The first photo is by Sam Kweskin, a photographer whom I discovered on Instagram. I love his creative use of multiple exposure in this portrait, and the symmetry of the composition. He often does dark background portraits that are really beautiful. You can feel the movement in this photo, which is so perfect for an athlete portrait.
The second photo is one of my all time favorite photos and one that most people will recognize. This picture of a migrant mother during the Great Depression is by Dorothea Lange, and was one of the first photos that sparked my interest in photojournalism. As much as you can feel the suffering in this photo, it is presented with a compassion that leaves the subject’s dignity intact. The photo is unwavering in pulling in the viewer to the suffering felt by this family.
The third photo is by Meeri Koutaniemi. I love the rich tones and colors of this portrait. There is a peacefulness and stillness, even though the subject’s past was a very difficult one. “Paschalia, 16, lays in her room in the Tanzanian shelter of Jipe Moyo. The shelter is maintained by nuns. When Paschalia’s mother died, her father wanted Paschalia to get married and get circumcised. Paschalia escaped and was saved from genital mutilation and child marriage. © Meeri Koutaniemi. Juror’s Pick, LensCulture Portrait Awards 2018.”