New Joiners - People #404

A lovely sense of motion and energy has been captured in this striking image. The shutter speed is just right to freeze the hair and the shape it makes is excellent. It's a slight shame that the hair is cropped on the right-hand side, otherwise, excellent work. Well done.

An intriguing and thought-provoking image. I sense echoes of the great American photographer Ralph Eugene Metayeard running through this image. There is defiantly an unsettling edge that is delightfully mysterious. Initially, I was concerned that the focus was a little too soft but on reflection, I think this helps anchor the image with a vernacular charm.

A lovely capture. Portraits can be so much more engaging when a subject lets their guard down and becomes seemingly unaware of the camera, lost in thought or a moment of contemplation. This seems to have happened here as a surfer meditates on the waves. Nice muted mono treatment too.

Excellent work. The elements of the image have been expertly captured. The lighting of the main subject is sublime and I love the way they are looking back to the house which has a slightly haunted vibe. this feels very much like a scene from a film. The sky looks great too. Good job.

This is a good example of an environmental portrait that captures a peaceful, contemplative moment in time. I like the dominance of the landscape as a scene-setter and the blurred cow in the background adds just enough context for the "story".

Excellent handling of mixed lighting in this intriguing image. Looking at jellyfish on a rooftop is not something I've seen before! The composition is also well-considered and dynamic. However, it's the sense of a magical narrative that makes this image stand out.

The creative use of space has been expertly considered in this thoughtful composition. The position of the main subject has a peaceful tension that's accentuated by his position in the frame. There's also a clever use of focus and depth of field along with leading lines to set the mood and direct the viewer's gaze.

The handling of the black and white tones is superb in this good shot. There's a lovely richness to the textures of skin and hair which is hard to achieve, but the cunning use of lighting and processing has worked well. Good work.

What a lovely colour palette. The blue hues work really well in evoking a dreamlike vibe. This feeling is accentuated by the happy, optimistic, pose of the subject. The falling leaves add a sense of magic, although the scale of some of the leaves seems to be a little out. Otherwise excellent work.

I love the simplicity of this scene. However, it feels more nuanced than just a photo of mother and daughter with a bunch of valentine's balloons, there's a feeling of genuine love and affection between the subjects. Their central position in the composition and remote looking landscape enhances this feeling.

Pictures of people doing things can often make more engaging portraits. This chap working on his bonsai is a good case in point. The composition and lighting are both good, however, these are let down by an overall softness and the image which also appears to be significantly over-processed, which is a shame as otherwise, it's a first-rate shot.

Lovely use of ambient light to set the scene. High ISOs and wide apertures are the name of the game here and you've handled the exposure expertly. However, it's the moment that you've artfully captured that makes this such a good picture. Well done.

A powerful image that uses colour to great effect. The vibrant red hues that dominate the image add a sense of fiery mystery to the image. The subject's pose, looking away from the camera and the moody lighting all add to the narrative. Well done.

An excellent character study that captures what feels like a genuine moment of reflection. The lighting and shallow depth of the field work very well. And the slightly muted colour palette adds to the vibe. All in all, this is great work, well done!