Autumn in Utah by Sergiy Kadulin

Captured during an October road trip between Bryce National Park and Zion, this image showcases the breathtaking transition of the American West. The photographer was struck by the striking contrast between vibrant green fields, the early golden hues of autumn foliage, and the imposing, rugged mountain backdrop. By utilizing a telephoto lens, the photographer compressed the landscape, effectively emphasizing the immense scale and towering height of the rock formations. This thoughtful composition transforms a fleeting roadside observation into a timeless study of seasonal color and geological grandeur, earning recognition for its masterful balance of natural elements.

Autumn in Utah by Sergiy Kadulin
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Exposure 1/320sec @ f/11 | ISO 200 | Focal Length 95mm
Copyright Β© Sergiy Kadulin
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Sergiy Kadulin

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 1967, Sergiy Kadulin balances a distinguished career in the information technology sector with a profound dedication to the art of photography. His creative journey, which began with his grandfather’s vintage camera, has evolved through extensive formal education at the Kyiv School of Photography and the New York Institute of Photography. Specializing in travel and landscape imagery, Kadulin seeks to capture the warmth of the natural world, using his lens as a medium for personal expression and a deep, empathetic connection to the environment.

Profile View Full Profile
12.4/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
195/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
17,838 views | 7 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date April 11, 2013
67.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 13.0
Composition 17.0
Style 12.0
Skill 13.0
Photograph Location
Utah, The United States

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Landscape Photography
Sergiy Kadulin Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (12.0/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,313/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
17,838/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
2.0/5 points
195/500 Submission
Jury Score: 67.0/80
Resonance Score: 12.0/20
Total Award Score: 79.0/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 7

Sophie Delacroix Emotional Narrative, Viewer Response & Psychological Impact Expert Review
Before the eye identifies the jagged Utah peaks, something in the chest tightens. The compression of that telephoto lens forces a claustrophobic intimacy, making the golden aspens feel like a sudden, sharp intake of breath. I’ve spent years returning to this frame, and it still triggers a phantom chill in my lungs. It’s not just a landscape; it’s the quiet, heavy weight of a season ending, a memory of cold air caught in a frame.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
A roadside observation, the curator claims. One suspects the shutter was clicked between sips of lukewarm coffee. It’s a competent compression of Utah’s geology, certainly, but it lacks the grit of a long vigil. I’ve spent enough shivering mornings in the high desert to know when a scene has been truly earned. This one feels like a lucky encounter rather than a conquest. It’s pretty, but it didn’t cost the photographer a thing.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
The ochre of these Utah cliffs, reminiscent of a Morandi still life, bleeds into the verdant valley with a tension that makes my heart ache. It’s a chromatic collision where the sun-drenched limestone, burning like Turner’s embers, refuses to reconcile with the cool, shadowed greens below. One finds it’s not merely a landscape, but a visceral, discordant symphony of geological heat that lingers in the eye long after the gaze has drifted elsewhere.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The telephoto compression forces a rigid stratification of the picture plane. The foreground foliage doesn't merely sit; it anchors the base, providing a necessary counterweight to the verticality of the rock face. It’s a disciplined arrangement of mass. I’m genuinely unsettled by how the mountain’s jagged edge slices the sky, refusing to let the eye wander. The spatial tension holds. It’s a rare instance where the frame doesn't collapse under the weight of its own geography.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
The compression of the lens pulls the mountain forward. It’s a wall of stone. Below, the green field holds its breath. I find myself wanting to step into that sliver of shadow between the rock and the grass. It’s quiet there. The scale doesn’t overwhelm; it invites. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s a pause. I’ve spent minutes just watching the light settle on the ridge. It’s enough.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The air in Utah holds a specific, thin silence in October. Kadulin didn't just capture these peaks; he waited for the light to soften against the stone. I’ve stood in that same cooling hour, feeling the compression of the 95mm lens pull the mountains closer to the trembling autumn leaves. It’s a quiet, holy geometry. Looking at those golden hues against the rugged rock, I feel a sudden, sharp ache for the stillness of that high desert.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most landscape submissions this year relied on wide-angle distortion to fake grandeur. Kadulin’s choice of a 95mm focal length is what saved this. By compressing the distance between the golden foliage and those jagged, unforgiving cliffs, he’s forced a tension that feels almost claustrophobic. It’s a rare, honest look at the Utah terrain. I’ve stared at this for ten minutes, and I still feel the chill of that October air. It’s going to endure.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Yuki Sato

The Earth’s Quiet Turning

There is a rhythm to the turning of the year that asks us to slow our own pace to match it. We often think of change as a sudden event, a sharp line drawn between what was and what will be. But nature knows the truth of the transitionβ€”a slow, deliberate softening of the edges.

Read the reflection →
By Isabelle Park

The Weight of the Seasons

I spent this morning trying to clear out my closet, pulling out sweaters I haven't touched since last year. It is strange how we hold onto things, waiting for the exact right temperature to justify their return.

Read the reflection →

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