New Joiners - People #517

This image really stood out within the competition. It is so well executed and controlled. The use of a macro lens has enabled the photographer to get really in close to the eye and the quality of light reflected back is stunning. It is not easy to make a photo like this and the technique is flawless. It's really eye catching, no pun intended and would make a great poster for a SyFi film. Really well done.

A stunning candid portrait, beautifully composed and exposed in the evening sunlight. The joy on the faces of the women is contagious and I can't help but smile as I look at the photograph. The text that accompanies the entry describes the love and camaraderie of this group of friends perfectly. The high camera angle allows us the viewer to see each individual expression on the faces and it is all such happiness. A truly stunning and life affirming picture. Life is good with friends. Really well done. A stunning capture of friendship at a time when we can all do with as many friends as possible. Lovely.

Mobile phones allow us to make images out of nothing and to have the ability to take pictures all the time. I needed a double take before I saw the Eiffel Tower in the background. The stand and look moment that the girl in the foreground is having looking onto the same scene that we are witnessing is one of those wow moments. The subtle red in the top and the light on the tower really make this picture. How many times do we walk around major cities to be confronted with a moment where we get to see something unexpected. Great capture.

This is all about photography, literally. We are given the location with the inclusion of the poster for the Photographer's Gallery in London in the background but what is amazing are the identical movements of the two girls walking through the frame. The similar positioning of the feet and the way they both hold their mobile phones is credit to the photographer who has captured this decisive moment. You have to be ready and be able to spot the potential for a picture before taking it and that is not easy. Well done. Great capture.

Fun in the sun. The wonderful colors of summer really come out to play in this engaging image of youth. The yellow of the jacket from the man in the middle of the three is perfectly complemented by the radio they are listening to. The technique is spot on and the exposure is perfect for the scene with the background well controlled and out of focus allowing us to really concentrate on the people in the picture. This could be a generational image. We have seen this type of picture before from the 60, 70, 80s etc. That's a good thing. great capture.

There is a lot to take in within this photograph. The subtle rain across the entire frame works so well with the expression on the mans face. Almost saying - what can I do? the way the focus is on him and then softly goes out as we look around the background which means our attention is drawn back to him and that pose. The use of black and white fits in with this documentary style environmental portrait to good effect making the image really stand out. Great technique and a well composed photograph.

Such a lovely contrast and positioning between the two men, with the younger one looking directly at the older man as he then looks out of shot. The warmth in the light is echoed on the expressions on the two faces. The tight crop adds to the intensity within the frame and the muted colors of the clothes are perfectly matched by the background paper. They maybe acting or they may have this mutual respect and understanding of each other, regardless what is in the frame is a stunning and well crafted portrait. Well done.

The use of a wide angle lens allows the photographer to capture the whole scene in front of them. This is not easy to do and keep such control of the people within the frame but well done to the photographer for a high level of control and great technique in making this image. The sense of occasion really comes through in the expressions of the people and the colors in the clothes they wear. A great capture which is fun and impactful. Well done.

This could have been taken from a surveillance camera given the almost private viewpoint of the area and the camouflaging behind the dense wires. I love the scale which seems so wrong with the man so close within the frame even though he has to be some distance from the camera. The bold colors of the clothes are in contrast to the background which means he is really visible and stands out in the frame. This is a really unique and bold candid environmental portrait and one that really stands out. Well done. A really powerful constructed image.

These types of photographs are really important as they document aspects of life that are constantly changing and lost. Photographically the photographer has done an amazing job here. The amount of light coming into the frame behind the workers is not easy to expose for and to then get the exposure correct on the main subject which has been handled so well in this photograph is testament to the skill of the picture taker. Beautiful light on the metal and all in all this is a wonderful environmental portrait. Well done.

Great capture in the style of the snap-shot otherwise known in photography as the vernacular aesthetic. This is a lovely positive and warm portrait of a young girl, happy to pose for the camera. The framing of her between the cherry blossoms works really well and is highlighted further using the traditional door frame as an additional formal devise. The subtle colors complement each other and the quality of light on the face and dress is immaculate. Such a lovely vibrant portrait. This would work so well on a gallery wall framed. Great photograph. Well done.

This is a good example of how you can spot a space which you think could make a great picture then it's about waiting for that extra element to complete the composition. I love the contrasts between the two painted murals of the faces looking straight to camera whilst the man walking through the space, perfectly timed and positioned is on his phone unaware of the bigger picture and scene that he is apart of. Top class exposure and the use of black and white adds to the abstract quality of this well timed and well seen image. Well done.

A great capture and wonderful formal positioning of the two central components within the frame, the ball and the lady looking at the object and getting ready to hit it over the net. The quality of light is superb and the shadows cast on the face work so well against the controlled highlights. The use of black and white gives a real sense of the space and of that classic timeless sports pictures from Life magazine. The low camera angle gives us a unique framing position which makes this picture stand out from the crowd. Great capture. Well done.

A really great capture and studio portrait which despite the girls expression I bet was really fun to do. The use of colors work so well in this set up and the expressions both on the girls face which mimics the face on the bag is wonderful and playful. The tight full frame crop works well and brings all the attention to the girl and bag below. The light is very well controlled with the spotlight on the face especially effective. A great capture. Fantastic and fun.

This photograph has a real film scene quality as if it is part of something far larger. The saturated colors especially the deep red in the girls jacket works well against the rain and warm pinks in the background. The expression and angle of her face looking up catching the light works well and the low camera angle adds that sense of space within the frame. A great capture and could be a film still. Lovely.