EDITORS’ PICK
Faces in the Crowd
HUMANS OF THE WORLD
HUMANS OF THE WORLD EDITORS’ PICK
Following Martin Parr’s selection of winning images for our recent Humans of the World 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…
When selecting for editor’s picks we’re always searching for those striking photographs that make for an unforgettable single image, whether from a broader series or not. We enjoy the accompanying text some photographers submit with their images, and while not always necessary it 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: MATTHEW LAM
The viewer would be forgiven to assume an image of urgency and danger, rather than one of tradition and celebration. The up close perspective accentuates the intensity and energy exuding from within the crowd, the strong use of yellows and oranges adding a ferocity to the already animated scene. An intimate insight to a vibrant festival that influenced many cultural legacies. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The last night of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival in Phuket was loud and extraordinary as it was the night when the Nine Emperor Gods were sent back via the sea. Devotees from all of the Chinese shrines in the island gathered in earnest in Phuket Town to celebrate this occasion and proceeded to Saphan Hin for the final send off at the beach. Literally millions of firecrackers were set off throughout the night, with the road to Saphan Hin, receiving the most as the procession past by that area.
Smoke engulfed the whole vicinity as devotees worshipped the deities who paraded the streets. It was believed that the tradition started centuries ago when a Chinese opera troupe contracted Malaria. However, traditional medicine could not help the crew get better so they made a decision to go on a strict vegan diet as well as to pray to the Nine Emperor Gods for protection from diseases in the foreign land. Today, the tradition lives on and continues in full force in Phuket.
SEHMUZ BAYHAN
A super scenario welcomes the viewer as they make sense of this impromptu street shot. Superman strikes a strong confident shape within the frame as he clearly directs a tourist – only the tightly gripped wad of cash in his hand betraying his mortal existence. No matter which way it’s dressed up, the simple act of manners and helping someone out is wonderful to see in any street scene. A humorous, well timed and engaging picture. Bravo. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s …
MUHAMMAD AMDAD HOSSAIN
The photographer chooses an unconventional perspective to highlight this sport – unlike the common, close-up view of muscle, blood and sweat, they take a wider perspective putting spectators and fighters on a similar scale. The image wedges in many micro human interactions beyond the aggressive act at the centre of the scene, allowing the viewer to soak up the energetic atmosphere. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Traditional Bali Khela wrestling, Bangladesh.
MENGTING ZHOU
Flowers, trees and greenery dominate this street shot, allowing the couple on the bench to appear secluded and comfortable in their own presence, as if the surroundings are for them only. As the viewer considers the scene, the accompanying text provokes thoughts on how the photographer sees themselves – how they look for similarities and differences in the people within the ‘rooms’. A beautifully captured and contemplated photograph. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – My series In the Room series started in 2015, aiming to capture people in their natural state in private spaces. Over time, I broadened the concept, exploring emotional boundaries in public settings. In the Room 4 documents my journey along NYC’s 7 and 4 subway lines, representing my life trajectory in the city.
MATTHIAS LEY
A straightforward street portrait gradually becomes complex as the photographic print quickly becomes the focus point. The frame within a frame allows the viewer to move between the past and present, comparing both scenes and piecing the narrative together with the help of the photographer’s extensive text. A harrowing story unfolds from this one portrait, raising many questions and blatant realisations. A poignant body of documentary work that needs to be shared and regarded on a larger scale. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – REMEMBERING GWANGJU. On May 18, 1980, students and citizens started the Uprising and Movement for Democratization in the city of Gwangju/South Korea. The US-sponsored military dictatorship answered with bloody force. After a couple of days, however, the citizens of Gwangju succeeded in temporarily driving out the military from the city. For five days, the Gwangju people governed themselves in the liberated city, they held meetings, discussions and practised direct democracy.
Then, after only 10 days, the soldiers returned to the city and the uprising was finally brutally crushed, with the permission of the US-government. Hundreds of citizens were beaten to death in the streets or slaughtered with bayonets by paratroopers, thousands were injured or tortured in prisons. While the victims are still suffering physically and /or mentally, no perpetrator has ever been brought to justice. 9 years later, the Tiananmen massacre in Beijing shocked the world, and Tiananmen still gets prominent coverage in the Western media. But the horrible events of Gwangju are since then long forgotten by the Western world.
But Gwangju was the central event which not only started the democratisation of South Korea, but made it possible. Also, the grass-roots democratic organisation of the Gwangju Uprising served as a role model for not only Asian uprisings from Burma to Tiananmen, but also the more recent Arab Spring and Occupy Wallstreet movements are directly influenced by Gwangju.
