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This year the photographs have been visually stunning, thoughtful and insightful. The theme for the 2016/17 SELCS Year Abroad Photography Competition was 'Encounters' or 'Immersion'.
In addition to a committee of SELCS staff who helped judge the competition, this year we had a professional art critic from Christie's also assist in evaluating the images. His comments on the winners' photographs are below each picture. Well done to all the winners!
1st place: Les Crocodiles de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar
Susan Sakhrani BA French and Philosophy
I took this photograph with the sole intention that it would always be in black and white. It was a late Sunday afternoon in April. There wasn't much colour, or anything that caught the eye, other than the crocodiles' scales. The sun was almost too harsh, making their scales appear razor sharp. Looking at these four crocodiles, I essentially just took the photograph to see what they would look like in black and white. It appeared as if the crocodiles had all convened and consciously positioned themselves in that way, as if they knew each other particularly well. Although this may very well not have been the case, the photograph lets you believe that it is. It was not so much a 'grab the moment' shot. The crocodiles weren't going anywhere, and despite being awake, they didn't seem to take any notice of my photographing them or me at all.
My absolute favourite. Immensely clever use of the black and white effect, which is overused far too often these days, but is employed here to amazing effect. The visual parallels between the scales of the alligators and the rough texture of the stones on the floor is made all the more gripping because the photo is drained of colour. Cut very, very well - not a single alligator appears in full, the corner of water in the upper right echoes the corner of alligator skin in the bottom right, the path of rocks from top left to bottom right creates a strong diagonal. The promise of wild violence in these dangerous creatures is contrasted with their rock-like stillness. The reptiles seem to be frozen in time, but the third crocodile looks at the second crocodile inquisitively - clever way of exploring the theme.
2nd place: Ssh!, Pompidou Centre, Paris
Isabelle Johnson BA French and Spanish
Strong narrative. Interesting in the way that our eye is directed across the photo. The yellow arrow underneath of the graffiti eye (is that Dalí?) points us towards the all-seeing artist, who seems to be aware of us. The steps at the bottom left as well as the gargoyle jutting out of the cathedral at the top left direct us into the scene, the dark alley on the left points us away into the distance, the air vent at the bottom right faces towards something behind us. Meanwhile, the people on the square seem entirely oblivious of all the visual cues that surround them.
3rd place: The Seafaring Cyclist
Sophie Green BA French
After spending nine grim hours on a tatty bus up from Montpellier, I finally arrived into Geneva at half six in the morning of my 21st birthday. I wasn't meeting my family until later on that day, so I decided in my blurry-eyed state to have a wander around this sleepy city. Purely by chance, I found myself walking along the edge of Lac Léman. The vivid colours of this early morning sky were just beautiful, and just as I got my phone out to take a picture, (as we millennials have to do), I noticed a cyclist who had stopped to do the same thing. The dark silhouette of his body crouched next to his bike, framed by this magnificent scene seemed too good to miss really. I hope he would be flattered to find out that a picture of him won third prize, but I suppose he will never know.
Great editing on the lighting. By focussing on the pink peaks of the mountains in the distance, the figure as well as the bicycle appear entirely black against the pale water, like cut-outs that were added to the photo in post-production. The bicycle promises the character's departure, but the person tells a different story. It's not quite clear whether they are taking a photo too or simply observing the scene, but either way, they are entirely immersed in the stillness of the early morning / evening. The dock is nicely positioned just within the frame, the ladder attached to it creates another dilemma - will the figure enter the water, cycle away, or stay there? Lots and lots of suspense, great shot.