New Joiners - People #583

This wonderfully atmospheric and visually stunning shot of people playing basketball on an open court really captures the mood and vibe of a community of collectives coming together in the same space. The high camera angle perfectly captures the long shadows whilst the silhouettes of those in transit with a ball on court are beautifully balanced against those who watch on the side. The warm golden colors shine through the screen in this technically excellent capture. It's what communal spaces are meant for and this stunning image shows us this perfectly. Superb. Very well done.

This is a very good example of a street portrait. A very difficult genre to work in given the unexpected events that unfold before our eyes. The photographer has gone a very good job in capturing the relationship between the person entering the scene and the great background information of the signage above the shop. The timing is very good and the exposure is spot on. I could see this as part of an extended series set within this area. Well done and keep photographing.

This beautifully balanced portrait is a delight. The soft skin tones and illumination of the face really holds our attention as does the delightful pose and expression she holds. The tight crop works very well as does the blurring of the background which puts all the attention onto the individual in this warm technically very good portrait. Well done.

This warm portrait captures perfectly the moment between child and adult as they try and get over the fence by themselves but with the adult their just in case and in support of the child. The photographer has placed themselves perfectly to capture this moment with the trees acting as a visual aid surrounding the top of the individuals and the wide angle lens allows us the information to see the setting where the picture was taken. Well done.

This was so close to my top 10. The composition is superb and cannot be faulted. The camera position and exposure are spot on and the relationship between those in the foreground to the background works very well. The blur and drop off out of focus is a little to much for me. I would have liked to see the individual placed in the right hand side who is looking to camera to be sharper? but that is a small issue in what is a wonderful capture. Well done.

This stunning atmospheric portrait taken on a beach is incredibly evocative. The wonderful highlights in the face and details in the semi transparent top are beautifully balanced against the darker blurred background. The dark hair falling off the shoulder works so well against the body that leans across the frame and the tight crop focuses our attention on the details. Stunning. Well done.

This witty and unique photograph of a newly married couple on their wedding day is fun and beautifully captured, showing great technique and direction of subjects. The clothes separates them from the background which has carefully been thrown out of focus but still visible to make us aware of the place they in habit. The body language and sunglasses carefully set the stage for this wonderful capture. It's a great picture to have and different to most images we see of a happy couple. I'm sure this will take pride of place, framed on a wall in their home. Stunning and fun. Well done.

The rustic colors really draw our attention to this wonderful environmental portrait of an individual sat, arm balanced on a desk outside a contrast of building from the ornate to the modern roofing. The warm burnt orange colors work so well against the subtle gold of the head scarf and the green of the bucket placed under the table. The light coming in from above and sideways lights aspects of the photograph which gives a contrast between light and shade which works very well in this technically excellent photograph. Well done.

This classical portrait is beautifully seen and arranged. The woman obviously happy to be photographed is central to the image and the smile is lovely. The quality of light is well controlled as it comes in overhead and the wonderful tight crop works really well in contrast to the greens of the top she wears and the background, slightly blurred which highlights the facial expression and really frames the face. A stunning capture. Well done. A classic National Geographic style portrait.

This powerful portrait goes straight into the action. The very tight crop and use of a slight wide angle lens allows us the viewers to see every bead of water dripping down the face. The use of black and white and soft tonal palette is contemporary and works well within this image of a small child staring back to the camera. A stunning portrait. Well done.

This well controlled atmospheric street portrait was really close to my top 10. The control of light and flare works very well. The exposure is perfect, not easy with light directly hitting the lens and the high contrast works very well. The shadow cast from the individual walking works very well though I would have liked to see it larger in the frame as the individual walked towards the camera but a small detail in what is a great capture. Well done.

This soft and quiet portrait really opens up interpretations in what the photograph is about. The innocence of youth perhaps, The silence and quietness that we get when looking at this atmospheric portrait is lovely. The soft tonal range is very contemporary within black and White Portraiture (Look at the work of the American great - Mark Steinmetz) The stare out of camera and the soft blur of the field really captures the mood of the image. Just lovely. Very well done.

This stunning visual environmental portrait works on so many levels. Its impact is immediate and the monochromatic greys of the individuals dressed against the muted background works perfectly in harmony which is then shattered by the burst of color from the orange flowers held. This works so well together and really draws us the viewers in. The tight crop and the wonderful costumes allow us to really look at the details within the frame in what is a superb capture. Well done.

The wonderful color palette and tight crop really brings all the attention to the individual in this atmospheric street portrait. The exposure is perfect and the sharpness really draws us in to the smaller details like the hand holding the cup and cigarette between the fingers. A stunning portrait. I could see this as part of a larger series of images. Well done.

The juxtaposition between the woman in the foreground hard at work and those casting nets in the background in the sea creates a wonderful composition and dynamic within the frame in this technically excellent environmental portrait. The colors from the clothes she wears leap off the screen as our eye is then taken to those in the background that are equally important to how we read this photograph. A powerful visual portrait of workers set within their place of work. Stunning.