New Joiners - People #458

Aagin another photograph with a heartfelt story behind it. Photographically this is a great image. Wonderful use of light on the face, The backdrop is made up of these vibrant colors of the fabrics which really make the image come alive. These colors are echoed in the womans headdress and top. The pose is really interesting using her arms and hand to really draw our attention to her which is not easy given the vibrancy of the backdrop. The technique is spot on and the exposure is wonderful as is the slightly elevated camera position. Wonderful.

A classic portrait. You need alot of skill to make a picture like this. Given the amount of light, it's not easy to get the right aperture to blur the background out like this. Once this has happened we spend all our attention on the individual. His chilled pose with thumb in pocket and stare out of shot. The brooding sky works well against the singular color of the green top.. Simple but not as easy as it looks and that is the sign of a very good photographer.

Emotion, friendship and coming together for the love of sport are all evident in this great capture. The use of the full frame to place the three players works very well and brings us front and center to the action. The sharpness and blurred background really makes them stand out. I love the different expressions on the faces and hand gestures. This is a great example of a sports photograph which puts the emphasis on the players and not the sport. Wonderful capture.

This is all about the right distance and the photographer has made a great picture by taking a few steps back from the action so that we the viewer get to see the entire scene. The attention to detail is great as my eye is taken all around the frame and what each person is doing and looking at from taking a picture of a girl sitting on a rock to others shielding their eyes from the sun to take in the view that we never get to see. The low camera angle helps containing the group and this is a really lovely framed photograph.

A stunning documentary portrait of a woman and child. The glowing light on her face reveals an anguised expression which has an almost heavenly feel about it. The way she keeps the child darkened next to her is lovely. The out of focus background means we are utterly drawn to her and the use of black and white adds to the image and positions the photograph within a genre of concerned photography. This is a difficult photograph to look at given the womans expression but it is also very beautiful and raises questions like all the best photographs do. They make us take a position. Well done.

This is a wonderful example of a fantastic photograph and the hard work it can take to make it. The description included with the photograph tells the back story of how the photographer had to win the trust of the subject. This is something that we see many times in the great documentary photographs. The picture itself is beautifully shot. The light is wonderful as is the pose of the man cutting the cane. The dark dramatic sky adds to the overall feel of the image and it really stands out from the crowd. It would make a fantastic series and I hope the photographer continues making work on this broader topic. It reminds me of the work of Sebastiao Salgado. This is superb and a worthy winner. Well done.

A very well controlled and seen picture. It would have been really easy to get this so wrong with the exposure blowing out the highlights but the photographer has controlled the exposure very well. The single individual is well placed within the frame which then allows us to see this picture postcard view of a snowy street. It has a painterly feel which adds to quality of the picture. Well done

This is such a warm and fun photograph and the photographer really has got close to the action so that when we the viewers look at this we feel we are right in the action ourselves. I love the red glow on the faces and balloons against the grey sky. Even though we can't see what they are looking at, we know they are all together as a group chanting in unison. Great picture.

It's the attention to detail that really elevates this photograph from many others. The choice of color scheme for the dress, make up and background are perfectly chosen and the soft light really works well for the subject. I love the details in the hair and the candy above her head. The little touches work so well. The soft pink textures work well againt the curls in the hair. Fun and well considered. A great capture.

How do you make a decision on what to actually picture when you are in a large crowd. The photographer has made a great picture from a sea of potential options. The technique is spot on as we are only allowed to look at the main subject. This is helped by the blurred background and tight crop on the lady in the frame. A very well seen picture and very well executed.. Great capture.

The framing is very good, using the fingers to draw our attention to the main part of the subject. The eyes. The catchlights are great and really give a sense of space within what would otherwise be a very flat image. The sharpness is spot on as I see many attempts to make a picture like this but are let down by the eyse not been totally sharp. Not in this case. This is great. The use of black and white means we are not distracted by pigment colors in the skin. A lovely example and great image. Well done.

A classic silhouetted scene. The central figures are perfectly placed between the boats and just below the horizon line works so well. The setting sun and warm red glow is perfect for the overall feel of the phtograph. We see many pictures like this but to make a great image like this is not easy. The photographer has shown all there skill in making such a lovely classic scene. Well done.

This photograph shows all the joy, passion and adrenaline of what it is like to be young and in a zone that you can only feel if you are there. The facial expressions are great and varies as our eye darts across the frame from one person to the next. The elevated camera position really allows the audience to get a great view of the entire scene. The exposure is spot on and the fact that the group in the front are highlighted really getes us close to the action. A fantastic shot.

Some photographs allow us to read so much into them and this is a fine example of that. It is a lovely picture which allows our imagination to run wild. When I look at it I see a horror film whilst others will see soemthing different. I love the space between the photographer and the main two subjects and the relationship they have with each other. I start to think why are they in this scene and why are they dressed the way they are? The light is lovely on them and its such a strange photograph that I keep on looking at it. Great picture that really opens up our mind. Well done.