Black and white portraits
Kobran

Black and white portraits

March 2020

Expert
winner

It was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. Among the approximately 1,500 presented, I have selected about 50 images from which I have chosen, after many reflections, the final shortlist. Although the first 10 images are all truly spectacular, worthy of being mentioned among the best that can be found on the web, I have chosen this one as the overall winner of the competition! The main motivation is linked to the intensity of this magnetic gaze, which creates an incredible feeling with the subject. Very uniform also the uniform and the conversion in black and white. Congratulations on this victory, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

1,495 Images entered

512 Photographers

It was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. Among the approximately 1,500 presented, I have selected about 50 images from which I have chosen, after many reflections, the final shortlist. Although the first 10 images are all truly spectacular, worthy of being mentioned among the best that can be found on the web, I have chosen this one as the second "runner up" image of the competition! The main motivation is linked to the intensity of this portrait which I personally love for the shot and for the contrast you have created between light and shadow. Very nice black and white conversion. Congratulations on this award, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

Crowd
winner

75,279 Ratings

Entry 5610874
121st
222

It was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. Among the approximately 1,500 presented, I have selected about 50 images from which I have chosen, after many reflections, the final shortlist. Although the first 10 images are all truly spectacular, worthy of being mentioned among the best that can be found on the web, I chose this one here as the first "studio" image of the competition! The main motivation is related to your creative ability to enhance body language and, of course, to use lights. Personally, I prefer portraits done in the street, in real contexts, but I think your work conducted in a controlled environment is of an absolutely wonderful level. Very nice conversion to black and white and the control of the highlights. Only great photographers know how to manage the set as you do. Congratulations on this "top 10" award, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

It was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. Among the approximately 1,500 presented, I have selected about 50 images from which I have chosen, after many reflections, the final shortlist. The first 10 images are all truly spectacular and they could all win this beautiful contest! This portrait literally left me speechless. In addition to the technical mastery demonstrated in the management of "costumes", makeup, lights, etc., here the creativity in creating a story, a message, is astounding. In this work we can also appreciate the extraordinary photographic editing skills you have: only professional photographers working in advertising campaigns can boast these skills. Really remarkable work! I believe that if this image has not won, it is probably because of my photographic vocation, more oriented towards travel, context and history, rather than the "message". Certainly the most beautiful conceptual image seen in this contest. Congratulations on this "top 10" award, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

As already written in the other reviews, it was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. The first 10 images are all truly spectacular and they could all win this beautiful contest! This portrait impressed me for the richness of the details, which - alone - tells the story of a wonderful ethnic minority and its unique culture. In addition to the technical mastery demonstrated in the management of the shot, here you can also appreciate the way you composed this portrait, perfectly balanced from the point of view of proportions. It is never easy to frame so tightly without compromising the harmony of the image. The focus point is also perfect. Congratulations on this "top 10" award, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

Entry 5685165
439th
105

It was not easy to choose the winning photograph among so many excellent portraits. Among the approximately 1,500 presented, I have selected about 50 images from which I have chosen, after many reflections, the final shortlist. Although the first 10 images are all truly spectacular, worthy of being mentioned among the best that can be found on the web, I chose this one here as the first "runner up" image of the competition! The main motivation is linked to the power of this set portrait which, personally, I love for the setting and the story told given that it is immediately connected to the context (now famous thanks to travel photographers like you). Very nice background and contextualization of the subject made masterful by a fantastic conversion to black and white. Top image in any context in which you will propose it. Congratulations on this award, you deserved it among many images of great emotional depth. Thanks for sharing it with all of us!

Entry 5713959
7th
48
Entry 5725725
101st
122
Entry 5729390
1011th
20
Entry 5784651
16th
192
Entry 5828464
159th
48
Entry 5839759
304th
78

Meet the expert judge

Brief

See more contest details

***This contest is open to subscribers (members on the Challenger, Pro and Master subscription tiers). However if you're not a paying subscriber you can still purchase entries for £2 (GBP) per image.*** Black and white portrait photography is a genre that’s appreciated by many, thanks to its focus on moodiness and subtleties in the subject’s appearance and character. Not every portrait situation will work well in black and white, so consider doing some research beforehand to identify key elements that make for a great B&W photo.

Entry 5596798
40th
213
Entry 5602196
64th
106
Entry 5604979
47th
24
Entry 5610113
27th
272
Entry 5611456
128th
7
Entry 5614054
32nd
23
Entry 5621465
35th
100
Entry 5622087
185th
151
Entry 5650419
267th
49
Entry 5650420
131st
81
Entry 5684355
455th
59
Entry 5684359
348th
48
Entry 5684360
511th
38

I chose this one among the many non-awarded photos to give my opinion compared to many other good images because, in my opinion, it could be included in the awarded photos but it did not happen because it was plagued by an ineffective focus management. I have encountered this problem in many other potential good contest images. I chose this one here because it seems to me that has caught my attention the most by looking at the miniatures. In this case the subject is good as well as the feeling created with the subject, but the fact of not having the eyes perfectly in focus distracts attention from the true protagonist of this portrait: the eyes of this young boy. Thanks anyway for participating, and I hope this review will help you understand the reason for the exclusion.

Entry 5842243
17th
62
Entry 5854172
30th
22