Law and order

I loved this one instantly for its quirky humorous take on the competition theme. A barrister and (presumably) his client caught in an off-guard moment, bonded by the need for a cigarette amidst the seriousness of a court case. A timeless photograph of a real slice of life.

The idea behind this picture is not new, but it stills portrays the juxtaposition of power and vulnerability very well. The expression and body language of the small girl portray a world-weariness beyond her years; she seems casually accepting of the powerful weapon in her face. It is a shame we do not have more supporting information from the photographer.

The imagination behind this shot is appealing and has turned what could have been a very conventional light trails shot into an alternative view of law and order in action. I am trusting that this was a police vehicle in action!

The power of this shot lies in the dynamic expressions in the middle of a tense moment. The open mouths portray instructions being forcefully delivered and the tight cluster of officers holds the composition together very well. Great documentary shot.

Presumably a set-up shot with a re-enactor in costume, but one that evokes a sense of law and order from the past, in the days of Dixon of Dock Green. The B&W conversion is an important feature and this has been processed in a very apt way.

The resentment and anger of this man as he is taken into custody is skilfully illustrated in a classic B&W documentary style. The tight framing and dark vignetting of the picture pulls attention towards the middle and immediately tells the story of law and order.

The role of the police is to protect the vulnerable from harm and this image portrays that beautifully. The alarmed expression of the small boy is powerful and made more so by the compositional anonymity of the officer; just his strong arm of protection makes for a terrific compositional presentation.

This is different and shows a photographer who is capable of thinking beyond the obvious and prepared to take risks that deliver a love-it-or-hate-it image. With heavy processing and saturated colours the mounted police and crowd movement still comes across to tell the story. Keep up the creativity!

A very in-your-face portrayal with good use of colour saturation; okay the sky is far from perfect but the position and expressions of the officers carries the impact and the iconic background adds another dimension to the story. Well done.

Here we see a suspect being restrained and the use of three hefty men to hold down one (black) man makes for a powerful social statement that has strong political undertones. A little attention to the bright highlights would help improve the presentation.

The use of light to create atmosphere, combined with a B&W conversion has delivered a strong street shot that evokes a strong sense of place. Whilst a police officer features in the image I think the link to the competition theme is not as emphatic as I would have liked. For me the 'story' of law and order needs more visual immediacy, so ultimately a great shot but not one for this competition.

I love the humour in this hot as we imagine the panic of a 999 call whilst the van is incapacitated. Further reflection makes you think about funding levels and how services across the world no doubt struggle to operate within their budgets.