EDITORS’ PICK
Dispatches from a Colorful World
COLORS
Colors Editors’ Pick
Following Neil Krug’s selection of winning images for our recent COLORS competition, this compilation of 20 images represents some of the other talented photographers whose work struck us and left a mark. Each a stunning image worthy of exposure and attention…
For this month’s theme Colors, we waited for images to jump off the screen, selecting those that capture the joy, quirkiness or mystery that color can highlight without being over saturated or unnecessarily blatant. When selecting for editor’s picks we’re always searching for those striking photographs that have potential as an unforgettable single image, whether from a broader series or not. The accompanying text some photographers submit with their images is not always necessary, but can be relevant when understanding the work in full context.
These are intended to be a conversation starter… so feel free to join the discussion on our social networks.
BANNER IMAGE COURTESY OF CHRISTINA CÄCILIE
www.christinacaecilie.com / @christinacaecilie
“Thank god I had a window seat. A plane ride usually gives you the opportunity to look at the world from a completely new angle and see varied landscapes in the glimpse of a few hours. every time you look out of the window the scenery changes, from thick cotton-like cloudscapes to deep blue oceans, rugged mountain ranges, lush forests or dry deserts. on my flight over Croatia the focus suddenly shifted to the beautiful almost surreal sunset colours that were being reflected on the wings of the plane.”
Editor’s comment: This is potentially an over-familiar scene, but within the current context of the past year and the added daydream atmospheric tones, this image is elevated to a higher level of appreciation. I really enjoy the simplicity and crop of this photograph, the photographer celebrating the present moment here with a nicely composed single image.
IMAGE COURTESY OF MONICA OROZCO
www.demonicaphoto.com / @demonicaphoto
Editor’s comment: This image emotes sadness and regret from backdrop to foreground, within the subject’s expression, dishevelled state and horizontal position – even the pop of pink on their lips fails to provide any joy. A solemn portrait appealing to the viewer on many levels, pushing us to wonder and empathise, enhanced by the dark blue tones used throughout.
IMAGE COURTESY OF GLENN HOMANN
@blueboy70
“An early morning walk reveals playful juxtapositions of light, shadow and color.”
Editor’s comment: The colors and light strike a beautiful balance of cheerful quality, as if the viewer is re-seeing the adult world from a child’s perspective again – a world that is full of potential for fun and adventure, not responsibilities and commutes. A joyful composition caught by someone who seems to relish exploring their surroundings and championing everyday items and structures.
IMAGE COURTESY OF KUBA ŚWIETLIK
@iskrzyk
“Mark.”
Editor’s comment: Simultaneously reminiscent of a 90s album cover and Renaissance-era painting, this portrait makes for a harmonious scene. The pastel skyscape comforts the peaceful subject – seemingly unaware of their own surroundings. This carefully created photograph uses a select few colors to complement and enhance the dreamlike quality.
IMAGE COURTESY OF JUSTINA REINHART
www.justinareinhart.com / @justinareinhart
“Statuesque, he turns to face the wind as it dances across his coat. Its touch extends, wrapping below his neck and rippling life to his silken mane. He stands stately, an animal of poise. I created this image days before Covid-19 lockdown restrictions closed Ontario in 2020. The foundation of this image was built on the orange of the Hermes losange scarf, complimented by a blue sky. When it came to actually photographing the work, the timing made the image into so much more. He stands strong, uncertain of what may come – but gazing optimistically towards the future.”
Editor’s comment: Compelling from edge-to-edge, the sporadic contours and contrasting colors build an impressive scene. The photographer leans into the strength of the orange to carry the narrative of courage and defiance. A well composed photograph, with a timeless quality – symbolic of alertness in the air as restrictions and lockdowns began to be enforced across the globe.
IMAGE COURTESY OF RENATA DUTREE
www.renatadutreephotography.com / @renatadutreephotography
From the series Blue Moves – “We find our lives in turmoil with Covid-19 amongst us. This turmoil, with no end in sight yet, leaves us not only isolated but drained as well. We feel locked up in the confined spaces of our homes. The stress and anxiety are taking their toll on our mental health. Feeling uncertain about what is to come, the loneliness, grief and despair, death, we try to look for consolation. With this series I try to find ways to express these feelings of loss and uncertainty. These feelings, if left unattended, might prove to be equally harming as the virus itself. We long for the soothing greens of nature to expel the blues from our minds. It is a lonely place, being on your own. These images hopefully offer some solace in a time where we seem to be disconnected not only to our environment but to ourselves as well.”
Editor’s comment: Using color is a common tool when describing our emotional state and needs, useful for the individual as an inner-compass, as well an indicator for those who are trying to understand them. This portrait provides an honest insight into how the photographer is navigating their current state of mind, how they’re coping with the reality of uncertainty and using color to express and react to these circumstances. I hope creating this series gave the artist the support they needed at the time.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NATASHA PSZENICKI
www.tashphotography.com / @tashphotography
“To coin the definition used by The Cut’s Stella Bugbee, these still life images can be described as ‘Freakebana’, a modern and playful adaptation of the Japanese art of Ikebana. These presentations intend to surprise and delight, holding the viewer’s gaze as they entice you in to consider the magic behind what draws all the objects together, inviting you to embrace an almost meditative quality.
