1ST PRIZE: MARTINA HOLMBERG

This entry spoke of respect and sensitivity. The first thing I saw was a strong, empowered and beautiful woman and what I loved was that it challenged our notions of what is desired. The impact of seeing beyond the disability speaks of the photographer’s understanding and relationship to the subject. – SIÂN DAVEY

The soft black and white portrait seems to delicately reflect the pain of past experiences while still embodying the hope Emma has for the future. The photographer’s approach to the image allows the viewer to focus more on the emotional perspective of the subject rather than allowing their identity to be defined purely by the physicalities of this syndrome. A thought-provoking portrait, where the accompanying text re-enforces the aspect of resilience and strength in character. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Emma. Emma is a young woman at the beginning of her adulthood, who is just about to start studying at the university. Today she is doing well, but life has not been easy. Emma was born with the disease Treacher Collins syndrome that affects the bones in the face. As a child she was bullied and her appearance makes many people stare. In the future, she wants to work with issues related to diversity and lecture about her experiences of exclusion.

2ND PRIZE: CHRISTOFFER AHLEN

I loved this humorous and unique perspective on disability. All we see of the human body in this picture is a hand and yet we are told a story of strength, courage and fearlessness despite the obvious struggle. – SIÂN DAVEY

The viewer is greeted with a compelling composition, abstract but uncomplicated – as if highlighting the relevance and importance of the prosthetic limb without it defining the subject’s identity, the sandal even characterizing their style and personality more so than their disability. The image is imaginative, bright and bold – possibly in recognition of the resilience the subject has exhibited throughout their life. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – My mother in-law, Jackie, lost her leg when she was 11 days old. With resilience she powers through day to day and is never afraid to show vulnerability – the biggest strength of them all. Through lots of lobbying and hard work, she was the first person to get a prosthetic leg on the NHS – she now lives part time in Essaouira, Morocco.

SPECIAL MENTION: GEORGIA LILLEY

This is an intimate portrait of a quiet moment and speaks of the vulnerability of a woman post birth. It’s refreshing to witness a real body complete with stretch marks, and I love how the baby seems so conscious. – SIÂN DAVEY

The image reads almost like a portrait painting with ‘Hockney-esque’ quality to it in some way, merging the use of shape, pattern and color in a simplistic form. The natural light streams into the room and illuminates mother and child with a soft glow, allowing the baby’s little blue eyes to beam bright and sharp at the center of the scene. An intimate and profound moment capturing the relationship between two bodies, two people, seemingly captured without any effort to stage or pose the two at the heart of the photograph. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Isabel and Monroe. Portra 800.

OLGA DE LA IGLESIA

Although a simple composition, the portrait is engaging and infectious, evoking a response of joy from the viewer that mirrors that of the subject. The use of a strong and bright backdrop brings warmth and personality to the image, along with the tight framing to emphasize the subjects effortless contentedness in their own world. The image would fit seamlessly within a high-end beauty campaign, one championing a positive representation of diversity in skin conditions. – LIFE FRAMER

MAX STURGEON

Initially this portrait feels more like a painting than a photograph, easily attributed to the abstract quality of the subject’s face – half blurred and half exactly composed – and the minimal yet saturated color scheme. The natural textures and tones create a familiar feel for the viewer, inviting them to imagine being the subject submerged in warm, clear water. An engaging portrait that has both a foreign and nostalgic sense to it. – LIFE FRAMER

AXEL SCHNEEGASS

Both vulnerability and tenderness come across in this anonymous portrait. The photographer keeps the image simple with their choice to exclude color, encouraging the viewer to consider the reality and fragility of an ageing body in all its worn and beautiful glory. The small branches of flowers appear soft and strong, held close as if a symbolic reference to the affection the subject holds for the life this body has led as well the resilience it has exercized and experienced. – LIFE FRAMER

DEBRA SEAL

The photographer sums up their work perfectly with the accompanying text – challenging the viewer’s perception of the human physical form and alienating aspects of the body to ensure the familiar quickly becomes the unfamiliar. Although the composition appears foreign, the use of soft black and white gradient allows the textures of the skin to remain real and tangible. Both a striking and subtle scene, that absorbs the viewer in the question of what exactly they’re viewing. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – In this series I play with distortion and unusual perspectives to show human bodies look like non-human forms, which not only shatters preconceptions, but also makes the statement that humans, as much as we like to believe ourselves separate, are an integral part of the natural world.

