Street Photography

For me this image shouts the bonds of strong childood friendships and the innocence of youth. The image is titled "slums" and although there is nothing obvious indicating squalour or overcrowding, there is a sense there are the backstreets of a less affluent neighbourhood. What I especially like in this image is the two slightly disconnected scenes within it, of the figure silhouetted through the archway, and the little companoinable huddle of children in the doorway. Congratulations on your second place finish.

I love the rather classic street photography feel this image has, with the scene being at the same time complex and disjointed yet also well balanced and co-ordinated. The strong contrasts created by the harsh sunlight, and the converstion to black and white all contribute to the strength of the shot, in which I find more to explore the longer I look. Within this fairly limited view, we get a range of separate stories, like pictures within a picture - such as the lady wih her bicycle, the man in the hat, the van with an open door, the chatting ladies, and the scene visible through the stalls on the top right of the frame. Neither dominates the image, as each has its own strength when studied individually, but all then coming together to create a street scene full of interest. Congratulaions on your winning image.

For me a strong street photography image needs to contain a story. Many entries in this contest were strong photographically, but had a rather sterile mood or simply showed people walking down a street which left me with a slight feeling of "so what?". Here however we certainly have a story being played out in front of the camera. The strength of the image in heightened by the fact that the viewer is left with many questions and a sense of mystery and a little oddnes. We do not quite know what is going on, but that piques the interest and draws us in. The bystanders look completely unconcerned by the drama just a few feet away, and look to be involved in a story of their own. Good tones in the black and white conversion, but importantly a great street documentary of an unfolding story. Well done on your top ten placing.

An unusual composition and viewpoint, photographed at the pefect moment to capture the subject mid-backflip, along with a selection of bystanders which add to the narrative of the shot. It is often a risk to take a shot where larger foreground elements are out of focus, with the main subject some distance beyond, but here it works well, and the degree of focal blur is spot on to avoid being too much or too little out of focus. The high contrast black and white conversion works well, meaning the spinning figure is nicely set against a plain white backdrop to add maximum impact. Congratulations on your third place finish.

A striking image of an older gent, with a look of melancholy as he peers in through the vehicle window. An image which gives the viewer just the bare bones of a story, and it is up to the viewer to then complete the narrative as to the who, the why and the what. Focus is fully on the face and reflection to draw us directly to the subject. Well converted to black and white, wih a good range of tones and contrasts. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

A great candid capture showing a good-natured clash of cultures and the innocent curiosity of a child. Captured with a long lens has enabled the scene to be photographed without intrusion, and also enabled the backdrop to be a little out of focus which enables the subjects to stand out in sharp focus. It is unclear whether the cigar-smoker is aware of the child or just displaying indifference, but it would be intesesting to capture the sene a few moments later to see a potential two-way interaction. Plenty of detail to explore beyond the glance, from the tattoo to the brightly coloured clothing, and the rather splendid fingernails. Being picky I may have been tempted to process the cigar smoke a little differently, as for me it looks unnaturally harsh, but that does not distract from a great shot. Well done on your top ten placing.

A scene played out daily around the world; children playing football in the streets. No matter the neighbourhood, the backstory of the children or the wider story of the location, the game and the cameraderie from the kick-about in the street remains the same and is a joy to view. The children look to be quite small and are relatively small within the frame, but they are the clear focal point of the shot amongst the fading architecture. The three figures are well placed relative to each other; obviously together but with good separation between them and no overlapping parts. The image has been very well processed, with a good range of tones, and good texture evident in the street and architecture, which adds interest but does not dominate. Great image, well done on your top ten placing.

The wonderful tones in this black and white image really stood out for me, showing a multitude of details and textures throughout the shot. The relationshìp between all the individuals is unclear, but that adds to the intrigue and varying stories can be imagined. There looks to be something occurring out of shot up the street, but nothing which seems to be creating any sense of urgency or concern. The image works really well as black and white, as without colour there is nothing to distract or pull the eye, instead a superb monochrome shot which invites the eye to explore. Great work, well done on your top ten placing.

An image that may not appeal to all, but I love the energy and the capture of the simple pleasures of childhood. This shot captures both the exhubrance and the intense concentration as both children compete in an adapted version of hoop-rolling. I especially like the sharp focus is on the furthest child, which puts the closest child out of focus which adds a sense of motion, and somehow draws the viewer into the game rather than being a casual observer. Great candid street calpture, well done on your top ten placing.