Jonathan Snowball, February winner: Weather

On a trip to Appin in Scotland in November, the weather was very changeable. I managed to capture this photo as the rain and clouds were closing in. A minute later and the rain hit us. Mick Ryan, judgeStormy, dark, brooding squalls, menacing clouds, there is some serious weather happening here. The beach provides the layers of foreground essential for balance, the mountains the background and the lighthouse that has just experienced a drenching from the shower to the right. Beautiful and dramatic, this photograph speaks weather.

Subodh Shetty, March winner: Colour

Scenes from the incredible Holi festival in India. The week-long celebrations continue in various Krishna temples on different days. The celebrations are filled with clouds of colours and a lot of fun.Mick Ryan This festival must be on the travel list of most photographers. Humans having colourful fun. This photograph is not just about the shades of purple and rust however, it’s about people and their facial expressions, especially their eyes. It is well composed; a mysterious moment in time, well captured. A worthy category winner.

Chris Eley, May winner: Faces

During a stroll through the streets of Copenhagen, I stumbled across these striking portraits on a wall surrounding a building site. The selection of faces overlooked the busy cycle path below.Mick RyanEyes are so important when photographing faces and this picture grabs you immediately. Its multiple pairs of eyes stare right at you, which contrasts with the moving cyclist who appears oblivious to the posters as he concentrates on riding. It is a simple yet powerful composition. A well-timed, opportunistic shot.

Matt Davies, June winner: Symmetry

Passengers travel in and out of the abyss at Dupont Circle metro station in Washington DC.Mick RyanThis photograph is more than just symmetry. Several compositional elements combine to make it a strong image, including converging lines, curves, off-setting, framing, patterns, and figures in an urban landscape emerging and descending. The conversion to black and white simplifies the image and makes these elements even more apparent.

Ciara Milne, July winner: Summer

On honeymoon in Montenegro. A trail led to a lake in Biogradska Gora national park where this tranquil scene stopped us in our tracks. Before one of the best swims of our holiday I stopped to take this photo, complete with holidaymakers perfectly expressing the feeling of total relaxation and quiet.Mick RyanThis photograph captures the feeling of long hot summer days perfectly. A moment in time incredibly well recognised and composed, from the symmetry of the boats and deck, the postures of the figures and the distant hills above the mirror-calm lake.

Chris McBain, August winner: Coast

This spectacular scene on Powfoot beach in Scotland suddenly burst into life just before sunset. I especially like the reflections on the wet sand, and the silhouette of the rocks and seaweed give it depth. Mick Ryan Beaches and sunsets go together like buckets and spades. With no land in the way to hide the setting sun, you can always be ensured of an interesting image if you have a little cloud as the sun dips. This is a beautiful photograph with lots of drama, and well-placed colourful converging lines with good contrast and texture.

Rukhsana Yates, September winner: Solitude

A Douglas Super DC-3 plane lies hollow and forgotten on a deserted black-sand beach in Iceland – untouched since it crashed in 1973.Mick RyanA thought-provoking photograph. Aircraft wrecks are spooky places to visit, posing many questions and stimulating thoughts. What happened? Did anyone die? Being aware of your imminent demise is perhaps the most enforced state of solitude we experience. And then there is the aircraft wreck in a remote place which just sits there in perfect solitude until we visit.

Andrew Swindell, December winner: Food

On arriving at the Sanctuary of Truth, Pattaya, Thailand, I noticed in the elephant ride area, a young boy with a bag of bananas hand feeding these gentle giants. I quickly switched lens in time to catch this shot of the handover.Mick RyanThe contrast between the large, powerful elephants and the young boy create a feeling of fragility in this photograph which cannot be ignored. Great cropping of the scene, perfect timing, and the expression of the elephants make this photograph this month’s winner.

Finbarr Fallon, overall runner-up, October winner: Architecture

The Choi Hung estate is one of the oldest public housing complexes in Hong Kong. I was drawn to the unusual vivid colours scattered across the estate, which humanised its monolithic concrete construction.Mick Ryan A complex composition and alignment to achieve absolutely perfectly, but this image was the clear winner for the architecture category. Symmetry, repeating patterns, converging lines and subtle pastel colours unite to create a compelling image. Excellent.

George Turnbull, overall runner-up, winner November: Celebration

Clearly this group in Kerala, south India, were celebrating a special moment. It was their happiness and joy, along with the colourful clothes, that attracted me to the scene.Mick RyanLaughing and smiling should be the cornerstone of any celebration and this candid photograph is a joy. Combine that with their colourful costumes, a beach, the sea and, importantly, the sun, and we have a winner.

Caroline Gatens, overall runner-up. April winner: Water

I took this photograph in the city of Nice last July on a particularly hot day. The sprinklers turned the square into a playing field for adults and children and all the silhouettes looked fantastic across the square!Mick Ryan What a captivating photograph. This is a good example of how silhouettes and mist can create mystery in an image. There’s a lot going on here and yet a simplicity. Negative space isolates and draws the eye to each animated person. The water – the reflections and the mist – make this even more powerful.

Michael Grolys, overall winner, January winner. Wild

Ascending Hallin Fell in the Lake District, I experienced, snow, rain, sleet, strong winds … everything the Lakes offers on a typical winter’s day. I stopped for a breather and the sun filtered through the clouds and lit up Martindale Common below.Mick RyanThere is no substitute for just getting out in a wild place in changeable weather. This is when you experience the fantastical, as in this atmospherically-lit scene where the sun rays light up the foreground valleys from a gap in the clouds.