EDWARD AMSTERDAM

An image depicting the pure joy of movement, showcasing the beauty of the human body’s physically expressive capabilities. The caption gives detailed insight into the photographer’s style and approach to portraiture, their work taking on a poetic nature as the images are created in the most organic collaboration between subject, light and photographer. A picture of celebration and a statement of freedom in dance and movement, joyfully captured. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – I make portraits of people who aspire to make a living in the world of art as a creator or performing artist. I prefer to work with available light. Natural light feels atmospheric and genuine, changes from hard to soft, from cool to warm and forces you to surrender to the circumstances. This creates the necessary freedom to quietly search for the essence of the subject without preconceived plans and burdensome expectations. Freedom and trust are preconditions for true and pure images that tempt the viewer to delve into the world of those portrayed. I prefer sober minimalist images where the tension arises in the contrasts between light and dark, sharpness and blur, silence and movement, introverted and extroverted expressions, between what was and what is to come…

PATRICK HATTORI

Street photography can take a specific type of perspective – encouraging the photographer to slow down and find the detail within the everyday or see the strange in the ordinary. The viewer is invited to study this placid and peaceful picture, only a hand and forearm appears as a clue to the human behind the suspended shadow. A playful, amusing scene easily overlooked if not for the curious perspective of the photographer, and an imaginative response to the theme of ‘the human body’. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – During an afternoon walk in the streets of Kabul, I spotted this urban gymnast work the parallel bars in Share Naw parc.

HAN YANG

The photographer layers their photographic work with historic, cultural and political themes – all the while using a simple style and composition. The human body becomes a canvas, turning real-life into still-life to create their symbolic scene. The viewer is left to digest the themes the photographer has outlined through the uncomplicated and bright color palette. The wider series would be interesting to observe. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – The Soul of the Waves: The Rhythm of the Sea and the Vitality of Women

This series draws inspiration from Katsushika Hokusai’s classic work “The Great Wave off Kanagawa,” blending symbolic imagery of food (“sushi salmon”) and the female “uterus.” The flowing waves and deep blue ocean colours in the work symbolize the human struggle for survival and relentless pursuit and convey a profound reverence and worship for the forces of nature in Asian culture. From a distance, the human body curls up like a rice ball and sushi, resembling a clenched fist, metaphorically representing the strength and resilience of life.

Through multi-layered interpretations of nature, humanity, and female identity, the work evokes deep reflections on life and existence from the viewers. In a modern context, the work revisits the essence of traditional culture, exploring the intrinsic connection between female strength and life’s resilience, providing viewers with a new visual and intellectual experience. From the perspectives of cultural studies and feminist theory, the work embodies a profound concern and contemplation of female subjectivity. Through a cross-cultural artistic language, the work not only presents women’s struggles and efforts throughout history but also reflects the ongoing attention and discussion of gender equality and cultural heritage in contemporary society.

ALAN BURLES

The photographer challenges the viewer to observe the human body in all forms from actual to abstract, encouraging them to consider the minute and mundane movements and postures the body can perform within the everyday. The image in itself is full of humor as well as knowledge of perspective and light, capturing the scene with such exactness that it is difficult to separate the living subjects from their silhouetted figures. Creatively done. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – An old man and his dog casting a shadow at Waterloo Station, London. A first interpretation of the theme The Human Body might well be to envisage photographs of naked bodies and flesh. But consider the theme a step or two further and it can be seen that the wonder of the human body reveals itself throughout the wide spectrum of everyday life. Quirky postures, elegant poses, amusing coincidences and illusions, the way we wear clothing, even the way we hold a cup of coffee on a bus is what helps me celebrate what makes us human.

