Natural light portraits

Such a powerful image — I love this stark black-and-white portrait of a man smoking a cigarette. It’s close-up and very much in your face, quite literally. Although I’m not sure of the details behind the image, it places the viewer right there in the moment. There’s a raw, unfiltered quality that makes this a real standout portrait for me. Great work!

A really striking portrait of a young woman, her face is partially covered by her head attire leaving us to focus on her bright blue eyes staring directly into the camera. Her hair and eyebrows are also a vivid blue, the strong colour contrasting beautifully with the black background. The detail is superb making this a real standout portrait for me. Excellent work.

Such a unique picture of a baby girl relaxing in a tub of water. Her face is wise and thoughtful beyond her years making it a really beautiful image. I love the composition and pops of colour - the yellow and pink contrasting with her porcelain skin. I wonder what she’s thinking… I guess she’s just taking it all in and having a moment to herself!

A great shot of a young girl in a rural location holding proudly onto a large Guinea Fowl. The background is neutral which makes the colours of her blue headscarf pop! It’s a really beautiful composition and her character really shines through making this a really stand out portrait for me.

This really is a show stopper! A celebration of all things green including the young girls eyes. The dynamic overhead composition also adds another element of drama. She stands proudly on beautiful detailed fabric of green holding a green plate of brightly coloured sweets in green wrappers of course! A fantastic image - well done!

I love this picture of an Indian guide in Keoladeo National Bird Sanctuary in India. The quiet assured intensity of his gaze, as looks directly at the viewer. The bright pink of his headwear contrasting against the scene is brilliant. I also like that we can see some context in the background. A really nice image with lots of beautifully captured detail.

Such a great image of a Mongolian wrestler staring directly at the camera. He leans against an open window with a confident gaze. There’s something about his posture and attitude which I love - it’s unflinching and direct but in a calm assured way. It’s a very good portrait- excellent work.

Such a beautifully observed portrait of a woman sitting alone at home with her thoughts. There's a quiet calmness to the scene as she looks out beyond the frame. Her face is lit from the daylight coming in from the window. The detail is fantastic and the exposure spot on. An excellent capture - lovely work!

I love this photograph of a young boy being carried by his father. He looks back momentarily towards the photographer - his expression is hard to read but it’s really beautiful observation of a father and son. It works so well in black and white and all the details from his bright expressive eyes to his muddy hands shine through. Great work.

This is a real gem of a portrait - the colours and tone are superb. A street performer is caught in thought as she looks out beyond the scene. Her red lipstick combined with the red floral decorations in her hair make this a real stand out image for me - excellent work.

A really fantastic image of a woman shot tightly against a black background. I love the detail - it’s all there, her amazing green eyes staring directly at the viewer revealing an inner strength and beauty. The quality is really excellent too given the fact it’s shot on a phone - incredible! Great work and a really well executed image.

A very powerful portrait- the photographer has used a really super tight crop leaving us to focus on the man’s intense gaze. The detail is superb and the overhead sun providing a very bright key light to the subject’s face. It’s a very good image and one that immediately caught my attention. Great work!