Fashion and beauty

We really liked the use of colour in this shot. There is a lot happening and it's rare to see an image that can create shape and balance a number of contrasting hues and tones in harmony. The greens, blues and reds have no right to work together but do.

The pose is great and creates perfect shape in an expansive image that keeps you coming back.

We also loved the styling choices and co-ordination from the shoes, accessories and hat.

From all the images we looked at, we wanted to include a classic beauty image in our top 10 and this shot was the finest example of that.

The post production has been cleverly executed to give us a perfect finish without the skin or texture looking fake at all. We love the lighting balance on this shot and reflection from the eyes.

The cropping and framing are perfect and the symmetry of the model fits the images to a tee.

This was a shot we revisited a few times. It's always tough to judge beauty shots as they are everywhere and stock imagery has altered our perception of the iconic beauty image.

This example stood out for us as it's not only been crisply shot but also has an aura of intensity to it. We love the attention to detail from the makeup to the pin sharp chestnut eyes.

The framing and choice of cropping also added to the shot while the colour tones work across the board.

In second place (and pushing for the top spot) we loved this image of old meets new. In an age of Insta filters, this shot utilised the tones and hues with a modern twist.

The pose and body shape work perfectly while the movement of the material fills the frame. It's rare to find such a strong example of classic fashion with a contemporary feel.

The colour choices also stand out and contrast perfectly with the detail of the look.

Another image that tells a story. The natural and simple styling combined with the use of shadowing adds a layer of intrigue to a classic black and white finish.

We really liked how the photographer didn't go over the top in post production and showed us the real beauty of a subject in full pose.

Reminiscent of the Calvin Klein campaigns that ring true, the model's relaxed facial expression and casual nature add to the overall feel of the shot.

We really liked this shot for a number of reasons, the main one being that you have to study it to really appreciate it. The detail on the eyes, a great use of depth of field and a washed finish that brings you back to the classic Hollywood images of the 1940s and 50s.

The cropping of the image and the focus above the eye is very unique and something that really stood out for us. We are still debating whether the image is of a real person or not. A great shot worth spending time on.

In third place is a shot with a real difference. This black and white grew on us over time and stayed in the memory while reviewing all the candidates.

One of the hardest things to achieve is simplicity and this minimalist example hits the perfect notes. From the off-angle of the top creating beautiful black and white contrasts to the luscious negative space that allows the viewer to focus on the the subject.

A great fashion / art example with real meaning.

This shot is a stand out in the top 10 and an image that we knew would feature as soon as we saw it. The severity of the stare and the dead-pan look draws you in to really appreciate a well executed image. It is technically very strong and visually interesting.

We loved how the loose strands of hair were left alone and the post production seems minimal if there at all. Big eyes and a youthful complexion evokes memories of youth and innocence.

We loved the subject in this shot and there is so much to like about it. The subject's style, makeup posture, expression and stare are great.

However, we felt that the image was tainted by the overlay wash effect. This post production technique is dated and unnecessary. We'd love to see the original shot and perhaps use a blur effect to wash out the background subjects if that's what the artist was trying to achieve.

Technically sound and a great shot otherwise.

We liked this shot for its use of perspective and lines. The geometric nature of the overall image was very well thought out and executed.

We felt that the lighting could have been slightly more balanced to give us more of the subject and make him the centre of the piece.

The greys and dark tones work really well otherwise. It's on the right lines but just shy of our top images - a good shot that is close to being a great one.

This image was a strange one. On first view we shortlisted the shot but on closer inspection we felt the post production killed the overall feel of it.

The glow effect is one that we see a lot of photographers try to use to clean skin and create a smooth finish, but in this instance we felt that it went slightly too far.

The idea is great and the pose is interesting but we'd love to see it pre post production.

We liked the idea behind this image but felt that the execution wasn't quite there. The lighting isn't quite right and it seems that the photographer tried to adjust this in post production.

The danger of trying to fix lighting in post is always an overkill effect that ends up looking pixelated or flat.

The eyes and facial expression are good and we like how the photographer used the dark background with the darker blues. Good, but just shy of our list.