Portraits With Context

I'm sorry this didn't make the top ten slot and it was difficult for me to not include. The detail and composition is faultless. You can real feel the texture of the horses hair. Technically this image works very well - I'm really impressed with the quality considering the location is at a live event. Great work!

This is such a fantastic portrait beautifully captured. The direct look of the rider is superb - he has such confidence and control of the horse. The drama has been stopped at 250th of a second making this such an engaging portrait. I love the muted colour palette too - excellent work - a well deserved 1st place!

A quiet reflective moment captured in this stunning portrait. The light combined with the smoke and dust have created this soft muted colour palette which looks fantastic. The bond between the man and beast is superbly documented in this worthy top ten entry. Stand out work!

Great image with lots going on - I love the dynamics between the three people - the composition working really well too. The muted colours of the shot and the detail are brilliant - everything captured in this small moment. Excellent work.

A really powerful portrait narrowly missing out on a top ten slot. The wide angle lens and narrow depth of field really giving this picture a detailed quality. The composition is working really well with the bull's horns framing the man. An excellent shot.

Wow that look - a moment stopped in time. What's he thinking - to find a shot like this in a butchers shop is very impressive. The lighting is superb - looks like a painting from one of the Dutch masters. A really top class portrait - well done!

Fantastic portrait narrowly missing out on a top ten slot. I love the composition and the viewpoint making this a standout shot. The detail is incredible - everything is pin sharp. Technically a very good image and so beautifully captured. Great work.

A really beautifully observed portrait of this young man - great composition too making this a standout shot for me. I love the colours and just his expression is so direct - it's a timeless shot which makes this image so powerful. Great work.

A real stand out shot and a very different kind of portrait compositionally. The high angle viewpoint works really well and the technical challenge of shooting in such a high contrast environment have been overcome. I love the detail in the blue carpet contrasting with the women's clothing and head scarf - a really beautiful image.

Such a beautiful shot a worthy top ten entry. I love the quiet contemplation of the man and that block of orangey red of his turban is just fantastic. The detail of this shot has been superbly capture to create a really engaging portrait. Great work!

The exposure in this portrait really is spot on - the daylight picking out the colour and detail and the trail of smoke from the cigarette is superb. Beautifully observed - a quiet moment of contemplation. Excellent technical skills - top work!

The colour and composition of this shot are really excellent. The technical challenge of shooting in such low light are impressive too - using a high ISO with a wide angle lens at f5.6 the detail in the shot and that of the man's face is superb. A brilliant portrait.

Such an engaging portrait - I really love this quiet reflective moment captured in the afternoon sun. The colours and tone are really beautiful - the details of this shot are superb. The viewer is left wondering what the young women is thinking. Excellent street photography - top work.

Such a powerful image - although the subject matter is challenging to look at it's a really hard photograph to ignore. Both the butcher and the severed head of the pig seem to have the same expression. Great composition and exposure - a worthy top ten entry.

I find this portrait really intriguing - the composition and use of daylight coming from the window, light the subject so beautifully. The details of the workshop are captured with care and the colours work really well. An excellent shot.