.

This is a composite of 4 shots, the sky shot separately from the land. The land and sea were shot over a couple of frames and the Big Stopper has done its job well here, calming the water underneath the lighthouse, and helping the foreground to stand out with no distracting waves to draw our attention from the lovely colour and texture of those incredible rocks. The image has a wonderful warmth throughout and is one of my favourites this month. Chris Ceaser

A striking image of Lofoten in Norway. The letterbox composition works well here, with the image seemingly divided into a lighter and a darker half. A 0.6 ND Soft Grad has helped balance the exposure, though there are a couple of overexposed areas on the mountains. Maybe a 0.9 ND Medium Grad might have been better in this case.

A Big Stopper and a 0.6 ND Standard filter give around 12 stops of filtration and this has resulted in a beautiful sky and calm waters that allow the mountains to 'jump out' at the viewer, their sharpness contrasted starkly against the calmer waters. I like the inclusion of the rocks bottom left as they help to 'ground' the area around the old huts, which are positioned diagonally opposite the large mountain, giving balance to the image. I also like the slight blueish cast to this, presumably coming from the Stopper and the long exposure. Chris Ceaser

This is an extremely vibrant image with lush colours throughout. The inclusion of the foreground rocks give the perfect opportunity to use the Big Stopper, as well as adding interest and balance in the lower left corner. The calm waters allow the rocks and the grasses on the right to achieve prominence within the foreground, whilst the 117 second exposure has captured some lovely movement in those clouds.

I like the flow in this image. The eye is led from the rocks, through the grassy mound and the heart of the woodland, and then back along the lines of the clouds to finish off. Vibrant images like this can sometimes polarise opinion but it certainly works for me. Beautifully balanced, it is hard to find fault. Chris Ceaser

I love the diagonals in Mathew’s composition, which lead the eye into the far distance where the sun is setting. The Big Stopper has helped to simplify the photograph by calming the texture of the water. The warm colour tones in the photograph are also very special.

My feeling is that the photograph is printed too dark. The light on the foreground boulders is wonderful and to reveal more of this would be hugely beneficial. Also a slightly paler sky would reveal more of the beautiful cloud structures, again leading the eye into the distance. Paul Gallagher

Having been to this location many times I can see that Feliksas has made a wonderful photograph of the place and captured its grandeur and drama perfectly. The use of the Super Stopper and 0.9ND Soft Grad are perfect, the foreground rocks are superbly contrasted with the body of silky water and the grad has achieved lovely transitions of tones in the sky.

Using the Super Stopper can make an image that is slightly blue and I would recommend warming the image up a little to bring out the foreground rock colours. Paul Gallagher

The moment I saw the low contrast and soft tones in this image I was drawn in and fascinated. The portrait format in Tevfik’s photograph is very important and works perfectly with the subject matter as the eye is guided along the rocky shoreline to the distant headland beyond.

The use of the Polariser and Big Stopper together were essential to the photograph, the Polariser enhancing the colours and the Big Stopper creating the white waterline against the foreshore. The one thing I would alter is the strong greens, I feel they need warming a little as they look too vibrant and unnatural. Paul Gallagher

Having worked most of my professional career in black and white I was drawn to Brian’s beautifully simple coastal scene. I think the wooden posts are positioned superbly in the square frame and I love the subtle suggestion of something beneath the foreground water surface which can be seen which has been made possible by the use of the Big Stopper cutting out water textures.

My recommendation would be to burn the sky evenly as opposed to a vignette effect that has been used. I feel an even sky would lead the eye into infinity beyond the posts. Paul Gallagher

I think Iain’s photograph of Bamburgh Castle is staggering in every way! The combination of the Big Stopper to capture the subtle cloud reflections with the Polariser saturating the colours and allowing the viewer to see beneath the water surface is perfect. This photograph has everything from subtle calming colours to staggering detail throughout. The plateau of rock gently lit by the evening sun serves perfectly to guide the eye to the castle.

The one thing I think would strengthen this composition even more, is to crop a little of the left edge of the image to lose the protruding rock and dark shadow that seem to be vying for attention. Paul Gallagher

A beautifully crafted image – the composition is balanced, the edges are very well placed and it has a wonderfully inviting, warm glow about it – it really makes you want to be there.

Use of a Big Stopper and polarising filter has allowed a long exposure of 60 seconds. Not so long as to lose all texture in the water, but enough to smooth out both sea and sky, so emphasising the gritty textures of the mountainous backdrop. The time of day is also well chosen, with warm light on both the wooden cabins and the ridges beyond, drawing you into the scene.