I photographed and interviewed around 50 victims and survivors in Gwangju in 2009 and 2010, and photographed torture prisons and sites of massacres as well. All photographs were made with a 4×5 camera on color negative film. For the upcoming 45th anniversary, I’ll return to Gwangju, to do a documentary film.
AMBRUS DEAK
The image takes a moment to fully come together, the photographer’s clever use of light, shadow and angle challenges perspective forcing the viewer to piece together the jigsaw of elements. The mention of ‘Hollywood’ in the caption immediately eradicates any questions over the topless torso. The photographer manages to capture many details, from the veined muscles to the ‘walk of fame’ style stars on the street reflected in the mirrored glasses. An amusing street portrait. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – October 11, 2023 | Hollywood, CA.
MAURO PESCE
The long aperture shot allows the contrasting elements between human life and the natural world to come into focus. As the volcano quietly dominates the backdrop in stillness, the existence of humanity appears instant and fast paced in comparison to the longevity of the mountainous landscape. A photograph filled with a narrative on our planet’s power, but also human’s parasitic effect on it. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – “We are in a tomb where the remains of around 300 people are buried. From a volcanic eruption that destroyed Coñaripe. The remains found as a result of that eruption were buried in this tomb. It’s a common grave. The eruption occurred in 1948, in the month of October.”
Villarrica volcano has an active lava lake and is one of the few in the world frequently emitting incandescent particles. Located in the south of Chile, in the Araucana Region, its surroundings were for centuries inhabited by native nations organized into small autonomous groups. When the Chilean state occupied the territory in 1883, the area entered an accelerated transformation process.
If at first it was logging and the border crossing route to Argentina that raised people’s interest, later it was its natural beauty and the associated tourism that stimulated the economic development of the area. Today, the Villarrica volcano overlooks a diverse human geography. The sharp increase in population, along with the damage caused by industrial activity such as salmon farming and forestry, have caused serious problems: water pollution and biodiversity loss.
36 Views of Villarrica Volcano is a series of landscape photographs that portray everyday scenes in which Villarrica volcano can be seen. The project is inspired by the famous series of woodcut prints 36 Views of Mount Fuji, created by the Japanese Katsushika Hokusai between 1830 and 1832. His engravings capture fleeting moments that passed before Mount Fuji, forming a memory of simple events where humans’ relationship with time – the transitory condition of life – is the main subject.
The diversity of inhabitants of the Villarrica territory manifests itself in the different paradigms that model the people’s approach to the landscape. The paradigm of economic growth undoubtedly prevails, but there is an ongoing confrontation between them, which results in a lack of the dialogue, public policies, and personal habits necessary to address the current environmental problems. To understand these paradigms, 36 people were interviewed. A short passage, literally transcribed, accompanies each photo.
36 Views of Villarrica Volcano represents a multitude of perspectives that, even as they oppose each other, all converge on the also called Quitralpillán: the “spirit of fire”.
JOHN TERJE PEDERSEN
The image overwhelms the viewer’s senses as they examine each corner of the room and the considerable amount of royal family paraphernalia. Images of Princess Diana seem to dominate as the poster girl of the iconic dynasty. The deep, rose pink walls add to the intensity of this collection, as it sporadically punctuates the chaos. This portrait through possessions is a fascinating insight into both Margaret’s home as well as her sense of identity and connection. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Margaret Tyler (78) is obsessed with the royals. “Well, it started as a hobby, but it took over my life.” What looks more like a cluttered museum or a crowded gift shop, is actually Tyler’s home. She has become world famous for being obsessed with the royal family and has met Queen Elizabeth four times. “She probably got tired of the sight of me eventually.” says the 78-year-old woman, who has visited the royal family all her life.
CHRISTOPHER BULL
The chalkboard of lessons, thoughts and facts almost weighs as an expectation on this young boy’s shoulders, as if it is a manifesto for a new generation of Ghanaians. The portrait is thoughtfully composed, allowing the classroom to become part of a double-portrait with the boy, asserting the undeniable value of education. An insightful picture on the simplicity of youth and the weight of adulthood. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – A young boy stands inside of the schoolhouse in which he attends in the rural, Northern Region of Ghana. “Our World and Our People”.
