STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE WORLD OF CANON PHOTOGRAPHY
01DESTROY TOGETHER BY HAIKUN LIANG
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENTAL
The Spring Festival is a major traditional festival among Chinese people. In Deqing County, Zhaoqing City, China, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, people take turns lighting firecrackers and ‘throwing lions’ until the lions are blown to pieces, praying for peace in all seasons and abundant grain.
Lens Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
Exposure 1/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO800
02LAILA BY MOHAMMAD RADI
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENTAL
Mohammad has taken a brilliant portrait of young girl Laila from Kashmir. He’s used flash with a large softbox overhead for beautiful even lighting that has provided a lovely catchlight in his model’s eyes. His aperture of f/8 also means the image is perfectly sharp, while the background is far enough away that it’s been knocked out of focus so not to distract.
Lens Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Exposure 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO100
03 VARANASI WOMAN BY HAMED
ALGHANBOOSI CATEGORY: STORY
Hamed took this image of an elderly woman in Varanasi, India. The colour palette is subtle with an overarching cooler blue toning that contrasts well with the warmer colours in the lady’s headscarf. Hamed used flash and a large softbox positioned to one side for interesting sidelight which has boosted contrast, creating shadows in all of the wrinkles and pores in the woman’s face. Focus is spot-on, with the eyes razor sharp, perfectly highlighting her wistful stare.
Lens Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Exposure 1/160 sec, f/3.5, ISO640
All of the images in this month’s gallery were taken on Canon EOS cameras and made it into the Top 101 shots entered into the International Portrait Photographer of the Year 2023. The IPPOTY 2024 contest opens next year, check its website regularly for entry and prize details and for your chance to win: www.internationalportrait photographer.com
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Mohammad Radi / The International Portrait Photographer of the Year 2023 Hamed Alghanboosi / The International Portrait Photographer of the Year 2023
04CONTEMPLATE BY MARGARET METCALFE
CATEGORY: CHARACTER
Margaret took this shot of a gladiator contemplating his fight using a friend who had grown their hair out over lockdown and looked the part. She told us: “I studied the portraits of old masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and da Vinci, paying attention to their lighting techniques, composition, and posing styles. Understanding the visual language of these portraits has helped recreate the atmosphere and mood in my own shots.”
Lens Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM
Exposure 1/160 sec, f/9, ISO160
