Shadows in Black and White Photos

This photo attracted my attention the first time I saw it and I continue to see more in it each time I look. The shadow seems impossibly long; you have captured this image at precisely the right moment. I love the strong patterning and the way the shadows gradually disappear and become just shaded stairs at the top. There is a strong diagonal axis to the image where the shadow leads the eye to the man who is just about to walk out of the frame. Thank you for entering this beautiful image.

A masterful image that fits the brief perfectly. My eye was drawn first to the shadow but soon I was checking out the person to see just how those beautiful smooth shapes came about. The interplay of subject and shadow is complex, yet the overall image projects a calm unity. Among other things, you have accomplished this with your choice of subject matter, clean image, placement in the frame, and the untextured grey picture plane that supports both the person and the shadow. The white hat provides a poetic touch and acts as a counterpoint to all that calm. Thank you for entering and congratulations on winning my vote for number one.

There were several good photos of people shadowed on a rough surface. What made this one stand out for me is the overall unity of the design. The individual shadows play over the stones creating a pattern but all point in the same direction and all are round shouldered and round headed. The roundness is echoed in the paving stone patterns. And then there's nothing extra that might be a distraction. Simple but effective. Thank you for entering the contest.

I like the approach the photographer took in this photo. Most photos in the contest play on a difference in tone between the subject and the shadows, typically we try for solid black shadows. I love that the trees, the shadows and even the spaces between are all very similar in width and in grey tone. So the vertical pattern plays off the diagonal pattern with very little else to distract the viewer. It works beautifully. Thank you for your entry.

Thank you for this simple and strong image. The informal soft spray of the flowers and their shadows on the sidewalk play off each other. Soft grey tones with sprinkles of white and soft shadows suit the subject matter. And it fits the brief beautifully, the shadows are as interesting as the flowers and would stand alone as a good image.

Purrfect! Black cat, shadow and window light play off each other nicely. A well balanced, very well executed image. The rim lighting on the cat fur gives just a touch of detail and separates the cat's head from the black background. The black framing focuses the eye on just what’s essential. Thank you for submitting this beautiful photo.

I love the way you took a simple idea of a well dressed lady walking past a rough wall and crafted it into an evocative image. The photographer's skill is evident here in the placement of both the figure and the shadow; and in decisions about areas of light and dark. By twisting the figure in the spotlight you were able to capture details of the pearls but still get a silhouette effect on the back arm. Thank you for entering this photo.

What an amazing photo! Among other things I love the choice of subject, the shading on that beautiful silvery fur, and the placement of the elements in the frame. Because of the point of view, not only the shape of the dog, but also the shape of the shadow is interesting. And what a surprise to see the owner's shadow. I thought a lot about including this image in the top 10 but decided, in fairness to others, I need to stick to the contest brief. For me, the dog is much more important to the success of the image than the shadows, so it doesn’t totally fit the brief. Some in the crowd may think I’m being picky about semantics but other great images that I passed over for awards are primarily reflections, silhouettes, or shading. I like contests with narrow criteria so I can consider each photo with those criteria in mind.