Portraits of Loved Ones

This kind of lighting can be so difficult to capture properly, and it's been done so well here, to create an almost magical atmosphere. It's a beautiful image, and such a unique portrait. The whole colour scheme is beautiful. and each little detail seems well thought out without being overly 'staged'.

It is so difficult to get such a great photograph of a child so young, but this is fantastic! The way he's standing, the expression, is perfect for this image. The lighting in the background gives it such a great atmosphere too.

This is one of those images that appears deceptively simple at first, but there is actually so much to it, and I love that. The composition is spot on. There are three people but it is clear who the intended subject is given that only one of them is looking directly into the camera. There is also an interesting mix of cultures, especially with the smaller details captured.

This is exactly the kind of image I hoped to see when I created this contest! There are so many subtle details that tell us a lot about this lady. She is clearly a woman who is busy cooking for her family, the angle of the photo captures the hearty meal she is making. Both the food and the sense of dress speak of the culture. Even the details right down to the steam from the food cooking give the viewer a feeling of being there. All of the colours are wonderful too. All around excellent photo!

This is such a simple image but I loved it right away! There is a great sense of fun, we all know that feeling of someone making us laugh with a mouth full of water, until there's nothing else to do but spit it out. The water is captured perfectly and her expression is genuine. The choice to go black and white is a great one too.

Applying make-up is a very personal experience, and I think it's a brave move by this lady to let the photographer in here. The angle captures the details of both the subject and the reflection perfectly, right down to the warm, peace of the lighting.

This is another perfect photograph of almost contagious humour! This is exactly what I wanted to see, this is a photo taken with love. And I know it was likely pure chance, but the three items all in that bright shade of green really add to the composition.

Reading is a solitary experience, and it might not seem like a typical activity to include in a photograph, but it can show quite a lot about a person. This image captures exactly what I was looking for in this contest, it shows a loved one's interest that's personal to them, and the composition is wonderful.