Each still life was composed as a response to a series of questions I posed to each person, the visual results being an interpretation or translation of their responses to that inquiry. There was an aesthetic intent to celebrate the ordinary and elevate humble elements as a celebration of culture, whilst also paying tribute to the ikebana principles of balance, transience and beauty. Elements are chosen for their symbolism, both for the ‘author’ as well as their broader cultural references; since the Ikebana discipline brings nature and humanity together and holds no cultural boundaries; our aim was then that this could promote greater cultural intelligence.”
Editor’s comment: Immediately eye-catching, this aesthetically pleasing scene invokes a sense of calm and quiet wonder. The idea of exploring a sense of home and broader identities through monotone, still life, styled scenes is an amusing approach. The artist seems to arrange the objects to anchor an inquisitive, autobiographical narrative. A delightful single image, accompanied with deeper layers of symbolism and cultural context.
IMAGE COURTESY OF MITCH ROUSE
www.mitchrouseaerials.com / @mitchrouseaerials
“This image came out of my interest in power lines and how they contrast with the natural world. during a flight we decided to follow a set of power lines and along the way this image was created. I love everything about this, the colors and the vibrancy are incredible.”
Editor’s comment: We learn that this image came about from the photographer’s curiosity in power lines and how they contrast with the natural world. The colorway helps to create a vivid, abstract scene – alien at first glance, and eventually visually amusing. A happy accident of color, negative space and perspective.
IMAGE COURTESY OF HOANG LONG LY
www.lylongphoto.com / @lyhlong
“Lines and color of the terraced field in Yen Bai province – Vietnam.”
Editor’s comment: A vibrant landscape of green – familiar to the pages of a National Geographic publication or a travel photographer’s envious Instagram feed. The danger with these spectacular but familiar images is that we can take them for granted, scroll past and detach ourselves from our natural environment. I think this image is an ideal moment of appreciation, of both nature itself and of nature photography.
IMAGE COURTESY OF GUIDO KLUMPE
www.streetphotograph.de / @streetphotograph.de
From the series Losing one Dimension? – “I am visually impaired, because my optic nerves do not work properly. I am blind in one eye and the other sees 25%, meaning I can see only two dimensions.
In my current project Losing one Dimension? I playfully explore the fragile moment of transition where three-dimensional architecture dissolves and abstracts into the two-dimensional. When the viewer loses orientation and can’t tell for sure what they see, which parts of the image are in front, and which are behind, they experience a bit of how I sometimes lose my bearings in the world. To achieve this effect, I photographically superimpose different parts of the building. In this series I want to make the barriers between photography and painting permeable. I see my city as an urban landscape. A landscape made up of shapes, colors, reflections and light. I love to dissolve and reassemble these elements, limited only by the laws of optics, the possibilities of the camera and my imagination.”
Editor’s comment: What is it like to explore the world through one dimension? To be a creative – a visual artist – while visually impaired? This photographer allows us into their world, to explore this unique perspective and how they respond to their environment. The result here is an uncomplicated yet commanding scene of shape, color and light, cleverly composed and distributed evenly within the frame. It’s easily enjoyed as an abstract optical piece or as a chance street snapshot. It’s absorbing in content, and eye-opening in context, the photographer using their uniqueness to their advantage.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CHARNKURT YAOYUENYONG
www.echarnkurtyao.com / @charnkurtyao
“I was walking around Iceland’s famous church Hallgrimskirkja, admiring the unique architecture when this gentleman appeared out of nowhere. His all-white clothes, his hair, and the imposing white concrete wall of the church combined to make an interesting scene.”
Editor’s comment: There’s an autobiographical element to this image – how the photographer is quick to react to the scene before them, uncovering the humor in the visual narrative while maintaining the detail of the architectural aesthetic. The frame is full of shades of white, yet fits nicely within the theme. I enjoyed reading about how this photograph was created as much as viewing the image itself.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THIERRY CAMUS
www.tcphotos.fr / @tcphotosparis
“Jacket among colors”.
Editor’s comment: This snapshot strikes us a timeless scene, not just the fashion on show in the window display, but the color pallet portrayed which evokes a 1970s era feel. Triggering of our senses can create emotions of nostalgia, sentiment and recollection within seconds – and our interpretation of color can play a very strong role in these flashbacks and moments of retrospection.
IMAGE COURTESY OF B JANE LEVINE
www.bjanelevinephotography.com / @bjlevine
“Blue nun.”
Editor’s comment: The dominating urban surrounding pitches the perfect canvas for this rich royal blue head dress. This classic composition of primary colors and simple shapes – blue headscarf and yellow taxi here – casually playing off each other, provides a captivating street photograph, while highlighting this photographer’s understanding of color while balancing light and shadow.
IMAGE COURTESY OF LARS KLINGENBERG
www.theklingenbergcase.com / @lars_klingenberg
From the series Drei Milliarden / Three Billion (2019-21) – “Arguably no object is more symbolic of the global plastic crisis than the plastic bag. As a metaphor, it stands for short-term use in stark contrast to longevity, global pollution of oceans and land, excessive waste and overconsumption.
