Amateur Photographer of the Year
1 Steve Campbell UK 20pts
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, 50mm, 1/500sec at f/1.4, ISO 2000
It was tight at the top of this round, but this extremely well-executed portrait by Steve is the deserving winner. The model’s pose is relaxed and natural, and her gaze, going off to one side, works very well. Normally, with portraits, viewers tend to prefer direct eye contact, but in this case it would have changed the dynamic entirely, losing the wistfulness that’s a big part of the image’s success. The retro-style processing also suits the subject very well, and suits the current appetite for muted, film-like tones in social photography.
2 Amanda Raquel USA 19pts
Canon EOS 7D Mark II, 18-135mm at 50mm, 1/100sec at f/5.6, ISO 2000
Everything about this portrait has been beautifully considered, from the model’s clothing to her pose – and especially the model herself, who has a fascinating and enigmatic quality. The soft sidelighting is simply wonderful, picking out
