1ST PRIZE – MIHAIL MINKOV

“A geometric aura emanates from this ethereal figure whose earthbound perch on a rocky cliff seems fleeting–the photograph has captured the moment just before transcendence into the glistening Milky Way.” – REBECCA MORSE

“An entrancing image that takes time to reveal its many constructed layers. There’s so much playfulness in this photograph, not just the colors and shapes used, but the collaboration between photographer and subject creating this scene together. A magnetic, beautifully balanced artwork that has been perfectly exposed.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – The queen of light and the winter Milky way behind her. Single exposure. My wife and I created this shot using light painting tubes. I wanted to contrast between the dark rocky foreground and the sky behind her.

2ND PRIZE – JONAS DAHLSTRÖM

“The viewer readily steps into the perspective of the sitter in this photograph, looking out into the foggy city beyond, a dreamlike view that is eerie and uncertain.” – REBECCA MORSE

“Layering the exposure to cast shadows and fracture the light creates a sense of purposeful disorder in this image. Are we seeing a portrayal of the photographer’s ‘dark side’ with an abstract self-portrait? Or a snapshot of an unknown and unaware subject? Meanwhile, the spreading black and white patterns and ghostly shapes add to the mystery and annonynimity of the subject matter.” – LIFE FRAMER

MICHELE BULESIC

“The photographer has effortlessly created an intimate scene, using a low, cropped perspective and filtering in a gentle gradient of light. It is unclear if this is a self-portrait or of someone comfortable in this close proximity, but either way, the shallow focus embodies the deep contemplation and connection – with oneself or another – that comes to us late at night, when lost in thought and reflection.” – LIFE FRAMER

MARTIN KORBAN

“While such gloomy weather conditions aren’t very inviting to most of us, this photographer seems perfectly at ease, lurking amongst the shadows, seeking “the secrets that the fog may be hiding”. They clearly understand how to make the most of the poor visibility and softened light, offering us this striking image of a stark, solitary silhouette moving through the shadowy streets without rush. The scene is reminiscent of a crime drama with the subject going about their business, (possibly) unknowingly being watched from a short distance.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Working Late. I depict a serene and mysterious scene of a night enveloped in thick fog. The fog, which acts as a natural diffuser, casts an ethereal glow on the surrounding landscape and transforms ordinary light sources into radiant halos. The bright lights from the street lamps and buildings peek through the fog, creating a beautiful interplay of light and shadow. The overall effect is one of peacefulness and wonder, inviting the viewer to imagine the secrets that the fog may be hiding. The use of light in these photographs is particularly striking, highlighting the atmosphere of the scene. The photographs also capture silhouettes of people walking in the fog, adding a sense of intrigue and wonder as to their destination. The contrast of dark silhouettes against the radiant light sources further adds to the ethereal ambiance of the scene.

CARL DE SOUZA

“As soon as your eyes adjust to the shapes piled within these fires, the enormity of the reality hits – the bluntness of the image is unavoidable. A tragic but necessary documentation of how poaching is still such a highly impactful crime and how much destruction it can cause for both animals and humans. The photographer has carefully framed the scene, the silhouette of the lone officer almost a reminder that ultimately humans are in charge, for better or for worse.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – A Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officer stands near a burning pile of 15 tonnes of elephant ivory seized in Kenya at Nairobi National Park. 15 tonnes was the largest amount of contraband ivory burned in Africa on that day. The pile was officially burned to mark World Wildlife Day and African Environment day. An average of 30,000 elephants are poached every year in Africa.

ALISON ANSELOT

“This staged scene immediately conjures a sense of danger and foreboding – the encroaching woodland and neglected gates composed to dominate our little subject. The image resembles a still from a movie, where the photographer has created an uncomplicated setting full of story, apprehension and intrigue. It would be interesting to understand how they knit the theme together throughout the wider series.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – From my series When Comes the Night.

