Enjoying Life

I'm hard pressed to find a more spontaneous, joyous and energetic interpretation of the theme. A moment well caught that allows us to engage with the subject and that also clearly delineates the action around him. The energy from this moment is infectious and uplifting. Well done.

How wonderful. A real moment of happiness and well caught. I like the technical skill in capturing this but mostly I like the framing - the ball the object of the leap and I like it's colour against the blue background. Nicely done.

Terrifically touching and very simple this frame says a great deal without shouting. It's all here - the mother's face, the lines of cables that gently fall like water over the pillow... the child's expression and the wonderful framing of the father(?) surgeon (?) that leads us into the frame from the left. Lovely.

This is an odd image. There are two photos in here sandwiched together and they sort of both work but perhaps not together... Firstly I like the idea of the kids on the wall 'leading' us into the frame. Secondly, I like the timing of the dive and the scene around it. I'm just not sure that the size of the child on the left means that we linger too long over his shape. That said, this is a very nicely captured scene.

I really like this. Lovely colour, line, shape and geometry. When a picture is this good however, tiny things can spoil it. I don't like the white of the awning at the bottom of the frame - it's a distraction - and I'd like to see the top of the fire hydrant too. Tiny things but they separate a very good image (which this is) from a classic. Well done in any case.

I really like the framing of this. It might be a lucky accident or a moment of inspiration - either way it makes for a lovey, engaging and different band portrait. Lots of fun, energy and an intriguing shape make this a very worthy entry. Nice.

Oh, so nearly... A really lovely frame that needed more of the boy's face puling the trolley. It still works - the expressions of the two kids being pulled are magical and spontaneous - but oh, for a bit more space and better framing. Well seen though.

This is very close to being a great image but when something is this potentially good, you have to make it work. The wonderful chaos of the background colour needs a lift - and that lift would be to see both frames of the woman's glasses - the frame you need is either the split second before or the split second after - but let's take nothing away from a strong frame here.

There's a picture here - and you've seen it - but haven't been able to quite pull it off. It's either a frame 'anchored' by the incongruity of the mechanic that has the contrasting full length of the woman or a more brutal crop of her. I like the movement of her hand but I want more from the frame. Nearly - keep pushing these compositions.

I like this a lot. I like the complexity of the shapes here that we have to look through in order to see what is happening. I especially love the central character's hand in what I presume is an Egyptian Ahwa. You've really caught a spontaneity that is natural and understated. How to improve? There's a bit of dead space on the right of the frame that could be lost - but overall this is a cracker.

What joy - and whether by planning or fortune this has wonderful elements. The spacing between the figures all doing their own thing is almost perfect. The bubbles are an added extra. It's a shame about the cluttered background but sometimes we just have to accept that photography is not about perfect. Great frame.

Love this. Whether the frame has been turned upside down (it has I'm sure) doesn't matter. The symmetry and graphic composition works either way. As an aside Cartier-Bresson used this idea of inverting his images to gauge their compositional effectiveness. Anyway, real joy on the kid's faces makes this a strong frame whichever way up.

A really intriguing image that is very close to being harmonious. It's really well seen but the timing and hence framing is just out. That said, I really like the colour, the exposure and the intent. The action's all a bit stuffed into the left of the frame which makes it feel a little unbalanced and the figure to the far left is just waiting to enter the frame. That said, it's well seen and nearly there.

I like this. I like the energy and I like the spontaneity - the feel of fun and happiness. The exposure (obviously) is off by a fair amount and the picture isn't sharp. By 'panning' - moving the camera in synch with the action we might have a better (more technically 'correct' frame) but I like it. Sometimes memories are made in moment's like this and their recorded imperfections may add to them.

This is a technically lovely frame, beautifully lit and composed. What elevates it is the symmetry of the woman's hands mirrored by the uplift of the skirt. I like how the man's arm frame the left side without intruding into the woman's space. Nicely done.

There's a real graphic sense to this image: an almost textbook composition aided by the use of a 300mm to compress all of the action onto one flat plane. I love the central girl's expression and the water is well captured. All in all a really nice effort.

I like the idea behind this but its has its limitations. Technically it's a bit weak - the highlights from the lights and the white canvasses are blown and the eye is drawn to them first. However, the idea is very nice and I like that I'm being made to look at the painted portraits instead of the people. Decent effort.

It's the quality of light and the incongruity of the green and flash of red that makes this very simple image into something more. I like the simplicity of this - a simple joyous moment of play that is elevated by a lovely portrait. How to improve? Maybe the frame could be more accurate - I'd like to see the rest of the red roof and by coming down a couple of inches we might cut out some of the distracting buildings behind. But make no mistake, this is a strong frame. Well done.