Portrait Award May 2019
Congratulations to Maarten Schroder whose portrait of a young girl won the competition!
– Theme: Portrait Photography / Competition Judge: Jimmy Nelson
Portrait photography has one of the oldest and most interesting history that harkens back to the early days of the medium. Through portraits of iconic figures or ordinary people, we discover a deep interest in others. This award aimed to discover the most powerful and captivating images of today’s portrait photography.
Join us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we’ll be sharing all our favorite images from the competition. Congratulations to all the talented photographers who made it to the final!
Finalists
Jury's Feedback
1ST PRIZE: Maarten Schroder
“A truly classic composition posing light, but within that classicness the choice of face features, the aesthetic and skills at making what could be perceived as ugly in it’s androgenicity is extremely beautiful in it’s authenticity.” – Jimmy Nelson
2ND PRIZE: Alexander Klang
“Extremely simple flat lighting, a very graphic but clean composition; Rarely does a portrait have so much power and intensity. Ultimately the boy’s stare shows a true connexion between the photographer and the subject.” – Jimmy Nelson
3RD PRIZE: Justin Keene
“The still must tease with the promise of a story the viewer of it itches to be told” once said Cindy Sherman. This is the immediate feeling we experience in front of Justin’s portrait. Deceptively simple at first glance, the viewer quickly discovers a perfectly composed and carefully balanced image. Slowly making our way up, guided by the soft and warm light of what appears to be a desolated coastal land, to reach the center of the image and the slightly daring gaze of our protagonist curiously dressed. A beautiful portrait, inspiring and poetic.”
– The Independent Photographer Editors
Judge: Jimmy Nelson
Jimmy Nelson is a British photojournalist and photographer known for his portraits of tribal and indigenous people.
In 2009 he started to work on his biggest project to-date, Before they Pass Away. Nelson travelled for 3 years and photographed more than 35 indigenous tribes around the world in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and the South Pacific, using a 50-year-old 4×5 camera.
Over the years his groundbreaking images have appeared in National Geographic, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, BBC News, The Independent and The Guardian. His work has been exhibited at international museums and shown at the world’s leading photographic art galleries.
Candid or staged, across all photographic fields: Join the award and show us your best portraits!