I am a big fan of this image because it shows a very usual scene of a girl being totally preoccupied with her phone. Her entire body takes on a weird position that is only seen in these moments when minds get detached from their physicality. The perspective of the image is well chosen to be on her level in order to feel her hiding absence. The image is reduced to black and white, which focuses our eyes on the strange shape of the girl's body. We can assume another reality in the background where another girl is communicating with someone else. Those two realities hit in one image and to me pose crucial questions about digital natives, childhood and social behavior, but also about the total immersion that is so much key for children.
The simplicity make this image a winner for me to be in my top 10. It is so bonkers and fun and the child seems to be rather serious and concentrated in contrast to what we see as a viewer. The composition is clean and balanced and draws our attention. The colors scream fun and childhood. To me the image is quiet, serious and wild at the same time and I love how the face of the child is doubled by this very smart perspective shot.
When we will be heroes! That is to me a crucial aspect of childhood and I love this image being in my top ten. The boys have found themselves a perfect playground which doubles up as performance stage with a special feature. Thanks to the photographer who captured this moment, when the kids' clothes muscle up and their heir is styled at the same time to look like an action hero or a super monster or whatever amazing! PERFECT!
This is my absolute winning image on the topic of childhood. Technically it is the angle, the close proximity, the snapshot feeling, the lighting, the rainbow reflections in the background, the high key lighting. Looking at the image I am amazed by the colors and the concentration of the kids. The image tells a great story and includes a huge variety of props that make the story round: the red face, which the girl probably painted before hers, the boy that is fascinated by it all, it is a morning or weekend and the iPad YouTube tutorial, which was probably the starting point for the event to take place. Also the kid's motivation of putting on make up and being an adult brings up all sorts of questions about who we are as a society or where we are heading to with media and bringing up a new generation of children. All in all an amazing image that makes me think about all sorts of questions about childhood and where we are with it. GRAND!
The parents turn their backs and let the children play in the utmost exciting place on earth: THE MUD PIT! And we can definitely see that the kids enjoy and enjoyed it already. This image tells me that this is most likely the purest form of childhood: carefree and fun and fully in the game where time and place do not matter. A moment exquisitely and convincingly taken by a photographer who saw it and it's meaning taking place right in front of him/ her. Applause for this pure image on all accounts. No need for any technical features.. the moment is it. Thank you!
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Are these kids imitating art? Are they imitating adulthood? Do they actually know what they are doing? Is it a choreography? I love the symmetry of the image that wins every viewer and draws our attention straight to the girl's activity. It raises all sorts of questions about life and the moment and art. That's what I see as a successful photograph. And then again this photo simply shows a fun moment of childhood. Maybe the girls even climbed over the barriers and didn't mind the institutional rules? Maybe they just wanted to have fun? Who knows really?
822 Photographers
Can a picture be more positive and fun and pure? The focus of the image is laid on these two fabulous girls enjoying a moment in time to the maximum - possibly beyond it. They might play or overreact or just catch something exciting falling. Their hair is showing off all their energy and their uniform brings in some institutional or adult aspect of life, from which they are exploding into immense joy.
This kind of image must be snapped and edited in order to be found and can hardly be constructed. All respect goes to the photographer for exactly those two qualities. But also for cropping the image so tightly and only showing the two girls and just enough to place them in a street outside. The lighting is soft and counter acts the emotions and the composition gives intense dynamics. AMAZING!
This very snapshot image shows so much what a photo really needs. The low perspective gives the viewer the perfect angle and concentrates our vision to whats necessary to read this exciting moment of childhood. Being part of this snail race and looking right into the highly concentrated faces of the two boys. Wow! I like this image a lot for exactly all of it.
It looks like these children are facing something serious. It is possibly not even their time of day and they should be rather in bed or somewhere else? This image is dense in atmosphere and although it is dark outside I am amazed how many colors are still present. The colors are rich and strong and they make for me what childhood is about: intense and adventurous. In many ways this image can be seen quite abstract too. It is full of emotions and excitement and the kids are on a ride of life into a place they don't know yet. What an amazing shot.
Everything in this image is striking: the lighting, the choice of black & white, the crop, the focus, the situation in a probably save environment and most of all the moment. As adults we see children getting more and more accustomed to modern digital media. We wonder what it will do to our children and we are very concerned. Children are curious and take things for face value. This girl does exactly that: enjoying a moment of digital potential. Either taking a selfie and posting it in a second moment somewhere? Showing off her love to her cuddly sheep? Or being on a video call with someone dear? She is quite relaxed and she is in full control. So let's ask ourselves: what is good or bad about this? And why is she inside and not outside? Is she safer here or there? I like all those questions that this photograph asks us, the viewer. That's what I see is the highest quality of photography: Asking questions! THANK YOU!
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Images that capture the essence of childhood range from loving studies of our own children and grandchildren, to more hard-hitting documentary style imagery that brings to light the often difficult lives that children might be experiencing.
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This boy seems to be rich. All of a sudden. His face is exited about it and he can't really believe it. WOW! We know exactly how this feels as a child. I can see in his face that he is already thinking about all the things he wants to buy with that money: is it kilos of candy, a bike, a toy, a ticket to a fun park or will he buy a present for his best friends? Although the image is slightly out of focus i appreciate the intimacy and close proximity to his facial expression. The crop shows exactly what we need to see in order to feel for the story taking place and the colors matching between foreground and background make the image very appealing. We hope he does something amazing with his fortune.. what would we do with it?
Two worlds collide perfectly in this image, what I love about it. The story is well told and adulthood is juxtaposed to childhood.
The kids are in no way in a children's environment but probably enjoyed it a lot for very long - too long maybe? They probably watched TV for far too long and fallen asleep or soon to fall asleep. They don't enjoy it anymore and probably unknowingly even imitate their parents. I believe that as soon as they go asleep, their parents take over those seats and get tired too. A moment well captured and composed beautifully symmetrical in order to ask the right questions and tell this story.
The lighting is key to me in this image. Also the composition and the field of focus. But also the facial expression and the contrast between the face and the rest of the image. Altogether the photo shows us a mysterious story: What is the boy reading? And how intense can reading be? And how intense can childhood be?
Where does this light come from and why does it hit the boy so perfectly? It also passes the background and shows a Christmas tree and the reflection gives us a glance into the space. The situations to me is very symbolical, bringing the inner situation of the boy to the outside: He is dramatically amazed about his presents - a quality most kids have and what makes childhood such a beautiful place to be.
