Festivals

Thank you for submitting the image. It's a great moment of shared joy, epitomised by the expression of the main subject. I feel the bright, colourful toning and exposure mirror this. I love the hand signal and how the composition enhances this. Personally I'd prefer a slightly tighter crop on the right and the top, to increase the feeling of the jam packed action. Congratulations on highly commended.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I absolutely love the feeling of simplicity here while being a very detailed and well focussed shot. The expression in the hands, the shape of the elements in the frame, the light on the confetti and the dynamic shapes of the streamers all contribute to a very strong immersive feeling of being at a festival. Congratulations on third place.

Thanks for submitting this photo which stood out as a very strong capture of a crowd experience. The light is handled particularly well. The beautifully centred figure is expressing a strong emotion, whilst surrounded by the detail of many others, whose hands are expressive too. The overall feel is of a positive shared experience - therefore representing festivals very well. Congratulations on fifth place.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I love the moment captured in terms of the child in the centre. I feel the composition and point of view work very well - immersive and elevating the children's experience. The light and natural contrast is particularly pleasing. Congratulations on highly commended.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I appreciate the strong and simple composition. The colour toning works very well. The aperture choice too, working in the available light to show the performers clearly but also give just enough detail on the crowd. Congratulations on highly commended.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I love the perspective of being the other side of the barrier from the crowd, but in terms of emotion, being immersed with them. You've captured many different subjects in the moment of expressing strong emotions, which gives an overall strong feeling of a shared event. Congratulations on top ten.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I found it a very striking composition and moment immediately. I like the mobile phone on the left but personally I'm less sure of the cropped ear on the right, although I do appreciate the centre composition. Congratulations on highly commended.

Thanks for submitting this photo. It's a particularly striking composition with the human forms mirroring the structure. The black and white toning emphasises the graphic nature of the frame. I love the subject separation. I also love the unusual feel at first glance. Congratulations on highly commended.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I really like the moment captured. The light and toning bring out the warm of the moment. The detail of the light and smoke is pleasing. The aperture is well chosen and I appreciate the clarity of the child's expression while giving depth to the frame. Personally I'd like a little less on the right hand side, but do like being able to see the bright red at the top. Congratulations on top ten.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I love the colour and the light here. In terms of composition, I appreciate the scale of the figures at the bottom and the overall framing. The separation and scale of the various balloons is very well composed. Congratulations on top ten.

Thanks for submitting this photo which I loved the second I saw it. There are many aspects to attending some types of festival and this captures a very real one! I love the detail of the mud on the legs, the moment of the mid step, and the litter on the ground. I also love the colour and light. The image made me smile. It's not always easy to make a photograph with humour. Congratulations on second place.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I love the almost monochromatic feel of the colour. The edge to edge framing is particularly effective, reflecting how tightly packed the crowd is. It's a great strorytelling image, which takes a minute to read. I love the Easter egg feel of the very small black and white details of the phones and the selfie stick. Congratulations on fifth place.

Thanks for submitting this photo which is immediately impactful and which contains so many elements to be commended. The point of view and choices of shutter speed and aperture together allow you to capture a strongly immersive storytelling image with plenty of subject detail around the frame and varied blobs of dirt flying into the otherwise negative space. The frame is full and dramatic. The exposure captures the wonderful light and also the rich colours of the scene, using silhouette to enhance the natural drama of the moment. The overall frame has originally which helps it to stand out. Congratulations on first place!

Thanks for submitting this photo. I love the close composition - emphasising the moment and the colours. I particularly like the clear drops of paint in the lower frame, and the more abstract colours in the top half, seeming as if to blur from the face. Congratulations on top ten.

Thanks for submitting this photo. I found it very striking. I love the composition and how unusual the scene appears at first glance. For me, the colour toning is a little strong, but nonetheless I do like the impact of the red. I also appreciate the textures in the water. Congratulations on highly commended.