I have been collecting fully functional shirt bags, also known as knot bags, on the streets since 2014. All of the collected bags, now numbering in the hundreds, lay like trash on the street. From the ongoing collection, a space-filling installation will be created.
The project presented here is a medial intermediate step of the work “Plastic Bags” and serves to educate and clarify this global problem. The work plays with and contrasts the visual codes and expectations of the internet platform Instagram and, through the “countless” photographic iterations of the ready-mades, highlights our mostly ill-considered ways of acting, trimmed for consumption by the industry, and the resulting long-term consequences for the environment. The sculptural images are combined with compact information about plastic and plastic waste, quoted from online articles in major newspapers and environmental organizations.”
Editor’s comment: The sculptural aspect, glowing hue and full frame attention to this object almost redeems it from its destructive ability to our natural environment, however the photographer is right to claim it as one of the most symbolic items of the climate crisis. It is impossible to capture this object in any form that will detach it from its negative context. A visually engaging image, with a strong message.
IMAGE COURTESY OF JERMAIN CIKIC
www.jermaincikic.com / @cikicjermain
Editor’s comment: This image sums up the playful, vibrant energy of youthhood – from the subject’s pose to the photographer’s perspective. You can feel the warmth, spirit and potential of what’s to come, with the tones and colors used in this composition. Even though it fits the narrative, this image doesn’t require context or theme, it can be enjoyed and absorbed quite easily without either.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NEIL MANSFIELD
www.neilmansfield.wordpress
Editor’s comment: Without understanding the context of the situation, it is interesting how certain colored attire or uniform can conjure snap judgement and assumption. Here we see two, quiet figures dressed head-to-toe in bright, orange overalls, busy in their task. Taking a step back and removing all elements of speculation, the image before us and beautifully contrasting colors depicts a tranquil scene with a meditative aspect.
IMAGE COURTESY OF HECTOR BUENFIL PALACIOS
@ector_palacios
“Portraits of tender sparkle. Last year I filmed a short documentary about the FLITZ company. It made me reflect upon their kind human behaviour, I could see at any time sweet honesty and empathy, strong sexuality and humour. After the filming my emotions were so strong and everything appear so clear, we, the normal people are the real disabled, we the “healthy people” are the real disabled. This group of young students with down syndrome showed me a glimpse of what we humans used to be, before war, before power, before violence, the time when we were existing loving one another. My second part of this series, cover the spontaneous behaviour, with joyful movement and extraordinary transparent vision of who we used to be as humans.”
Editor’s comment: The use of infrared style and vibrant colors, combined with a playful perspective gives this a portrait an element of individuality. The movement within the image alludes to this celebratory feeling of self-confidence, youth and nature. An unassuming yet delightful picture.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NIKE OSSLER
www.nikeossler.com / @nikeossler
“After a day full of a rain, a mysterious sunset took place. It was very quiet outside. I saw flamingos eating and walking around, and decided to stop by. I got very close to one, and for once the flamingo didn’t get scared of me. Instead, he stayed where he was at and just continued eating, while looking at me from time to time. The colours were very special due to the foggy air. The pink flamingos in contrast with the blue and foggy sky was incredible to witness.”
Editor’s comment: A welcoming image with an elegant and quiet energy – encouraging the viewer to pause and consume the scene before them without the need to know more. The subtle tones provide a curtain to this colorful subject, content in their surroundings. I believe the photographers’ patience and experience was key to capturing this charming moment.
IMAGE COURTESY OF IRINA SHKODA
www.irinashkoda.com / @irinashkoda_photo
“Ellina”
Editor’s comment: A truly engaging scene with a strong and simple color scheme. The image creates intrigue, drawing the attention directly to the dark blue figure – the curves of the body in contrast with the rigid, striking white lines of the tennis court. The photograph leaves many questions unanswered, all the while remaining a well composed scene that is subtly reflective of the theme.
IMAGE COURTESY OF MAURO SERRA LUCIA DEL PASQUA
@laterarte
“Vanity nourished well, becomes benevolent. If hungry, it becomes malignant “- Mason Cooley
What would happen if the animals we kill to eat, to cover us, out of necessity and vanity made a revolution and became the masters of the Earth? The answer lies in Orwell. From “all animals are equal” to “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”. What would happen if the animals we kill to eat, to cover us, out of necessity and vanity, asked men to be like men? That men would like the idea of humanization so much that they would strip off all their trappings to saddle them with animals, which would give them so many likes on Instagram, and therefore fame. A vanity fair for everyone.”
Editor’s comment: A visual narrative on vanity and our modern society’s obsession with status, success and possession seems apparent in this single image. The lively color palette is cleverly used to attract the viewer – much like a shiny object to a magpie – before creating a backdrop to an unusual and uncomfortable sight. We associate these colors with sweet, pretty and frivolous items or scenes, so the unique use of them in this peculiar scene can leave the viewer feeling awkward. Ideally the image provides us with reason to reflect and question.