The only thing I might try would be to lighten very slightly the top section of sky – it feels just a little too dark to me. This can sometimes happen with the softer ND grad filters, given the strongest filtration is at the top of the frame. Lizzie Shepherd

A delightful and graphic image, minimalist in many respects but with a little twist. These are the kind of scenes for which the Super Stopper is made but the success of the end result depends upon a really good composition. This feels just right to me – the relative heights of horizon and top of the lighthouse sit very comfortably and the very long exposure of 244 seconds has produced the silky smooth tones that work so well here. I also feel a square crop was an excellent choice.

The twist? The fact that the reflection of the lighthouse is slightly off centre just lends a little bit of tension to the image – one that adds to my enjoyment of it. Lizzie Shepherd

Another well-framed image – the elements are well balanced and, overall, there’s a good flow to the composition. The light reflecting off the boulders is wonderful. The 13 second exposure, courtesy of a 2 stop ND filter, has retained the lovely texture in the sea, though possibly a few seconds less might have been even better.

I’d have liked to see a bit more detail in the shadows of the distant cliffs and, likewise, I find the very dark boulder in the centre foreground a little dominant.

The sweep of the shoreline takes you out to sea and that warm horizon, although the hole in the cliff does also fight for your attention. Again, I think this could be addressed with a bit more detail in the surrounding cliffs, so giving less emphasis to the hole. Lizzie Shepherd

The way in which we respond to a picture is a very personal thing but this immediately took me back to a visit to a shadow puppet play in Indonesia, many years ago. The hazy and pareidolic form of the clouds on the horizon is the key here – providing intrigue and a sense of mystery. They are perfectly positioned in relation to the rotunda on the pier and I also really like the use of negative space across the image.

A mist filter has been used to create the hazy effect but, without such careful positioning of all the different elements here, the end result would not have been so compelling. A 4 second exposure (courtesy of a Little Stopper) has rendered the water reasonably smooth but, crucially, has not allowed the clouds to lose their wonderful shape. Lizzie Shepherd

This is a very bold and complex composition and I enjoy it for that very reason. By using an ultra wide-angle lens and getting so close, the photographer has given great emphasis to the foreground plant. A polarising filter can really help enhance the colour of wet leaves, although I’d be inclined to try reducing the saturation of the greens here to make the leaves a little less dominant. The mirroring of the fallen branch below and above the waterfall is a really nice touch.

I’d be tempted to crop the very top of the image, from just above the leaning tree, just to lose the brightest patch of white sky, which rather takes the eye out of the frame. I’d also have liked to see a little more detail in the brightest areas of the waterfall – although I can imagine this was not an easy scene in which to achieve an even exposure. Lizzie Shepherd

The delicate tones in this image, along with a strong composition make it stand out. The fact that the ice covered wooden stumps lead the eye in to the old structure in the background, whilst retaining separation between the two elements is an excellent use of composition.

I’m in two minds whether I like the sand at the bottom right hand corner of not. Normally I would prefer the simplicity of the image without the sand, but in this case, I think it may even add to the image.

The only thing I would have done differently would be to take this as a portrait format shot, thereby giving me more sky and height to the image. So often photographers only think of the landscape format for landscape subjects, yet the portrait format, along with cropping of the image is part of the compositional decisions. John Miskelly

This image has a lovely quality of light, which gives a sense of atmosphere. The author has resisted the urge that many fall for, in that he hasn’t over processed the image. The use of the Big Stopper has given the sky a quality of tone and the radiating cloud effect balances the image nicely, particularly with the lighter part of the sky behind the mountain. The detail in the ice in the foreground contrasts with the majesty of the mountain in the background.

In terms of improving the image, I would have liked to see a stronger lead into the image in terms of foreground. Ideally, I would have found a stronger and more obvious curve or diagonal line in the ice that would have led my eye to the mountain in the background. Maybe moving to the left would have given this opportunity? John Miskelly

An image from my own part of the world, so I know it well! I love the tones and textures in the image. The fact that the image was taken with a foreboding sky means the tones are well matched between the sky and the dark rocks of the Giants Causeway.

The long exposure gives the breaking waves the white line that separates the rocks from the sea. The curve of the rocks is compositionally strong and the image is what I would call, well balanced.

In terms of improvements, I would just lift the shadows a little, particularly in the bottom left corner and also increase overall exposure by say, 0.25 stops. I would do this without losing the moodiness of the image. John Miskelly

This image just exudes mood and atmosphere. The author has used a polarizing filter, a Little Stopper and a Chocolate Hard Grad, a great example of how one can combine filters to create a super image. It’s the combination of light, composition and subject that come together to give any image ‘emotion’. In this case, the foreground stones at the edge of the lake give enough interest to draw the viewer’s eye into the reflections in the lake and then up to the mountains and the sky.

