Put in their place

This portrait is both alarming and amusing in equal measure. The brutal reality of this man's job is softened by his characterful face and almost comic stance. The fact that he is wearing a striped shirt and a pink tie tells me that he takes pride in his appearance - an endearing and some would say an old-fashioned virtue. The unfortunate dead pig looks out of the image through black holes where once it had eyes. This strong composition is rich in environmental detail which informs without distracting from the subject matter.

This one stopped me in my tracks. This is a very surreal image which didn't initially make sense, but intrigued me. I broke my self-imposed rule to read the information that came with the shot. It turns out it is a portrait of Magnum Photographer Chris Steele Perkins in front of one of his images at a gallery opening. The photographer has managed brilliantly to communicate what it might feel like to be shot by this illustrious photo journalist. In essence this is a simple portrait, but a nice example of how context can add so much to a portrait.

This shot is a good example of how an environmental portrait can reveal so much about its subject. Animals obviously play a large role in this young person's life and his tenderness with the puppy seems to be in contrast with the rugged lines of the truck and the rough ground around it. This young boy looks wise beyond his years and seems to question making any assumptions about his lifestyle. This is a really nicely composed photograph, which makes me think of the work of Jane Bown.

Sometimes a portrait has strength for reasons that are difficult to quantify. They are instinctively engaging and truthful. This portrait shows a characterful man who looks like he has seen a few interesting things in his time. He looks directly into the camera with confidence and assuarance. He has no fear. The unconventional crop and quick drop off in focus work well in drawing the viewer into the image. It's hard to look anywhere but directly into his eyes - simple, honest and strong.

Yep, I get my car serviced in a garage with an office just like this one. Everything is filthy and stinks of engine oil. The photographer has composed this shot well, revealing a space full of incredibly rich detail. I'm particularly drawn to all those well-worn manuals on the upper shelves. The subject looks very much at home in this space. The shiny laptop is his one concession to the modern world. I do wonder if the image would have even more power in colour.

The simplicity and clarity of this portrait give it a quiet uncomplicated strength. It could grace the pages of any of the Sunday supplements. The composition is balanced and the background shows a subtle and pleasing range of blacks and greys. The photographer has done very well retaining detail in the white coat at the same time as revealing those subtle darker tones. The subject's stoic gaze suggests he is not trying to please anyone, he's just doing his job. His patterned shirt is the only clue we have of a more colourful life he may have outside of work.

This photograph has a subtle painterly quality which really appeals to me. The colour palette is mostly made up of gentle pastels which give the image a warm feeling of serenity. It's almost like a scene from a movie - a moment of calm before the imminent storm. The composition ensures that the three men are somewhat dwarfed by the grandeur and scale of their environment. Time seems to hang in the air. The photographer has exposed this image perfectly, losing none of the subtleties this scene presented.

Careful planning and composition must have been integral to the making of this portrait. The divided spaces create an interesting alternative to the traditional portrait. The photographer has done very well to neatly capture so much of this little girl's life in a single image. Repeating the shoot in the same wardrobe each year during her childhood would be a fascinating project. The shot could possibly benefit from a slightly darker exposure but is otherwise very professionally executed.

The Madonna and Child have been depicted in art for many centuries. I see this image as a refreshingly modern and realistic interpretation of the genre. Motherhood comes with all sorts of challenges. This willful child is not playing ball. He has no desire to sit and pose - there's a whole world out there to explore. Their position on top of the hill almost gives them a statuesque quality as if a monument to the struggles of bringing up kids.

As I looked through the entries I kept coming back to this quiet contemplative image. Distinctly American in feel, the man's substantial physique counterbalances the staircase to form a strong graphic composition. The burgundy pillar is mirrored in everything the man is wearing. This is perfectly complimented by the grungy green tiles of the wall. As a portrait of someone in their environment this shot feels like one of those special moments when all the stars align to form a moment of pure synchronicity.

I have chosen this image as the winner of the competition as it engages me on a number of levels. It is incredibly rich in tone, detail and texture. The composition ensures that one's eye travels around the image picking up all sorts of clues to the identity and environment of the subject. Despite the saturated warm colours it is obvious that the man lives a hard life in a noisy polluted place. I hope he takes some comfort each time he looks at the sticker with his guru's image. This is an engaging photograph that reveals something new with each viewing.

Through the clever use of a fisheye lens this shot dramatically captures the claustrophobic space of an aircraft cockpit. It is an angle I have never seen before and it elegantly captures so much. The pilot is surrounded by a bewildering array of buttons, dials and screens. As working environments go, this looks pretty intense. The level of detail visible throughout the image is testament to the photographer's technical skills and understanding of exposure. No doubt it has a very pretty histogram.

This is a moment of tenderness between two old people in a largely uncaring world. The shadows cast by the trees work well with the lines in the lamp post and the diagonal street markings to create a sense of movement around the two characters. The rich tonal range adds weight and impact to their encounter. Using long lens has ensured focus is only really on the subjects, separating them nicely from the background. The image could benefit from cropping a little tighter on the right-hand side