For the winning image in this photojournalism-style contest, I was looking for a whole story in a single frame. This shot certainly delivers. The crisp sharp focus on the boy coupled with his confident walk that hints at the fact he may walk here everyday are what draw the viewer into the frame. Ominous, out of focus crows look on or fly across the scene, and the deep contrast of the edit create an almost post-apocalyptic feel. Above all else, this was the shot to make me stop and think for the longest. Excellent work and congratulations on 1st Place!
I selected this shot for the Top 10 because of the strong horizontal, vertical, and front to back leading lines. Whereas this isn't a documentary shot necessarily commenting on pollution, it is a stark, lonely, beautiful image with wonderful tones and colors, complete with twin cooling towers pumping out clouds of steam. Congratulations on 5th Place!
I recently spent Christmas in Shanghai and saw a similar view to this from my friend's apartment, the fantastic light and colors included, so this stunning cityscape image struck a chord with me. Today, the city suffers terribly from air pollution, and a mask is often a necessity (I developed a nasty, chesty cough after just a couple of days). Odd, isn't it, that sunlight passing through something so toxic can lead to such a beautiful scene? Some mornings, the tower the sun hits so perfectly would not be visible from this vantage point; it would be fascinating to see a side-by-side comparison of this shot with another morning with poor visibility. Congratulations on 2nd Place!
An excellent documentary shot that tells a story, as well as being one that could stand alone or work as part of a longer photo essay on pollution in India. Excellent composition and well-judged depth of field for the scene lend themselves to the feeling that the viewer is in the hands of a very capable photographer. Congratulations on 3rd Place!
It's impossible not to be moved when viewing this image. Excellent composition and well-handled exposure in what I imagine could have been tricky bright lighting conditions are merely a few reasons why I love this shot. More than those, I am drawn in by the harsh shadow falling diagonally across the girl's face. Follow the line of shadow diagonally into the frame and your eyes meet the digger, which takes on an almost monstrous form, and appears to have some hold over her, tying her to the landfill. As my favorite Bangladeshi photographer GMB Akash says of the children who work in conditions such as these in his home country, "...the word ‘childhood’ disappears as early as the age of five. Rapid maturity is all that will keep them alive." A powerful image that brought back memories of my own time spent meeting the wonderful people of Bangladesh. Congratulations on 4th Place!
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Pollution is a modern problem that has left no corner of the world untouched. For this contest, we challenge you to photograph this issue in a way that draws viewers in, when they might typically choose to turn away. Focus on form, shapes and colours, as well as the adverse effects these contaminants have on their environment.
An excellent image and certainly an interesting type of pollution to touch upon. In recent years, smoke and particulates from religious ceremonies has become increasingly concerning to governments and populations around the world; for example, crazy levels of air pollution in New Delhi occur after a whole night of Diwali fireworks, or the smoky haze that appears over Taipei from the burning of paper "ghost" money around the month of the Lunar New Year. So, this photo wasn't just topical, but I also loved the metering that achieved this evocative silhouette effect. Good concise caption too. Well done!