ROMAN MANFREDI
The photographer presents work form a well considered and poignant topic, delivering a lesson on the heritage of identity beyond pop-culture trends. The subject and surrounding merge as if to create a consistent scene of pattern, shape and color – a visual highlight on how our environments can shape our sense of self. The wider series would be very interesting to observe. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – CJ, King’s Park, Glasgow. We/Us is an intergenerational photography and oral history project that celebrates the undocumented presence of butches and studs from working-class backgrounds within the British landscape. The project explores the experience of female masculinity through the structures of class and race all over the UK, capturing and exploring our diversity as well as our commonality. When searching for images of butches and studs online, most that come up are from a by-gone era or from the US. The conversations around gender and identity today are often academic and London-centric, sometimes forgetting that our identities are informed by our every day lived experiences.
*Notes on terms: The definition of butch generally refers to a specific and deliberate female masculinity within a lesbian framework. Stud is an African American term used by many young Black masculine presenting lesbians in the UK. These identities are working class in origin.
RAGHAV SETHI
The aspect of loneliness seems subjective as the photographer admittedly projects their own emotional perspective on to this peaceful scene. They have captured a serene and quiet moment set against the backdrop of one of the world’s busiest cities. There is an intimate quality to the photograph in spite of its vast setting, awash with warmth and tranquillity. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The pursuit of Solitude: A man deep in his thoughts sits on the tetrapod rocks at Marine Drive, Mumbai and gazes at the sunrise. Looking at the scene, I felt a strange sense of loneliness that I wanted to capture.
ALAIN SCHROEDER
This is a surreal scene of two species interacting in an unnatural and unusual setting, the vibrant lights and colors adding to the bizarre nature of the situation. There is a level of disrespect for both parties involved, enabled by a culture of using and abusing animals for entertainment. This photograph would be well suited as part of a wider series with an awareness and action campaign angle. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Safari World, a popular tourist attraction on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, opened in 1988. It consists of an open-air Safari Park where visitors can drive (or be driven) thru, and a more traditional zoo called Marine Park with animals in cages and a variety of shows throughout the day. Despite generally favorable consumer ratings, Safari World has been criticized by organizations concerned with animal welfare for its treatment of animals and, in particular, for the orangutan shows where animals are dressed up and forced to perform human acts like, playing musical instruments, fighting in a small boxing ring or acting like supporters waving hands and flags.
After the boxing show, guests are invited to pay an additional fee to pose for photos or selfies with the orangutans who have been trained to kiss guests and grab women’s breasts and men’s private parts. In this picture a mother and daughter pose for a selfie with two orangutans. As the woman raises her cell phone, the orangutan squeezes her breast.
MINAMI IVORY
There is a lot of contrast between image and text – a soft, colorful portrait underpinned by the author’s heavy and harrowing words. The photograph seems to map a complex and difficult experience, as emotions weigh heavy across the subjects face. Their weapon of choice may have changed throughout their journey but now the sunflowers represent elements of hope, growth and respite. A painful story, encompassed in one melancholic scene. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Weapon of Choice is a recollection of one haunting summer and its brutal effects. Loneliness, roaming youths, gang rape and predators. We were wild nocturnals in the dark, warm nights. Summer left without saying goodbye and before my 15th birthday, I got my hair cut short. Strangely, that was the thing that hurt me the most. In one of my hot summer dreams, I was in a Fatboy Slim’s video clip . Christopher Walken took my hand and we danced along. I felt invincible. So I packed my life in a suitcase and left for another country because I had Weapon of Choice: luck and strength to run away from it all and make my life my own.
THOMAS WRIGHT
The photographer presents an intimate scene in many aspects, full of tension, admiration and detail. The surgeon looks directly into the camera’s lens, their gaze adding to the tense atmosphere of the environment. The low spotlight and depth of colors enhances the significance of this act – and its associated skills and knowledge – giving the photograph it’s artistic qualities. A magnetic scene that speaks to humanity in one of its rawest moments. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series Lungs Off. Shot at St. Bartholomew’s hospital, London. Dec 2022 onwards. Art and medicine have had a symbiotic relationship, art being the primary tool for teaching medicine throughout history. I now humbly present my own contribution to this historical practice.
Lungs Off, a series that expresses / documents the drama and intensity of the operating theatre. Perusing my personal fascination with the surgical world, capturing images that simultaneously disgust and enthral. The picture style and use of chiaroscuro reflects my passion of baroque painting, and draws comparisons with the essence of these classical works, posing questions of faith and mortality. Perhaps these images invite us to reflect on upon our own existence and place on this planet. Nudging us to consider the fragility of life and be more conscious of our actions towards ourselves and others.