NICK PRICE

“The use of dark negative space is perfectly balanced with the activity happening in the bottom corner of this scene. As we, the viewer, observe these two people deep in conversation, impervious to the intense weather conditions around them, we too get lost in the setting, recalling our own similar experiences or contemplating the topic being so intensely discussed. The photographer has carefully captured a charming and atmospheric moment of human interaction and connection.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Two kids hang out one evening during a torrential rain. Placencia, Belize.

EDUARDO NAVE SILVESTRE

“There’s a polished look to this crowded scene, seemingly gathered outdoors in anticipation of a potentially notable moment. A pattern fills the frame with the repetition of faces, scattered twinkling of phone screens and sea of dark clothing. It would be interesting to know how this image was captured, possibly a drone as a few members of the crowd appear to be looking up directly into the lens – one person even takes a photograph. An image you could easily get lost in as a viewer or a subject.” – LIFE FRAMER

JEAN-MARC BARA

“An opportunistic portrait, sharply focused and thoughtfully composed. The photographer took the time to consider this image from their position as a passenger, allowing the varied, existing light from the surrounding sources to creep into the scene. It illustrates perfectly how a photographer’s eyes are always open, looking to connect with the next willing participant and capture another intimate moment.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Stuck in Traffic. As the car was stuck in NYC traffic, I noticed that the driver’s face was lit by the brake lights of the car just in front while the rest of the car remained bathed in the blue light filtered from the heavily tinted car windows.

ANTONIO DENTI

“This image is full of contrasting subject matter – from the fading natural light and glowing artificial screens, to the bare skin against the night air. The three children seem naturally comfortable on the edge of the water, unphazed by the darkening sky. The fading town lights are a perfect backdrop to this heartening moment of untamed youth and innocence, photographed with warmth and an understanding of this meaningful memory.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Night by the sea.

ALIZÉ JIREH

“A photographer will always be their own willing subject, and the beauty of doing this in your own private space enables true experimentation and practice to take place. It’s clear from this image, this photographer has spent time honing their skills to carefully build and compose their scenes, with an emphasis on enhancing the intimate ambience through muted tones, low light and full frames.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Seeking her light – Long exposure taken in the comfort of my room. My images are long exposures taken in the comfort of the night, where darkness is a portal where the smallest bit of light can dance and create.

MITSUKO TANIGUCHI

“The colorless, harsh lines of this image cut a clear juxtaposition against the photographer’s intention and inspiration for this work, creating a really interesting approach to a thoughtful series. The photographer seeks out signs of daily life at play behind the structured, concrete facades, subtly composing the image with a clear and considered style. The photograph, in its own subtle way, reads like a postcard of hope. ” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – From the series Equivalent. I took these photographs in the early morning or at dusk. The lights in the windows give a sense of the breath of the people beneath them. People from all walks of life are trying their best to live, each with their own hopes and dreams. There are lives and daily lives lost in the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. All existence is supposed to be equivalent, but the world is full of things that are too unreasonable.

LJUBICA DENKOVIC

“Using the night to escape – in either a physical or emotional sense – with the idea of darkness hiding our thoughts and movements seems logical. The use of multiple exposures in the image creates an ethereal sense, almost depicting the exact moment of escape, as we leave one place and enter another. With a strong perception of color and light, the photographer creates this mind-expanding scene.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – In the series of works Night Motions I built a seemingly different world, a movie scene, or a surreal sight within the emotional field of collective loneliness. My photographic method over-accentuates and intensifies reality to such an extent that it ends up making us ready to embrace it. The resulting photographs are a guide through the dark landscapes of the self, showing us external locations and discarded emotions in space, encouraging us to face the neglected internal domains.

