Make your own luck

There are no rules in photography or, at least, you can frequently ignore them and still end up with a great image. Convention dictates that in portraiture the eyes should be sharp. In this image one of the eyes is not and it works all the better for it, aligning with the mood or emotion in the picture - looking off into a hazy or uncertain future. The expression is perfect and the choice of black and white rather than colour is the right decision in this case. Colour would be too distracting here. Photography is essentially about learning to get to the right decision in double quick time; there are a lot of decisions to make. The 'rules' of photography are a useful starting point but no more than that. Don't let anyone dictate how you must do something - if it works, it works.

This shot manages to work through astute use of light and colour despite having no clear subject to capture the viewer's attention. It is an urban landscape and like good landscape pictures requires keen attention on the part of the photographer to the subtle interchange between light and colour to make it work. In a series of street photographs shots such as this can really help by providing a more general environmental view; they can also act as a kind of punctuation in a series of images, giving the viewer a more logical document to read. The depth of focus works very well, describing in detail, a lot of information. Skilful work.

I love the muted tones in this photograph - it's a great example of how to use colour well. The photographer has also packed a lot of information into the shot whilst retaining the viewer's attention on the main subject. This is down to the sensitive capture of the expression and posture of the main subject. The image has authenticity, it is a believable slice of life and, in our times of image manipulation, this shot exemplifies what can be achieved with your eyes and a camera. Lovely colour documentary work.

The decisive moment is as important in football as it is in photography. Unlike the English team, the photographer here has chosen his moment well. When I saw this shot I was unsure if it had been staged or not, not that it matters as it has been so well seen. It's also a great document of contemporary street life with added pertinence at the moment as it reflects the passion for football. The light is perfectly suited to the action; strong light, strong emotion. There is also humour in the shot, a cheeky lad being pulled up for his behaviour, perhaps like some footballers.

Another lovely street photograph, beautifully observed, with that all-important sense of authenticity. There have been really impressive street photos submitted in this competition and it has made selection difficult. This shot makes my final selection for many reasons. The photographer has managed to control different elements of the shot to make it into a coherent whole, which is no mean feat. I love the viewpoint from inside a shop or a bar perhaps? The intense concentration on the faces makes the viewer wonder what they are looking at. The background information locates the shot, it's like a short story in one frame. The only possible improvement might be a little dodging on the face of the woman close to the centre of the frame to reveal more detail in her face. I like the figure in the shadow, low in the centre as it adds depth to the image.

For me, the most striking aspect of this photograph is the beautiful use of colour. The vivid colours in the photo connote India and the Orient, although I don't know where the picture was actually taken. It's also a great environmental portrait. The composition is assured with the focus on the left and the figure in profile looking down the road to the right. It's a very professional, i.e. executed, shot and is of the standard seen in high-end travel magazines. The colour does seem to have been boosted in post-production and I'm unsure that this is necessary - the shot is strong enough without enhancement. However, the more saturated colours do reinforce the connection to India and the East and also make me think of the contemporary work of Lorenzo Vitturi’s Dalston Anatomy. Very good work.

I love street photography and this is an excellent example of the genre. The necessarily quick decisions that have been made regarding the use of the available light and the selection of the subject matter are first rate. The square format lends a pleasing symmetry and focuses the eye on the main subject despite the fact that the photograph has a deep focus which would ordinarily distract from the subject. The photographer's viewpoint has been well chosen and this is skilful work. The light plays on the suit the man wears and accentuates the texture of the fabric giving a 3D quality to the photograph. Street photography is a tricky genre to master - you have to, in some way, make the ordinary irresistible to gaze at whilst also providing a valuable document of the frequently overlooked through familiarity. I believe this photographer has met these exacting demands very well.

This is another photographer who shows good potential with the street photography genre. The arrangement of the girls in the photograph is excellent and very natural. The light, while a little harsh, is suited to the subject matter. This demonstrates good instincts and ability. The viewpoint is looking upward, having the camera level slightly tilted down may well improve the composition as the converging lines of the shops in the background would concentrate the eye on the central subject matter. I am aware that this may have brought in other distracting elements to deal with but small shifts in viewpoint can radically improve an image. The depth of field would benefit being shallower, again concentrating the viewer's eye on the subject. Finally, there appears to be some HDR effect/colour manipulation here, though it is not as noticeable as in some other images. Whilst more suited to this image it still detracts somewhat, reducing the power of the image. With colour, the best advice I can offer is to make sure you have a colour calibrated monitor, and pay close attention to getting the white balance right in camera. From my own experience I have found the auto white balance setting on both Nikon and Canon cameras to be very good for use in street photography, which can have wildly varying conditions. Start from as accurate and neutral a base as possible - you will then be in a position to make good assessments of any enhancement you use. Nevertheless, the photographer here has demonstrated good instincts and technique and shows promise as a street photographer.

