This month's winner is Ian O'Neill FIPF, ARPS, DPAGB, AWPF, HonNWPA

Our judge for this month, Justin Cliffe commented, 

A well seen and well executed image, I really get the feeling that I’m there, standing in front of the cook, with his outstretched arm and ladle poised over the bubbling caldron before me - bags of atmosphere!

I am presuming that this was taken with a wide angle lens, emphasising the foreground but showing us both the cook, who is beautifully lit and the background to his kitchen. A great example, to my mind, of demonstrating a sense of place - and a worthy winner.

Congratulations to Barbara Fleming for her winning image: Storytime, Cuba 

This month's judge, Richard Lewis ARPS, says:

A strong but simple image conveying both a sense of place and human interest.  The composition is enhanced by the colours of the group in the foreground contrasting with the unsaturated backdrop behind.  This image is nicely framed and is very engaging – it literally tells a story, with the boy absorbed in his reading.

Congratulations to the winning photographer - David Huggett

Justin Cliffe ARPS judged this month's competition. Of the winning image he writes:


What a delightful photograph - the little boy bending down and smiling at the photographer, with, presumably an attentive parent in the background on the right of the image. The colour palette here, with the muted blues, greens and soft reds also works really well. All in all, a lovely image, one that I would love to have taken - and a worthy winner this month.

Congratulations to Daryl Ford for April's winning image.

Our judge this month, Richard Lewis, said:

This image exudes the difficult terrain and life that this environment imposes upon its people.  A very simple image of a local woman struggling with her stick to walk across a desolate and isolated area.  Very simple but well composed and framed, it is well suited to its monochrome presentation.  Colour is not necessary.

Congratulations to Andrew Flannigan for his winning image of May 2023

Our judge, Justin Cliffe, said:

I was immediately drawn to this photograph - there is a air of mystery about the figure and yet this is a typical scene to be found in small towns around Portugal.

Our eyes are led up the stairs to the figure at the top, nicely placed right in the middle of the frame. The black & white treatment works well here, giving it a real timelessness to it - in that it could have been taken last week - or 50 years ago. 

My one recommendation would be either to crop out the light at the top of the image, or include it in its entirety - probably the former as it does draw the eye away from the point of interest - the figure at the top of the stairway.

Congratulations to Graham Vulliamy for his winning image of June 2023.

There are all sorts of things to both enjoy and appreciate about this photograph - the bread being launched across the table, the composition with the three women on the left facing into the frame countered and balanced by the main subject of the photograph, the woman on the right, the colour scheme - and the general happiness of the women involved.

We can also get an understanding of their working environment, with their jackets and handbags on the hooks behind, even the phones and can of flyspray(?!) on the shelf - a really nice and well-captured image.

Congratulations to Yasser Alaa Mobarak for his winning photo of July 2023

A nicely seen environmental portrait of a monk, sitting on a step or ledge, partly in the sun, partly in the shade of the tree, the trunk of which we see to the left of the frame, holding it in. I get the impression that he knows that he’s being photographed however it’s a relaxed pose, as he looks across the scene. I like the mug beside him, gives us some more context. Lovely, soft colours, the red, yellow and blue working well together. All in all a very pleasing image.

Congratulations to George Pearson for his winning image of August 2023

A stunning, and eye-catching image, absolutely made by the wonderful light on the island in the foreground. What works well here is the orange & brown of the buildings against the dark, grey background of the mountains and the clouds. Also helping this image is the fact that we have a glimpse of the land in the foreground, adding depth and tone to it. I’ve seen a number of photos of Sakrisoy before, this is definitely one of the best.

Congratulations to David Huggett for his winning image of September 2023

A great evocation of sense of place both in local scale, a community by a railway track, and it the wider sense as shown by the dress of the women.  The composition is excellent, the beaten-up can and fish for sale are particularly important.  The timing is perfect the action of lighting a cigarette as a train thunders by, its motion so well captured you can almost hear the noise. Skilfully executed, well done.

Congratulations to Jo Kearney for her winning image of October 2023

I’ve seen a lot of Havana, Cuba pictures, but none quite like this. Despite the chaos within the room the triangle formed by the 3 characters and the directions of their gaze ensure the image has a strong focus.  This then lets us explore the rest of the image, and there’s lots to explore. The picture of Christ(?) on the wall above the bed with a broken chair on top! We can then roam around the room’s dirty and mostly damaged items. The pièce de résistance of this image is that our gaze then moves to the cook and the meal he is preparing and from there, via the oil-drum/make-shift table, back to the characters in the doorway and on the bed. Brilliant.

Congratulations to David Cummings, for his winning image of November 2023.

Very simple, helped by the monochrome treatment  and the soft tones used by the photographer. Lesa’s central position in the frame, on the edge of the shoreline / sandspit (which neatly provide leading lines into the image), and her head being framed by the shrine works really well - the two of them nicely separated from the background by the mist or haze.

Simple, restful and effective with a great sense of place - well done to both Lesa and the photographer of this image.

Congratulations to Andrew Flannigan, December's winner.

An eye-catching and powerful image with the red-turbaned camel-herder dominating the frame - and positioned pretty well on the left third - creating an excellent environmental portrait. He looks to be a proud man, well turned-out, with, seemingly, an affectionate hand on his camel’s neck.

The white dog, looking back into the frame holds our eyes in the picture and helps further set the scene, as does the scrub-covered desert disappearing into the background. A very nice photograph, one that I would have been very pleased to have taken.