New Joiners - People #513

Excellent lighting control in this very challenging situation. The black-and-white treatment feels like a good creative choice and lends an artistic flare to the image. The 'birthday' story has been nicely told in a way that elevates it above and beyond just a snap.

This is an excellent document of a protest. It's immediately apparent that this is a protest picture, and the signs help tell the story of the agenda. The perspective and lens choice have nicely compressed the crowd, which adds to the story.

This is a wonderful portrait. Simple but highly effective. The handling of the natural light and exposure is spot on. If I'm being hyper-critical, I find the slight crop of the subject's right ear a little distracting; pulling back an inch or two would have solved this. Otherwise, this is a lovely image, good work!

What a lovely scene. Three women enjoy the view in this beautiful landscape. The composition is perfect, with just enough landscape to provide context. The colours of the women's clothing create a lovely focal point and contrast to the wider scene.

This is a quiet and restrained portrait that evokes a sense of thought and contemplation. The clean simplicity of the composition works a treat, and the black-and-white tonality has been skillfully handled with just enough detail in the shadows and highlights. Good work!

This is a thought-provoking and compelling portrait. Tonality, lighting, the colour palette, and the position of the protagonist's head evoke the image's mysterious vibe. Sometimes, pictures that leave something for the viewer's imagination can present more depth and nuance. Good work.

This image beautifully controls the complex mixed lighting. The conditions look very challenging, with cool daylight in the background and warm tungsten light glowing on the subject - this is not an easy situation to balance. The colours and tonality have been perfectly rendered without losing a sense of place and context.

What a wonderful silhouette shot. The subtle colours of the sky have been skillfully controlled. I particularly like the blurred rock in the foreground, which adds a sense of scale and depth to the composition. The stoic, contemplative position of the subject adds to the story.

This engaging image is rich with atmosphere, mood and emotion. The lighting and colour palette are sublime and help reinforce the notion of the image's title, 'Ancient Echoes.' The subject has been artfully posed and positioned in the frame. Good work, keep it up.

At first, I wondered what this was doing in the 'People' category as it looked like a landscape image. Then, on closer inspection, I noticed the line of humans on the top of the glacier, giving the image a wonderful sense of scale and perspective. It is possibly too dark, so maybe lightening it a little. Otherwise, it's a cracking photograph; keep it up.

I love the sense of a natural narrative unravelling in this compelling and engaging image. The 'snap-shot' aesthetic echoes Nan Goldin’s "diaristic" approach to photography (look at her seminal body of work, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, for reference). Good work!

Photographing people at work is a great way to make engaging portraits. This image from Malaysia is a perfect example. I love the echoes of red bouncing around the frame, from the hanging plastic bag on the far left to the subject's clothing to the poster on the far right. This trio of red pulls the photo together nicely. Good work!

I love the layers of aerial perspective in this simple but effective image. The subtle pink and purple hues of the sky are simply wonderful. The figures on the near horizon add human presence and a sense of narrative. It's a nicely seen scene!

This is a courageous approach to self-portraiture. It's not easy to put yourself in the picture, let alone attempt to reveal and address aspects of mental health. The overwhelming red colour palette and your visceral expression all speak eloquently to the story. I hope the darkness lifts for you.

I love the vibe that shooting on film evokes. It has a wonderfully evocative groove. However, I'd be tempted to remove some of the dust spots (the white marks in the sky) using a 'healing' tool (or similar). I love all the little vignettes of stories happening in this beach tableaux.