Education and Learning

A great environmental portrait shot of a young child deep in concentration in her studies. The out-of-focus area at the front of the image, taking up almost half of the frame, has the potential to distract, but I think it just avoids that, as the focus on the child's face is strong. I like that we can also see the children in the background paying rather less attention to their schoolwork! Being picky, the large signature across the image is rather distracting and in my view unnecessary and does take something away from the image, but aside from that, a great image. Well done on your top ten placing.

It would be great to know what is happening outside, but judging by the look on various faces and the attention being drawn to events outside the frame on the left, it looks a lot more interesting that the lesson being taught in the classroom! Whilst sharp focus is on the girl in the foreground, the rest of the faces are still in clear enough focus to be able to see the varying facial expressions. Well done on your top ten placing.

I love this capture of curiosity and concentration, showing that learning and education is not just a classroom activity. I like the close-in crop and the slightly angled composition. Focus on the face and hands is sharp, including the brow furrowed with concentration. The conversion to black and white has been done effectively, retaining a good range of tones. Congratulations on your third place finish.

Some photographs captured in classroom settings can sometimes feel a little intrusive, but here the girl looks so engaged in the lesson the photographer seems to be unnoticed. Focus on the child in the foreground is clear and sharp, but I cannot help but also be drawn to the child behind her, and his delightful expression as he looks to be taking great amusement from something other than the lesson. I love this contrast between the serious concentration and the laughter behind. The black and white conversion has been done well and suits the scene. Congratulations on your second place finish.

The lighting is key to this image for me, with what looks to be natural sunlight drawing the eye to the details in the schoolroom. Whilst there is some brightness, the darker areas are not too dark, and allow the entire room to be seen, giving a good sense of the place. Being picky, I may have been tempted to lower the viewpoint slightly, to add a little more dynamic to the shot. Still a great image, well done on your top ten placing.

This is a great image of a rather mundane subject, but has been captured in a way that is interesting and pleasing on the eye. Composition and viewpoint is good, with some interesting angles adding a dynamic to the static subject. The background, and maybe the whole image, looks to have possibly been diffused in processing, but that seems to work well, as it allows the subject to stand out, and the contrasty highlights on the shiny wood do not overwhelm. Well done on your top ten placing.

Looking at a scene such as this can fill me with a combination of awe and slight terror as I imagine the skill and patience required by the teacher in charge of so many very young children, with the line between order and chaos no doubt being very thin! Here however, most of the children seem fully engaged in this learning activity, although none actually look over-delighted! It is however a great documentary image of shared learning of class of young children. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A great black and white image of a typical and traditional classroom scene, with pupils sitting in rows and the teacher writing on the blackboard. Being captured from behind, the image could give an impression of an outsider looking in, but the backwards glance of the closest child, somehow invites us in to feel more a part of the class. Lighting conditions look rather tricky but have been well handled, and the conversion to black and white has been done especially well, with a great range of tones and good contrast. Congratulations on your winning image.

Something about this image really drew me in. For me it seems to capture a sense of enjoyment and fun in the relaxed atmosphere of learning alongside friends. Use of a wide aperture has allowed full focus to be on the one youngster, whilst also giving a good sense of the setting of a busy classroom. An image I like more the longer I look, as I am drawn into this classroom scene. Well done on your top ten placing.

What I really like here is the wide view of the classroom that we get, which offers the viewer plenty to explore and hold the attention. There is no obvious focal point, but I quite like that, as there is something to see wherever the eye settles. Lighting is effective, and colours look natural. An everyday scene in a typical school, but well captured and presented. Well done on your top ten placing.