CRUMMY GUMMY
Dedication anchors this scene, even during this short break their costumes remain intact, helmets on. As the viewer studies the subjects and their costumes of metal, the idea of wearing these during intense movement under the hot Florida sun becomes almost unbearable to consider. The shape and colors of the image create an interesting visual to comprehend this unusual sport. It’s a wonderful example of the kooky things we do for leisure. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series Knight Club. I was on an assignment where I photographed Florida Buhurt athletes as they practiced, Under the Florida sun, in preparation to represent Team USA at a world tournament. These athletes were taking a break from practice. The armor weighs up to 90 pounds.
FÉLIX MÉNARD
A pattern of people comprise this scene – through complimenting colors and direction of the crowd – that only becomes visible from the high perspective taken by the photographer. The one camera facing subject brings a light-hearted, warmth to the scene, which allows the viewer to connect to the photographer’s personal experience they describe in their caption. A joyful snapshot from this photographer’s extensive travels. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – No Entrance for Foreigners is a ongoing photography project. I have been incredibly fortunate to travel the world and explore different cultures, landscapes, and experiences. Armed with my camera and plenty of time to wander the streets, I try to capture moments that reveal the beauty and complexity of the human experience. Although some recurring themes and ideas emerge, narratives are not forced upon the viewer. These candid photographs are an invitation for you to join me on a journey of exploration, allowing you to appreciate the world and its people in a new way, just as I have.
FIDELIO FERRIER
The photographer’s low, direct angle gives the subject a level of respect, as if celebrating and honouring them in subtle ways. The subject exudes a sense of quiet confidence as their face remains in shadow, casually maintaining their pose. A simple portrait showcasing their style and sense of identity while on a deeper level encompassing a historical, cultural legacy through the eyes of one generation observing another. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Mr. Sun, 2023 – This person was viewing the Seú Harvest Parade from his home in Curaçao. In my series In Caribe, I explore -as a first-gen Afro-Caribbean in the West- the emotional concept of home and belonging. By blending documentary and fashion photography, I turn my lens towards the untold stories of African and indigenous presence in the forgotten Caribbean corners of the Dutch Kingdom – a land where Black and indigenous people have reinvented their existence. In this series, I delve into the elements that evoke a sense of ‘home,’ redefining this notion as an emotional construct rather than a physical location. Celebrating the multifaceted nature of Afro-Caribbean identities, the series invites viewers to reflect on their own perceptions of home.
ANDREAS BLECKMANN
White washes over the scene as if it’s fading away, the viewer’s eyes settle on the faces within the car – punctuating the scene, small but unimpressed by the force of nature happening in front of them. The photographer attempts to draw comparisons with the many people that pass through this southern, coastal town – dedicated to detail. A perfectly timed photograph, and wry document of the “English summer”. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Teenagers, from my series ROCK-A-NORE, an ongoing project I have worked on since 2019 in my home town of Hastings. Rock-A-Nore is a 500 meter stretch of road that divides the old town from The Stade, Britain’s oldest and largest, beach landed fishing harbour. The area is forever changing, the constant ebb and flow of holiday makers mingling in the semi industrial detritus of the multi-generational fishing community, who continue their tough and dangerous work all year round, they have a very different relationship with the sea. Living here, you become acutely aware of the inevitable rhythm and pace that is the lifeblood of this seaside town. As a photographer, I have focused on taking pictures of people from both the fishing community as well as passers-by, selecting them for their character, appearance or clothing, in relationship with this strange, unruly environment. I am a familiar face with my Rolleiflex camera as I walk the area on a daily basis. This is my community and I have integrated myself through my photography.
KYLIE SHERIDAN
This scene seems to speak to the times when life, maybe parenthood, feels overwhelming. The light shut out as both subjects horizontally occupy their own spaces, disconnected from one another and seemingly experiencing contrasting emotions. The giant lego-man head lays open haphazardly, its contents spilled on the floor – as if a symbolic representation of a mental breaking point. There is a poignant narrative at play within the scene, as the viewer observes the darkness within the scene they may ponder if it is autobiographical in some way. – LIFE FRAMER
MAXIMILIAN JURCZYK
A scene of compassion and community is contained within this single portrait. The viewer notes the doctor and his intention to constantly educate himself, his endeavours to do and be better for his patients is clear and commendable. The rest of the scene is packed with medical paraphernalia, its non-clinical appearance not distracting from the duty of care on offer. An expanded photo essay or series on the work of Ombili Foundation would be poignant.. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – A short visit to the Ombili Foundation in Namibia, pictured in September 2023. This organization provides the ill people of Namibia a safe place to live. While waiting for his Patients, this young Doctor keeps educating himself about medicine and modern technologies.
