Steemit Portrait Photography Contest Week 49 - Judge's review

Since it looks like I'm becoming more or less regular judge for this contest, thought that would be good idea to provide just short reviews for a winning entries, since obviously many people would be asking why this or not that and so on...
So let's start and try to make this on a regular basis

Just to begin, hopefully everybody understand that every judging is quite a subjective thing. A lot depends on the judge and his own tastes and visions... That's unavoidable and some of you just have to live this this fact, though I'm always trying to be as much objective as possible anyway

So, back to the the theme of the last week, which was "Black and White Portraits" was obvious to be expected to receive quite a lot of various entries. And that really happened. We had a lot of entries and was quite hard to chose the winners this time.
In such situation on the first place comes so called "WOW factor". Means while browsing multiply images the ones which just catching your eye (like "WOW, that's something special") are coming to the shortlist for further decision which place to be awarded. And that was exactly the case this time - many many rather good images and some WOWs among them...

Let's go one by one then

1st place by @deadcountry

Simply something really unusual and true piece of art. The face in motion, interesting composition with few levels and nice contrast of bright and dark spaces in one frame. Very well deserved

2nd place by @twodorks

Eyes are the mirror of the soul. Eyes contact always is very important in portrait photography (not all the time necessary, but in many cases just hits the point). Moreover, the eyes of the child normally are much more emotional as of adult person. So here we have very nice black and white conversion with strong and emotional eye contact. Congrats!

3rd place by @psi.acastillo

Ahh, at first sight just a glamour portrait, but so much emotion provided by lips and fingers placement. Pure lust :) Couldn't resist...

HM by @himalayanwomb

Again child and here you can really see that most probably her life is not so easy and maybe quite far from normal civilization. All is written on her face... Very nice b&w conversion as well leading us to direct eyes contact. Pretty stunning

HM by @whimsical-magic

This author has own really unique style for a portraits and post-processing. The portrait really looks more like an art. Again great eye contact and b&w post-processing

HM by @maquemali

True emotion and tears of the child. At once brings much more attention to the portrait. Those eyes just speaks... Awesome!

HM by @bil.prag

Very nice portrait in low-key. Just love how shadows are wrapping the model. And very nice emotion caught. Well done!

CONTEST OFFICIALLY SPONSORED BY: @leotrap, @crimsonclad and @ngc

WINNERS OF WEEK 49