ANDRII ZABOLOTNYI

“With the night sometimes comes fear, as if the darkness cloaks our surroundings with strangeness, turning normal tasks into impossible challenges. The war in Ukraine brings this fear to people everyday, and the nights even more so. The use of blackness, murky light and obscured landscape in the photograph acutely captures the sense of uncertainty, solitude and struggle that has been cast upon these people. An unusual and engaging conflict documentary image.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Kyiv, Ukraine 2022. This is how Kyiv looks like after Russian massive missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Even after a complete blackout, life goes on and people go about their business.

NICOLAS CASTERMANS

“A somber tone washes over this portrait, a shaft of subdued light falls seamlessly across the sitter’s face, just enough to illuminate him in his modest surroundings. The photographer has taken time to ensure the surrounding elements of the image reflect the subject’s mood – even the darkened, cracked walls mirror his lined face. This photograph is full of weighted emotion, anchored by the subject, albeit tired, but expressionless.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Part of a long term photo project about the community of Palccoyo in the high Andean mountains of Cusco, Peru, where I explore the impacts of modernization/globalization on its cultural identity, the generational gaps and the process of acculturation.

GIORGIO BOLOGNESI

“We tend to associate a ‘city that never sleeps’ with the idea of a party style nightlife, but for those grafting through long night shifts it takes on another meaning. This photograph reads like a diptych with two scenes at play in the same environment; on the left an empty, quieter space with two people appearing to take a break and on the right, a more active, energetic scene with another pair engrossed in their tasks. The preciseness of the long exposure is used just enough to emphasise their environment – bustling with a sense of urgency.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – People of Saigon working late at night in home workshops, in a city that never sleeps.

FORREST SIMMONS

“Each aspect of this image encompasses a sense of dread, the phantom figure emitting elements of suffering with the blue tone anchoring the mood. The photographer aims to channel light and darkness, turning thoughts inside out to understand the human psyche from a visual perspective, and this simple, single image certainly achieves factors of their theme. The artist has done well to tackle this theme and portray it in a sensitive and uncomplicated style.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – A Lush and Ferocious Wilderness is a series that makes contact with the fundamental, yet evasive, human longings for spiritual fulfilment, for answers to the mysteries of time and space, and for a resolution to questions of meaning and purpose. The project seeks to make visible the innermost parts of ourselves: yearnings and desires; dreams and nightmares; ideas and thought fragments; idealized fantasies and cold realities. To mirror the multi-tiered and complex experience of the self, I use a genre-agnostic approach, allowing tableaux and documentary to co-exist. A Lush and Ferocious Wilderness channels light and darkness, both literal and figurative, forming a forever-incomplete picture of the knowable and unknowable, embracing our knowledge and ignorance as we walk on this mortal coil, alone in the dark, together.

GUILLAUME FLANDRE

“The relationship between architecture and people can change so quickly after dark – the familiar soon becomes unfamiliar, unwelcoming, or like the Fulton Center here, even enchanting. The photographer carefully frames this lit-up structure in a beautifully simple fashion, creating a visually pleasing image full of color and symmetry. Composing this scene against the canvas of night allows this abstract image to truly materialize.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – Abstract capture of the Fulton Center light displays in New York City at night.

CLAIRE DAM

“With the darkness of the night comes the luminosity of the moon – not every night but it’s a familiar and mostly welcomed sight. The image created here is a joyful, dreamlike product of a creative process where the photographer relishes the challenge of exposing analog to the night sky and experimenting with exposures and movement.” – LIFE FRAMER

Photographer statement – As a film shooter, it’s extra challenging to shoot at night. But that’s why I love it. Using a variety of lighting, this shoot was a creative exercise in alternative lighting and layering all on Cinestill 400D.

ANOUKIT KITHSAVATH

“This shadowy night scene is pushed to the boundaries of exposure with a low haunting light emerging from a darkness that monopolizes every corner. The photographer sharply positions the manufactured boundary as the main subject, creating an added element of surveillance throughout the image. The scene resembles something from a conflict zone or a place where danger isn’t too far away, but the image reveals very little, leaving the viewer’s imagination to take over.” – LIFE FRAMER