Shadows

Light can transform what would otherwise be a routine photograph. This wonderfully observed image has probably been seen hundreds of times but when the light is thrown onto a space something amazing happens. The elements are lifted and come alive. The deep saturation and wide angle lens take our eye across from the green blanket on the bed up to the Teddy bear then onto the bedside cabinet table as the colors of the ornaments echo the colors on the bed. I'm sure totally designed by the person who inhabits this room. Who would this room belong to. The bear would suggest a child but all the other details are from someone older so the bear becomes a keepsake, a symbol from childhood, a memory of the past. The light adds to this illusion as we become detectives looking for clues within the frame. The detailing is lovely and the exposure on the highlights are well controlled in this timeless image that echos the work of the great master of color William Eggleston. Stunning. Very well done.

Children should be heard but never seen is the old term I think? I love the way the young child several steps behind the adults creates his own little universe walking behind them. The light has created something special as the shadow that engulfs them, almost menacing changes how we see and look at this image. The colors really pop from the screen and the timing is excellent. A lovely capture. Well done.

Shadows do wonderful things. The legs seem detached from their own shadows which really add to the fun and also the framing within this picture. The tight crop means we spend longer looking around the frame in this clever take on the brief. The almost panoramic framing works well as it follows the defining lines running across the frame. Well done.

We get to see the stunning vista, a birds eye view from the balloon that we can only see as a shadow yet it still dominates this surreal and well timed photograph. The positioning of the shadow is lovely especially against the slight slant between the two fields as the small village is revealed in front of the mountain range. The detailing and sharpness really pop as do the colors of this interesting image. The detailing in the shadows really are very well controlled in what is a stunning and beautifully timed image. Very well done.

This atmospheric image almost sepia in the black and white is beautifully seen and controlled by the photographer. It is timeless and could have been taken anywhere from Grand Central Station, in this case Tate Modern. The shadows and silhouettes create depth and the child almost running in the foreground away from the adults is both charming and cinematic. This has all been possible because of the camera positioned high, looking down. It's a stunning capture with details in the shadow areas that light up the entire image. Stunning and would make a great poster framed. Very well done.

A great photograph is one that is seen then made. Light has created this unique and wonderful detail but it is the photographers eye that has seen the potential then has shown the ability to make a wonderful image from what without the quality of light could be a mundane image. The tight crop works well as does the positioning of the raised wall that creates this wonderful jagged line running down the frame. It's a small detail but appears epic and that is down to the skill of the individual making this photograph. Well done.

This almost retro style take on the classic swimsuit image is both a nod to photography's history and why is continues to be a interesting subject for photographers today. The tight crop works so well as we see the detailing between the red swimsuit and the painted nails and the contrast between the skin and texture on the suit to the rough white background again works well as the light from a blind? creates this wonderful light source that means we have to spend longer looking at the image. It's a great detail, very well considered and photographed.

This stunning image of the iconic Angel of the North in England perfectly captures what the brief is about. There is a lot going on in this image so we have to spend time looking into the scene. The couple sitting down, shielded from the sun by the structures shadow, the person on the bike beautifully timed and placed by the cameras shutter clicking and the inclusion of the photographers presence. These classic traits within photography are all beautifully placed and considered within one frame and that takes real skill and an eye for detail by the photographer. The high contrast, almost infra- red quality of the photograph is well considered and the details in the highlights and shadows are very well controlled, not easy given the choice of contrast. Stunning.

The photographer has been very clever in flipping the image upside down giving power to the shadows created by the individuals within the image rather than the individuals themselves and this makes for a unique and powerful black and white graphic style image. The positioning of the four people could not be bettered within the frame as they all hold our attention and the high contrast works well and this could almost be a commission for a album cover. A powerful and clever idea that fits the brief perfectly. Well done on such a well crafted and considered image.

This almost natural still life is made from the light hitting the kitchen blinds to create this wonderful and surreal image of the everyday. I can imagine enjoying washing up in this scene, looking at the shards of light as they move with the sun. The inclusion of the apples, maybe placed by the photographer really adds to the scene and brings in color and depth. The detailing is lovely and the techniques employed are stunning especially the highlights on the sink and taps and the high contrast works well with the blacks running across the image. Stunning capture.

This menacing image of a dog, body and face lowered as it crosses the frame almost meeting our gaze. It prowls slowly forward and the longer shadow creates a real sense of jeopardy. The timing is perfect and the close proximity to the wall creates a detailed and sharp shadow which really draws us into the frame. The afternoon warm light is wonderful on the wooden panels and the golden light bursts from the screen. Great detailing and timing by the photographer who has got low and close up to create this powerful image. Well done.

This simple but very well observed moment shows us the best in childhood and what a curious mind can do. I can imagine the young child having lots of fun observing and controlling the movements of their own shadow against the plain wall.. The high camera angle looking down gives us a real look and distancing between the individual and what they are seeing themselves. It's almost like a different person in front of them. Just so lovely. Well done.

Another image so close to my top 10. It really stood out from the crowd. The tight crop works well as it shows us the details from the branches cast as shadows onto the animals torso which is lovely. The muted colors do work well but maybe a little more saturation which would separate the body from the background a little more and lift the image from the screen but a very minor point on what is a super capture.

This was so close to my top 10. It fits the brief perfectly, giving us the viewer something to think about outside of the frame. The timing is spot on, using a fast shutter to freeze the skateboard mid air whilst we see the boarder only in shadow in this perfectly timed and executed image. The use of black and white works well but maybe a little more contrast to lift the shadow and board away from the grey background but that's a minor point in what is a well controlled image. Well done.

This lovely overhead image of a grown up, maybe a parent protecting a child from the harsh sun is really well observed and photographically controlled. The detailing and quality of exposure is beyond reproach and the details in the shadow areas are lovely. This could make a lovely series of children and their parents using light to create something that could not exist without it. A stunning capture. Well done.