I can see where the author has worked on the image on the mountains on both the right and left hand sides in post production and has lightened parts of the mountains that look unnatural, which takes away from the image. Great care should be taken with any post production to ensure that the viewer can’t see the work that’s been done. Fix this problem and then it’ll be one to put up on the wall. John Miskelly

Another very strong composition and use of light. The wooden stumps starting from the bottom left hand side lead to the horizontal stumps further out from the shore. These stumps are well below the horizon, so don’t spoil the ‘balance’ of the image.

The use of a hard graduated filer was a perfect choice for this image along with the Big Stopper. The smoothing of the water and the sky means that there are no distractions and the stumps stand out much more than if the Stopper hadn’t been used.

One thing that would improve the image in my opinion is a square or tighter crop. The main focus of the image is the wooden stumps, so losing some of the unnecessary space would ‘focus’ the viewers eye into the main part of the image. John Miskelly

What an absolute ripper of a scene! This one really caught my eye for many reasons: beautifully balanced scene, perfect tones, crisp foreground and a little hint of milky way to top things off.

I do not have many things to suggest to improve such a powerful scene; the only thing I would adjust is removing the power poles from the background scene, and tidying up the minor imperfections in the foreground. Sarah Hatton

This is a super clean image, simple and well balanced with a beautiful symmetrical composition. It really conveys a sense of peace and calm to me though its simplicity and pastel tones.

Improvements to compliment such a scene would be ensuring the horizon is horizontal, it appears to be dipped a little on the left of frame. The highlights are also substantially clipped in the middle of the frame, using a 0.9 ND graduated filter would have helped to combat this small issue. Sarah Hatton

Love the rocks in this shot. Excellent scene with such movement and power conveyed from the breaking waves and rocks.

Suggestions for improvements: this is quite a busy scene, though powerful, it could use some simplifying… more direct foreground with the rocks in the water as secondary with some beautiful white-wash water movement tying the entire scene together. Sarah Hatton

Absolutely love the dynamic foreground in this scene, the streaks in the sand create such drama. The mix of steely tones complimented by such interesting textures makes for a powerful image.

Suggestions for improvements would be attempting to focus more on the composition, I find myself second guessing what the subject is within the scene. Foreground textures, mountains or the leading line to the human element on the left of frame? Sarah Hatton

Waterfalls don’t get much more impressive than Skogafoss. Grandness of scale and a well-balanced scene… and showcased in black and white to add to the overall hard-hitting impact of such a scene.

The only minimal suggestions for improvement to such a powerful image would be to take more time with the dodge and burning of the scene. On the direct left and right of the waterfall I notice some intense dodging, that doesn’t balance out. Coupled with the rather dark edges in the upper corners of the frame, it puts a little too much drama into an already punchy scene. Sarah Hatton

We see a great deal of long exposure photographs now and more often than not the photograph doesn't benefit from the use of dark ND filters. Here though, the dragging clouds enhance the depth and compliment the line of the meandering track through the foreground.

The balance of light and tones between the sky and the foreground is very believable and the colours created by the low sun angle have been captured beautifully.

The composition looks very good to me although I feel that a slight crop in from the side would make this composition stronger and focus more attention on the areas of interest within the frame. Antony Spencer

This a view I know very well and what an amazing one it is too! This is a very challenging image to pull off, the light has to be balanced perfectly with the lights from the village and this has achieved that.

The snow-covered mountains coupled with the cold tones of blue and white make the warm street lighting and the warm coloured houses feel very safe and inviting.

It is very easy to lose control of the highlights in an image like this but this has been executed perfectly. Antony Spencer

The emotions captured in this photograph are stunning. The drama of the light and passing storm is very subtle and very believable. I really like the processing and how this photographer has pulled out the details of the storm clouds without going too far.

The choice of filters here was perfect, quite often in a situation like this the sky is rendered a great deal darker than the foreground, something that rarely happens in reality and is a major give away that too strong a graduated filter has been used. Here, the tones are perfectly balanced producing this beautiful image. Antony Spencer

This is a lovely composition. The sense of depth created by the photographer here is perfect. I love how the composition makes my eye meander gently through the rocks, picking up the river or road in the distance and all the way through where I'm held in the sky with the gentle glow of the diffused sun.

The processing is very delicate and the gentle colours are really beautiful. My only very slight criticism is that the frosty/snowy foreground looks brighter than the sky and the source of light it is reflecting. This would suggest that the choice of graduated filter was perhaps one stop too strong. This is only a very slight niggle though and something that is easily remedied in post. Antony Spencer

Wow! What a sky! I really enjoy the depth created by the converging lines into a central point towards the horizon. Those lines really pull the viewer into the distance of the image and that incredible thunderstorm which is of course, the star of show.

