First Place: Indhira Minerva Rodriguez Guerrero, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Title:“A sunset in an acetate”
What Bob had to say: I was repeatedly drawn to A Sunset in Acetate because of the imaginative way it expressively plays with notions of photographic truth. In terms of color, it demonstrates a dramatic, haptic interaction among warm and cool as well as complimentary colors. In terms of contemporary photographic-based imaging, it is invigorating to see the direct hand of the maker emotionally asserting control over the subject.

Second Place: Marjorie Bond
Title: “Glass of Many Colors”
What Bob had to say: I selected Glass of Many Colors because of the complex, abstract, interrelationships among the transparent colors and shapes. This encouraged me to look deeper and see things I was previously unaware of. Pictorially, it addresses how we live in a world of assembled fragments that unfold over time.

Third Place: Elizabeth Newman, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Title: “Wall to Wall”

Honorable Mentions

“LA Frame of Mind”
Randy Turoff
San Francisco, California, USA

“10th Avenue Condo”
Peter Brandt
Woodstock, New York, USA

“Dedicated”
Paul Kalstein
Southampton, Pennsylvania, USA

“Festival of Color”
Mohammad Rakibul Hasan
Dhaka, Bangladesh

“Asiatic Lily”
ILANA BRUNNER
Bethesda, Maryland, USA

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Winner: Candace Moore, Houston, Texas, USA
Title: “Untitled”

What Kevin had to say:

“So many mother and baby portraits are too happy go lucky. But this image has a certain edge to it, it makes you wonder what the mother is thinking of. The image has a sinister edge to it as well because of the lighting but this edginess is of set slightly buy the inclusion of the dog. Really interesting image with so much to think about that’s way it’s the clear winner for me.”

Prize: The grand prize is a copy of Kevin’s book, along with an Epson® Artisan 835 All-in-One digital photo printer, replacement Epson® multi-color ink cartridges with and a package of Epson® premium photo paper glossy 4×6.

First Place: Gemma Carly Pepper, Conwy, Wales
Title:“Into the Soul”
What Ralph and Chris had to say: This picture is a fantastic example of what a good portrait should be. It is so much more than a mere likeness of the sitter. A tilted head and direct eye contact immediately pull the viewer into the picture and make it hard to let go and explore the rest of the picture. The viewer definitely feels a certain command to look. On the other hand, a soft smile, partially hidden by pulled-up clothing, leaves no doubt about the pleasant personality of the model while adding a bit of mystery. This is an image to be proud of!

Second Place: Michelle Lorenzen-Hunter, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Title: “Saving the Bird”
What Ralph and Chris had to say: This picture has it all. A great composition gives the picture stability through an interesting viewpoint onto the weathered hands. I like how the thumbs lead into the picture but miss the center of interest just by a hair, forcing my eyes back up again to focus on the bird. At that point, stability turns into security and creates an interesting contrast to the animal in need. The viewing experience finishes with a warm feeling about a happy end. In a way, it’s a portrait without a face. Hands say so much about a person. Great shot!

Third Place: Gurjant singh Sekhon, Maharashtra, India
Title: “What do you think When you are looking at me? Look at my soul within… Look Closer … see me!!”

First Place: Candace Moore, Houston, Texas, USA
Title: “Untitled”
What The Shutter Sisters had to say: This shot evokes strong emotion through honest expression, tone and mood. The perspective is compelling and draws in the viewer with it’s visual interest and the intimacy of the subject matter and context.

Second Place: Theo Spek, Aerdenhout, Bloemendaal, Netherlands
Title: “Birds of a Feather”
What The Shutter Sisters had to say: This shot is a classic example of perfect timing. The subject matter is unique in its cute and clever interpretation of the theme. That the babies and flanked by the parents makes for a humorous and relatable depiction of family.

Third Place: Jeffrey Gregor, Troy, New York, USA
Title: “In my Daughter’s eye!”

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First Place: Paul Cohn, Chennai, India
Title: “Underpass”
What Richard had to say: This photograph is surrounded by a dark sense of mystery. What appears to be a young woman in dark clothes is ascending a stairway. The girl was carefully photographed when her feet were astride, suggesting movement. A beam of light partially illuminates the stairway and wall, casting a detached shadow of the girl and her wind-blown neckpiece. The black curved area at the right provides an ominous frame. A textured gray and white wall shares the same contour as the black curved wall. In the white area of the wall one can notice a competition, called “contour rivalry,” for dominance. This activates that area and the mystery. The various tonalities, textures and geometry add to an interesting composition. As the young woman walks confidently up the stairs one might ponder who she is, where she came from and where she is going. All these factors adding to the unknown. Engaging in a photograph such as this can stimulate the mind and imagination. The photograph with its dark and black tones works well in conveying a feeling of mystery and possible danger. In color, it would not have the same effect.

Second Place: Tamas Kooning Lansbergen
Title: “Autumn Fruit”
What Richard had to say: Still life in paintings has a very long history. This beautifully balanced photograph takes on a lovely painterly look. The composition is impeccable. The brightly lit grouping of figs atop the bucket provides a near triangular shape. The three figs overflowing and resting on the table suggests abundance (objects in odd number such as three and five are more interesting than even numbers). The fig leaves in the foreground add color and meaning. A quiet textured bluish-gray background helps draw attention to the colorful figs and leaves. The space (interval) between the large circular cover resting against the wall and the bulbous shape bottle is very important. If the interval were not there and the objects were touching, or too far apart, something would be lost. Although part of the bottle is cropped and rests outside the frame we automatically see it as complete thanks to our ability to form closure on incomplete familiar objects. Still life photography provides an excellent opportunity for studying and arranging lighting and composition, as we see here.

Third Place: Kingsley Scott,  Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK
Title: “My Best Man Framed”

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