This shot very nearly made my Top 10 selection. It was a very difficult decision as it's certainly one of my favourite shots. Beautifully composed, with excellent use of the muted lighting which suits the colour tones in the photograph. It is a quietly seductive shot that rewards extended viewing. It is so well observed that I cannot think of any possible improvement. The woman's movement is arrested, something out of frame seems to have caught her attention. The dogs are intent on proceeding in the other direction. This opposition adds mystery, what's happening out of the frame? The small details also arose speculation: is she holding flowers? If so, who are they for? Or is it just decoration on her bag? These small details are crucial to the photograph's success. It takes a keen eye to make something out of such unprepossessing material and that is testament to the skill of the photographer here.

There's a lot going on here and it's a credit to the photographer that he captures it so well. Lacking a single denied subject matter means that the photographer has to balance all the different parts with care. There's a delightful sense of everyday tales or dramas unfolding. It's a world away from the standard travel/tourist shots and it is all the better for it. The shot appears well processed without any glaring enhancements and this gives the shot - that word again - authenticity. Good work.

I really like this shot. It could come from a very hip fashion branding book. It puts me in mind of the work of Ewan Spencer who has done fantastic work on youth culture. I'm a fan of flash as well as natural light, and when used in the right setting it can be very effective. Flash here works perfectly and it is better that the flash is obvious, direct and harsh, reinforcing the brashness of the subject matter. There are two possible improvements I can suggest: the flash needs to be a little stronger to properly expose the people at the bar; this would mean that the bikes in the foreground would be a little over exposed but in this type of shot that would actually be very acceptable. Look at high-end fashion advertising and you'll (hopefully) see what I mean. Also look at the work of photographers such as Juergen Teller and Wolfgang Tillmans. The other improvement I can suggest is to omit including a copyright notice on the image. Many entries had these notices on them and they are very distracting. In Photoshop under the 'File' heading at the top of the page you can go to 'File Info' - this will open a box where you can embed copyright information. There's no need these days to have it on the image itself. Aside from these comments this is a great image.

This image has potential. The two girls represent a strand of contemporary culture and car boot sales (I'm guessing it's a car boot sale) are a feature of UK life today. So in documentary terms this is a promising subject matter. The photographer has done a good job considering the setting. The difficulty with documentary photography is that the photographer often has little control over elements in the picture; the skill is being able to make the shot work in less than ideal circumstances. In this instance some bravery and flexibility might extract an improved image. Bravery in that if the background is difficult it may be best to approach, politely, those people you'd like to photograph and ask for their co-operation in setting up a shot. Though some argue there must be no interference on the part of the photographer in reality this is a fallacy. The photographer always intervenes in a scene he is photographing - the viewpoint he choses, what is included and excluded, the edit etc. The saying may be 'the camera never lies', but the qualification is that the photographer always does. The photographer here is to be commended for noticing the potential of this situation and for his technical skills which are clearly good. Working the potential of the situation may yield an improved result.

This is a well observed and a well executed photograph. I have not awarded it a higher rating solely because of the HDR manipulation. In my own view HDR detracts rather than adds to an image. Others will naturally disagree, and sometimes with creative work it does come down to personal preference. The reason I do not favour HDR is that it over-textures the photograph to the point where all I can see is the technique rather than the image. A subtle use of HDR can sometimes assist in revealing detail in difficult lighting conditions but, as with alcohol, is best used in moderation. It is however good to explore and understand new techniques, learning when to apply them is part of the learning process and is to be applauded.

I wanted to comment on this photograph because as a practitioner of street photography I took plenty of shots like this when I started. It is a difficult genre to master and the first step is to go outside and start photographing, so I heartily applaud that effort. It can be very intimidating shooting on the streets of any big city, but acclimatisation is a big step forward in this process. The more you go out, the better you'll get. You'll become familiar with the streets and even begin to make friends with other street dwellers (coffee vendors seem to be a favourite of mine) which makes you more comfortable in this environment. I spend quite a lot of time just watching and I chose a spot and then stay still, watching again. So, congratulations in taking that difficult first step, with perseverance the rest will eventually follow. Well done.