Excellent composition and lighting. I love the shadow of the hand on the other side of the drum. Shooting Holi in India is a travel photographer's dream – I've done it myself in Mathura, so this shot brought back those memories. You've captured the spirit and energy of the festival perfectly. It isn't oversaturated – that's just how colourful Holi is. Congratulations on 1st place!
Great image. I've seen this ritual performed myself in Kinmen, Taiwan. You've tagged this photo as Myanmar, but this particular custom of carrying the palanquin over exploding firecrackers originates from China (Taoist religion—you can see the Taoist gods painted on the side of the box). I personally know how hectic things can feel in this environment so photography can be very challenging. I hope you wore a mask and earplugs! Congratulations on being 'commended'.
A different take on Holi photography. I love the crisp white t-shirt that has no other colours on it, and his facial expression just after a handful of paint powder hits him. All I can think of is "First blood!" It reminds me of having my face lovingly smeared with paint powder on the streets of Mathura, India. Congratulations on 5th place!
Fantastic shot! Congratulations on making my top 10—well deserved. I would love to hear more about your trip to Chad. I enjoy the composition of this image and the sharp focus on the subject with a slightly blurred foreground and deep creamy bokeh behind. The colors are rich but don't seem oversaturated. The celebratory atmosphere is palpable and I can almost hear the music. Well done.
There's something rather Martin Parr about this image! It appears to be a celebration in a village hall somewhere in Russia. You've captured a decisive moment, as Cartier-Bresson would say, where this old lady is lost in her own little world, perhaps remembering the good old days. The facial expression and posture kept me coming back to look at it again, so I just had to put it in my top 10. Congratulations on 3rd place!
An amazing shot with stunning lighting—you've nailed the right shutter speed for this moment and really got the most out of that f2.8 lens. The ultra-wide-angle lens combined with the perspective of looking up from below have created a memorable composition and scene—it's a classic image and perfectly meets the brief of this contest. Congratulations on winning 6th place! Well deserved.
Congratulations on winning 4th place! This is a an incredible shot with a mesmerising composition that kept me looking for some time. All of the different colours of the people's clothing give the scene a celebratory atmosphere, and the frayed hat almost looks like a frozen catherine wheel going off. Great work!
Congratulations on winning 2nd place! This is an incredible image and difficult to fault – no part of the frame feels wasted and all serve to build this visually stunning work. The silhouetted figures provide a visual anchor to the main focus of the spinning circle. I'd love to see this as a large print (I'm thinking 1 metre along the long edge on some thick Hahnemuhle FineArt Baryta paper – the slight sheen would make it come alive). Well done again.
1,457 Images entered
Excellent image and a great interpretation of the 'celebrations' contest brief – not many people went in this direction. The boy looks like he's having the time of his life, and you've frozen that moment with a reasonably fast shutter. On a side note, f6.3 is my favourite aperture on my Canon 24–105mm f4 L lens... I reckon it's the sweet spot. Congratulations on making the top 10!
841 Photographers
Meet the expert judge
64,206 Ratings
Brief
See more contest details
Photographing celebrations can be great fun, and the photographer gets to soak up the excitement of the party at the same time as indulging their favourite pastime. There’s often a contrasting mix of scripted moments such as speeches and present giving, and the relative chaos of dancing, drinking and social mixing. Boldness pays off, getting yourself into the action, not being afraid to stick your camera in peoples’ faces, and taking lots of pictures.