OLGA STEINEPREIS

An image that wonderfully and warmly conveys the unified identity that a family unit can represent, and how the individual identities of each family member can fall into the background when engaged in such warm moments of fun and bonding. The black and white treatment of the scene allows the viewer to project their own more personal perspective onto the picture. A creative approach to the traditional family portrait. – LIFE FRAMER

ANYA LEVI

Beyond the style and attire of the subjects, a palette of nature-rich colors and warm hues gives the scene its sense of midsummer. The freedom to enjoy the outdoors and one another’s company is expressed in the purest of ways as the three women dance separately but in unison. The photograph evokes a sense of connectedness and a collective exuberance, showcasing a real appreciation for the present moment. It is a photograph as much about the body as it is about the mind escaping it through a joyful flow state. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Mother Nature’s Daughters. I hope this photo shines a light on the beauty and love in family, capturing the harmony as their human bodies move together in the same rhythm.

ALEXEY KOSORUKOV

Stark sunlight and dark shadows fight for dominance in this richly toned street scene, reminiscent of a Saul Leiter composition. The image is vibrant with color but calm with the stillness of the figures as they stand independently of one another, without interaction and preoccupied by their own inner thoughts – seemingly unaware of the photographer’s presence. A dramatic composition of an uneventful moment, skillfully framed and captured. – LIFE FRAMER

PAM HANLAN

An unusual but intriguing collaged portrait is presented for observation, cunningly crafted to channel the photographer’s perspective on youth and modern society. The accompanying caption prompts the viewer to look at each element of the image and consider the theme and viewpoint in a balanced way. The colorway of green shades is rich but soft, allowing the symbolic red apple to provoke interest without dominating the scene. A clever composition and concept. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Sophie, 5 – I may be a little old fashioned, but it seems to me that we expect today’s children to see and experience the world with adult eyes. The knowledge they gain playing as children is invaluable. They will have the knowledge of adults soon enough.

ANNA LIGUS

The subject is isolated within the black backdrop allowing the viewer to consider the sculptural form of the body without distraction. The model holds the flower stem as it sits subtly against their back, almost imitating in simple form the inner nerves that wind their way through the body. The shallow depth of focus and muted color palette give a dream-like quality to the scene. A truly considered and attentively composed portrait. – LIFE FRAMER

SHOEB FARUQUEE

A chaotic but expertly composed scene, showcasing both intense play and true athleticism. Any threat of serious competition undermined by full smiles and expressive reactions as the subject spread their bodies both high and low. Although the scene is devoid of color, perhaps a wise decision from the photographer given how busy the frame is, the personalities of the players seem to bring life and their own sense of color to the bare beach backdrop. – LIFE FRAMER

ANNELIE VANDENDAEL

A limited palette of rich color, smooth textures and simplistic, cropped shapes work effortlessly together to create this striking scene. Like a dancer in opening pose, or a diver ready to leap, it seemingly captures the quiet moment before the body uncoils with energy and movement. It’s a harmonious, stylish image underpinned by a deeper message of conformity and stereotyping in the photographer’s statement. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – From the series Sois Belle. Look once–then look again. These luscious, surreal images challenge the unrealistic standards of perfection set by fashion photography, provoking playfulness rather than airbrushed beauty. I glorify the authenticity of female beauty through surreal compositions taken in analogue format.

JÁNA HOWARD

A quiet energy anchors this group portrait, one that carries with it an air of defiance and confidence amongst the subjects – possibly amplified as they appear together. The scene is one that is creatively composed and mindfully styled – with the bare backdrop and muted, earthy colors there is a sense of the photographer’s desire to honour these women rather than over confidently parade and pose. A thoughtful, memorable portrait. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – The Power of Three.

JODY LYNNE BAKKER

The intense close-up nature of the portrait accentuates this deep and nurtured bond, portraying the innocence and adoration of unconditional love between mother and child. The photographer is careful to approach this scene with the care and consideration it needs. The black and white element allows the viewer to see this picture like one from a family album, a frozen moment that will never truly illustrate the depth of the relationship. – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Shirley and Beau, mother and daughter, share a deep bond. Two souls united in pure love, bathed in soft natural light.