Serenity

This competition has now closed.

Winners

1st
Egret Silhouette
Lana Gramlich
2nd
The waiting
Roberto Baroni
3rd
Untitled
Emilie Robert

Commended

The hectic pace of modern life in the 21st Century, with its endless demands at work and home, can make it seem like we are always on the go with no opportunity to take time out to appreciate life. As fashion designer Tom Ford once said, “Time and silence are the most luxurious things today”. Every now and then it is definitely worth taking a step back and enjoying the moments that allow us to revel in the peace and quiet and escape our busy lifestyles.

With this theme, we are asking you to explore the theme of serenity. What role does our immediate environment plays in preserving our peace of mind and sense of well-being? Can you capture the state or quality of being serene, calm or tranquil?

This topic is very broad and we will consider all genres of photography. From portraits of someone deep in concentration, to landscape photos of still water or candid photographs of empty streets, can you show us what serenity means to you?

Competition Judge

Adrian Stone

Adrian Stone has judged photographic competitions both nationally and internationally.

Adrian works as a mentor and teacher of photographic amateurs, is a photographer for the Royal Society of the Arts and has commissioned permanent photographic exhibitions in two NHS hospitals.

Adrian lectures on photography in the East and South East of England and is a part time tutor at Peterborough City College.

Egret Silhouette

Lana Gramlich

First Prize

This strong, graphic image powerfully conveys feelings of calm and serenity. The branches fill the frame with complementary curves. The sun is flooding the image with soothing, sensual light, progressively warming the whole image. The bird's stance and position generates stillness, a sense of watchful waiting. The location is not easy identified but its design and style draws on Chinese art influenced by Taoism. Careful control of the exposure and the avoidance of lens flare have made the sun's immediacy felt.

The waiting

Roberto Baroni

Second Prize

A deceptively simple image with a strong emotional content. The women appear at ease, suggesting intimacy and a long standing friendship. The arching, silhouetted trees generate a romantic mood, and the walking stick infers a well earned rest. Photographed in shadow, the figures are made more prominent by the rim lighting on their hair. The photographer has largely concealed a distracting roofline at the subjects' feet.

Untitled

Emilie Robert

Third Prize

This image has a quiet grandeur which evokes a sense of elevation and calmness. Its drama has been enhanced by choosing an elongated portrait format and by the strong contrasts in the lighting. The inclusion of cloud below the tree line adds additional impact. Care has been taken to ensure maximum sharpness to reveal the full detail in the landscape.

Ata Mohammad Adnan

Commended

Jishnu Changkakoti

Commended

Mike Lane

Commended

Eize Siegersma

Commended

Manash Mazumdar

Commended

Kristin Arsenault

Commended

Samuel Tardif

Commended

Sougata Mishra

Commended

Nivedita Chirantan

Commended

Silvia Dalla Massara

Commended

Rashmi Herle

Commended

Deba Prasad Roy

Commended

Greta Tuckute

Commended

Nicola Davison-Reed

Commended

Elena Kim

Commended

Mehdi Yazdi

Commended

Garima Garg

Commended

Phil Hemsley

Commended

Dmitriy Kazachenko

Commended

Mahfuzul Hasan Bhuiyan

Commended

Ryan Watin

Commended

Danielle Rajotte

Commended

Anna Galka

Commended

Justin Benson

Commended

Nick Board

Commended

David Meredith

Commended

Michael Dawson

Commended

Michael T Villongco

Commended

Dan Bernard

Commended

Dainius Sciuka

Commended

Sergei Kichigin

Commended

Roan Manion

Commended

Simon Bull

Commended

J.J. Guy Longtin

Commended