Character Portraits (people only)

This image is quite understated, but I think that is why I appreciate it so much, as nothing looks forced or trying to be overly emotive to draw attention, instead being more documentary in nature. I love that we get a good view of the surroundings which give context, but the gent is obviously the subject of the photo. By including the drinks on the table, we get a story of a social character rather than a lonely person sat apart from everyone else, but that does not take away from the character that is portrayed. The black and white works really well to keep everything simple and direct. Congratulations on your winning image.

By shooting from a low viewpoint to eliminate unrequired surrounding elements, you have brought a dynamic and interesting perspective to the portrait. We get a real sense of the strength and spirit of the subject as she carries out the physical task of preparing the large fish. There is a lovely clarity to the image, and the bright natural light has been well controlled. The conversion to black and white works well too. Congratulations on your second place finish.

This image really tells a story, with a portrait capturing the character of the bookie at the races. The surroundings are simple but give much-needed context, without which the shot would not be so powerful. The angle of view works well, shot from the hip, adding to the mood of the shot. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

There is a strong connection here between the subject and the viewer that has been captured in the image. I love the lighting of the image, with strong light from behind, but also suffieient light on the face to reveal all the character details. The framing and composition is spot-on, as we see a little of the immediate surroundings of the shed, and a view of the out-of -focus garden in the background. Conversion to black and white works well, with a good range of tones, and by stripping colour there is nothing to distract from the subject. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

This portrait oozes character and is hard to ignore. It is up to the view to create their story of the life this man lived and lives, but the story would no doubt always be a powerful one. I especially like that the gent is looking out of the frame instead of directly into the camera, and the inclusion of the surroundings gives a little contest to the shot. The high contrast black and white suits the subject, and we can see wonderful textural details in the skin. The use of a wide angle also gives an interesting perspective. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

A smile like this is enough to brighten anyone's day! Such a huge beaming smile, that also extends into his eyes to convince this is a true emotion. We get nothing of the setting or context of the shot, but that does not matter, as if more background were included, this delightful subject would be smaller in the frame. Great black and white conversion, with plenty of brightness to reflect the mood. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This casual scene, shoot at the kitchen table, really captures the story and character of this gent, holding court and putting the world to rights over a cuppa. Shot from the level of the table brings a great perspective to the shot, and the very wide aperture ensures only the face of the subject is in sharp focus, with everything else falling gently out of focus, but not to such an extent to be a distracting blur. Great capture, full of character. Well done on your top ten placing.

What a charming capture of a delightful child, looking to be full of curiosity and mischief. I love the high-key effect, and it has worked really well to draw attention to the facial features. I like that the child is not looking directly at the camera, as we can wonder what is just out of shot to capture the cheeky gaze. Full of characterful charm, well done on your top ten placing.

This portrait of a young girl is certainly full of character. I don't mind the casual set-up with the other child in shot in the background, as that allows the image to look more natural and not forced. The high contrast processing is great, and although predominantly pure black and pure white tones, there is no harshness to the capture. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.