Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize ‘11

None my own photographs this time, as this was a chance for me to be inspired by images created by others and judge to be the best of their genre captured this year…

Having recently become a member of the National Portrait Gallery, I had the opportunity to attend the members private viewing of the 60 images selected from thousands of entries to have the honour of being hung in the gallery. I viewed the images to the sound track of KT Tunstall’s newly released The Scarlet Tulip EP – a rarity these days – only available at gigs and via the artists own website – a proudly barcode free item, purchased the evening before after KT’s gig at the inspiring Union Chapel.

Having previously enjoy the stunting images selected for exhibition at the Natural History museum for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year, I was left a little flat – all the images where certainly classic portraits – but few had any special qualities to draw the viewer into them – even the five prize winners where “good portraits” rather than stunning images.

Of all the images the one which drew me in and left me wanting to see more was Old Truman Brewery/Claudia, 2011, by Darren Hall – my highly commended would go to a portraits of Keria Knightly by Michael Brit which had a twinkle in her eye, and an image of Malega, Surma Boy by Mario Marino which had an almost 3D quality.

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