Shooting photographers

I have no information as to whether this is a candid or a posed shot, but whatever, it has been well seen and well captured. What works especially well for me is the framing of the photographer's shadow in the lighter area of the curved wall, which is perfectly positioned. An image where we are left guessing about the subject through the photographer's lens, but that leaves it up to the viewer to create their own story. You have done well to balance the light in what looks to be quite difficult shooting conditions of bright light and deep shadow areas.

An interesting portrait of a photographer and his aging photographic equipment. The image is focused on the photographers face and the foreground elements are all nicely sharp. It adds to the image that enough background is included to get a sense of place, with some typical architecture of Havana in the background, visible but not dominating. A shame that the ancient camera's lens cap is still attached, so presumably the photographer has not quite been caught candidly in action, but still a great portrait of a photographer in working mode.

There is more to appreciate in this image the longer I look. The dramatic distortion caused by the fish-eye lens is an immediate draw to the image, and the lens has been used effectively within this setting. The focus of the image is obviously the photographer in the foreground, standing a little separate from the rest of the crowd. However, after lingering over this chap as he ponders his camera, it is interesting to look around the frame to see several other photographers and general tourists, all admiring the splendor of this great building, which can be seen in good detail in the upper half of the frame. There are one or two areas of slightly blown highlights, but with a contrasty black and white conversion, they do not cause too much distraction. A shot full of interest, making the most of the fish-eye lens.

There were a number of images entered into the contest showing small children holding large cameras, which gave the impression of a set-up scene where the child was just holding a camera they had been given, rather than being "a photographer" and capturing an image. I cannot be sure whether this scene is set-up or a candid capture of a situation chanced upon in the street, but the camera the child is holding is in keeping with her age and gives a feel of authenticity. The behaviour of the young boys add charm to a well captured moment. Nicely converted to black and white, simplifying the scene and keeping all attention on the young photographer and her rather unwilling subjects.

This is a very natural image, showing a scene I am sure many photographers will relate to. Whilst this image is not technically perfect, it captures the moment when the photographer sees the results of their photo-shoot for the first time, as the images are reviewed on the screen. Here we see a photographer who looks rather pleased with the results, although the emotion could easily be dismay or annoyance, or a multitude of others, depending on the success of the shoot. The narrow depth of field created by the use of a very wide aperture brings the viewers attention immediately to the photographer's face, drawing us in to the emotion of the captured moment.. The processing style you have used is attractive and suits the subject of your image.

This is a superb architectural image of this modern spiral staircase. For me the inclusion of the photographer (whilst obviously essential for this contest) absolutely makes this image, as without the figure the scene could have looked quite sterile and lacking a focal point. I wonder if the photographer you have captured was celebrating their luck at having the place to themselves, or were just biding their time until the "right" person walked into their frame too! Lovely use of cooler hues, giving an almost monochrome look to the shot. A great capture, well executed.

An image just missing out on the top ten placings, I like your creative capture of the photographer, caught only in shadow form, but instantly recognisable. I like your composition, with the photographer's shadow positioned close to the edge of the frame, and we have the bonus inclusion of the subject this photographer was shooting, with the complex shadows of the scaffolding. A well seen image.

A bold and simple image, with the graphic lines of the minimalist architecture broken by the photographer. The subject which this photographer is shooting remains a mystery to us, which is good, as we can create whatever story we like as to what is on the other side of the wall. Everything is crisp and sharp, with just enough contrast to keep the lines clean without becoming too harsh in contrast.

This image was close to my top ten placings. In judging this contest, I wanted to award images in which the photographer was clearly the subject of the shot, but at the same time gave a sense of what it is to be a photographer. You have managed to capture enough of the beautiful winter scenery to show what this photographer is shooting, and they are classically positioned within the composition to be an obvious focal point, but not a distraction from the rest of the scene. I am left wondering who had the better viewpoint and which position made the most of the lead-in lines of the wooden bridge. Whichever the most successful, the inclusion of the photographer in your landscape adds to the image.

It is quite common to see shots of the Venice Carnival participants in their colourful costumes and masks, so it is interesting to be given a glimpse of what the subject sees, as she is surrounded by a mass of photographers jostling for position all tying to capture the best shot. There is plenty of interest in the frame for the eye to explore, and I find the positioning of the other carnival participant in pale blue rather amusing, being ignored by the cameras for now, presumably the next subject to receive the attention. Good balance of colours, bold but natural, and not over-saturated.

A super capture, giving a glimpse into the world of the environmental portrait photographer. This image sits very well within the theme of the contest, as the photographer clearly looks to be the subject of this photograph. It is great to see the subject of the portrait in the image too, albeit with their back to the camera, the anonymity tending to add a sense of mystery. No dramatic effects or processing edits, just a simple, natural and well executed shot of a photographer a work.

There were a number of entries in this contest which were predominantly landscapes images, with a figure, presumably a photographer, very tiny within the frame. This is a lovely landscape shot, but unfortunately for this contest, where the subject is a photographer, the figure is a little too tiny in the frame to be awarded in this contest. Still a lovely image.

This image was close to the awards, as I like the strong reflections in the wet sand and limited colour palette. What just lets the image down for me is the position of the subjects within the frame, and a viewpoint just a few feet over to the left would have brought the people to the right of the composition, so been looking into the frame. Images can sometimes be very successful with the subjects looking out of the frame, but here I think it would have been a stronger shot with a slight adjustment of viewpoint. Still a lovely image, in what looks to be a setting great for photography.