The balance of light here is perfect, as is the mood, absolutely nothing to pick fault with here in any way at all. Antony Spencer

This image caught my eye, because by coincidence, I lived in Aveiro (where it was shot) in the early 90s. It was here that I first became seriously interested in photography and used to shoot scenes like this.

To be honest, Paulo has done a much better job than I did back then. The composition is strong and the shot very striking, with the boat looking as if it’s being slowly reclaimed by nature - I love the reflections on the water inside the boat.

Being picky, there are a couple of little niggles. First, I think the sky is slightly over-gradded - it is darker than the reflection - so I don’t think the 0.3ND Very Hard Grad was necessary.

Secondly, I find the swirling reeds/weed to the left of the boat slightly distracting. A faster shutter speed could have frozen the movement. Losing the Polariser would help - it’s not necessary if you don’t want to remove the reflections - as would opening the aperture a bit. With careful focusing, it would still be possible to get enough depth of field.

Finally, and this is easily addressed, I’d pull back on the saturation slightly.

But overall, a great image. Mark Bauer

This is a very moody shot, which shows how important it is to shoot in light that suits your subject; imagine this same scene under a blue sky on a summer’s day.

Results can be dramatic, but it’s not easy shooting into the sun. Exposure and flare can be a problem, so Dave has done a good job of getting the former right and avoiding the latter. For the most part, there’s good detail throughout the tonal range from shadows to highlights - using a 0.9ND Hard Grad has helped here.

With the sun low on the horizon, a Hard Grad was probably the best option to control the bright tones there, but there is evidence of the filter’s transition line darkening the top of the barn. Some careful digital dodging might help.

This isn’t a criticism, but an alternative - a smaller aperture might have resulted in a ‘sunstar’, which could provide a very distinctive background focal point - maybe Dave shot an alternative version like this?

Finally, a word about composition. It looks simple, but all the elements are perfectly positioned in the frame, creating a strong line taking the eye through to the background and the setting sun. Mark Bauer

This is a really interesting shot and the contrast of warm tones in the sky and cool tones in the foreground works really well. The textural contrast between the soft, smooth textures in the foreground and the rugged, jagged peaks of the mountains complement this. Florian has filtered the scene well - the 0.9ND Soft Grad blends in with the mountain range and is completely unobtrusive - as graduated filters should be if used correctly.

The image is nicely processed, too, with vibrant but believable colour.

Compositionally, I’m not so keen on the empty space in the bottom left corner - the eye tends to drift out of the frame there, so I’d tighten things up a little with a slight crop, so the hut on the far left is closer to the frame edge and the nearest hut a little closer to the bottom. In the ideal world, Florian would have been able to shoot this from a slightly higher viewpoint, too, which would open up the middle distance slightly - but I imagine this wasn’t possible. Mark Bauer

This is a lovely Big Stopper image, with a bold, minimalist composition. I love the smooth texture in the water and sky and the splash of light on the end of the row of wind turbines. The image has the characteristic cool cast of the Big Stopper and I think this really adds to the atmosphere. Some people might feel that the sky is slightly over-gradded and that the use of the 3-stop grad was not necessary, but I like the stormy, moody effect it’s created.

I like the negative space in the composition, but I wonder about the crop; for me, a squarer aspect ratio - 4:3 or even 1:1 might suit the image better, as the main subject doesn’t stretch far enough across the frame to make the panoramic crop work. I’d also have placed the turbines lower in the frame; it’s hard to rationalise, but I feel the overall balance would be better. These cropping options are very likely possible from the original frame.

Finally, to be picky, the horizon isn’t quite level and there are a number of dust spots visible in the sky - both easily correctible issues. Mark Bauer

This is a nicely seen image and it caught my eye because it’s something I probably wouldn’t have spotted. With landscape, the usual approach is to try to show the whole vista, perhaps including the boat as foreground interest for the wider view. The tight crop might have been from necessity - perhaps the rest of the scene was cluttered or ugly - or it might have been simply that the photographer chose this crop for pictorial effect. Either way, it works really well.

The elements are arranged really well in the frame. The rock is perfectly placed and I love the strong diagonal of the oar coming into the frame from the right; this contrasts really well with the horizontal lines of the boat.

The Little Stopper has been put to excellent use here; with moving water, the temptation is often to blur it until completely smooth, but the shutter speed of 0.3 second, as a wave washes around the boat and the rock is perfect for keeping the texture in the moving water, which adds a lot more interest to the composition. Finally, the mono conversion has been very well executed. Mark Bauer