New Joiners - People #466

This is such a beautiful picture. I am drawn to the serene expressions on the faces and soft lighting across the whole image. The warm tones and wonderful deep maroons of the robes works so well against what looks like a old fashioned school blackboard. The photographers ability to go in so close to the subject and still manage to get such a natural and composed image is testament to their skill and ability to put subjects at ease. This is not an easy thing to do and this photograph shows that this photographer has a great eye for detail and a picture and the confidence to go in close. A worthy winner. Well done.

Sometimes the most amazing portraits are those which seem so simple. That is never the case. The photographer has worked very hard to make this stunning picture. This is all about color and how to use it. The wonderful mustard colored top works so well against the greens of the land behind. The stare into the unknown off camera with hand shielding the eyes from the sun is lovely as are the few strands of hair across the face. A stunning portrait set within an incredible landscape.

The subtle use of color works so well within the light blue dress against the soft greens in the background. The light on the face is lovely but ther real gem is the palm of the hand as it just lighly touches the plants. The fairytale is added to with the inclusion of the ears that add a strange mythology. Lovely and quiet. An image to look at time and time again.

This is such a powerful photograph on several levels. The lighting conditions are difficult to work with but the photographer has done an incredible job controlling the highlights and details in the shadow areas. The subject, three barbers standing outside the shop and the glass window which gives us a view into their world works well as does the casualness of the poses which means they are comfortable in the photographers presence. It has an American feel about it even though it was taken in Manchester. Great capture.

The concentration on the ladies faces have been captured perfectly by the photographer.I love the darker blues of the tops to the left echoed by the softer light blue top of those in the crowd in the far right of the frame. It's a quiet image but full of emotion and intrigue. Who is winning? We will never know but this photograph captures the intensity so well.

This is a great example of a classic character portrait. Placing the point of focus on the mans face really means we spend all our time on his far away expression into the distance and the wonderful illuminated smoke form his cigar. The highly saturated colors against the dark background works so well. This is a powerful photograph in the National Geographic style. Wonderful. Well done.

I love the way the silhouettes seem so static and almost quiet against the dense and dramatic background. Their lack of color works so well against the swirls of clouds and that wonderful yellow and orange gap of light in the center of the frame. This has a frozen in time quality about the whole picture. It works so well because the elevated camera position above the children means we get to see the entire scene with our own eyes. We feel we are present within the frame. Just a really powerful photograph.

This is such a powerful group and candid image of a set of women who in total harmony are carefully working in tandem. The stunning highlights are very well controlled on the white tops they wear as is the detail in the rocks and shadow areas within the frame. This is not an easy thing to do, so well done to the photographer who clearly understands exposure. The composition is spot on as is the use of a wide aperture so that everything is in focus. A lovely photograph.

This is a simple but very well controlled and dramatic photograph. The tonal range is very good and not easy to do given the amount of light the photographer is shooting into. We get a sense of those warm lazy walks on the beach which are so lovley to do with friends and family. The composition works so well with the bank almost gliding into the sea. The soft cloud formation is in keeping with the quiet nature of the image and the use of black and white adds that sense of drama to the picture. Well done.

This has a wonderful nostalgic feel about it. It's also epic in its nature with the glacier behind the man. The use of black and white really adds to the drama and the use of a shallow depth of field means the focus is on the man. It would have been easy for him to be overshadowed within such a setting but the photographers skill means that we concentrate on him then we see the incredible space he inhabits. A powerful image. Well done.

This photograph works on so many levels. The wonderful warm evening light which bathes the entire image in this golden glow. The elevated position the photographer takes allows us the viewer to take in the entire scene and the large ship really gives that sense of scale between the crowds in the foreground to the right of the frame. This is an evocative image. It has a timeless quality and is really just very beautiful to look at. Stunning.

What a smile, what colors. This is such a joyous photograph. The expression on the child's face is so wonderful and warm that we cant help but smile along. The closeness to the subject works well as does the out of focus child running or reaching in the background with ball in hand in the opposite direction. The contrast in colors between what each boy is wearing adds to the striking nature of the image. This is a warm and well constructed photograph. Very well done.

I love the relationship between the two performers and the audience behind.. The dancers seem to be in their own world in this seductive performance whilst those behind gasp and look on amazed. The colors are powerful and the red dress really brings the performer alive and the use of vignetting at the edges means all our attention is on them and the background. Great use of light especially on the faces and the decisive moment when she is dipped over. This is a great example of a performance image and worthy of a place in the top 10. Well done.

Caught in the act. We never know what the photographer is taking a picture of. Is it the porch, maybe a cat? The use of reflections in wndows works so well in this picture as does the subtle colors running throughout the frame. It's always nice to see a photographer in action with that concentration. This photograph is like photography itself, about time and framing.

Photography is apart of most of our lives thanks to technology. This is a great example of that. the warm light on the face and top works so well against the blues in the sky above which are echoed in the stars on the top. I'd like to think they are stars but could just be shapes. Thats what I love about this image. It allows us to think, to dream. It's fun and will make a lovely image in an album or on a wall framed. Well done