EDITORS’ PICK
Our Contradictions
HUMANS
HUMANS EDITORS’ PICK
Following GMB Akash’s selection of winning images for our recent Humans competition, this compilation of 20 images represents some of the other talented photographers whose work struck us and left a mark. Each a stunning image worthy of exposure and attention…
When selecting for editor’s picks we’re always searching for those striking photographs that make for an unforgettable single image, whether from a broader series or not. We enjoy the accompanying text some photographers submit with their images, and while not always necessary it can be relevant when understanding the work in full context.
These are intended to be a conversation starter… so feel free to join the discussion on our social networks.
BANNER IMAGE: ALDA SPANO
A surreal perspective and vintage colors, an anti-portrait in the foreground and a perfect pose in the background, a surfboard that resembles the texture of the sea- where does reality end and imagination start? The photograph is a compilation of symbols, a puzzle, which is one way to describe humanity. Our world is made of metaphors, games, and abstract concepts that even we do not understand. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Sospensione dinamica / Dynamic Suspension.
ELLA VILLINGER
Humankind has many dark faces, but in every sad story there is a dash of resilience and hope, something unbreakable and untakeable. The photograph conveys a mix of freedom and confinement and tells the story of a lifetime using just a few visual elements. The composition is so simple yet so efficient. Highlights and shadows, perpendicular lines, a dark background, and a couple of colors are all the elements it uses, but the effect is cinematic and intense. Well done! – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Inherited Dreams from the series The Last Silver Spoon – a photographic essay about the lasting impact of political violence and displacement. It is a tale told through my grandmother, my mother, and myself. At its center lies a small silver spoon, hidden by my grandmother in the ashes of her oven before the People’s Liberation Army seized everything, personal belongings, food, memories, ways of life, languages, people. As a member of a persecuted minority in Xinjiang during the Cultural Revolution, this was both an act of resistance and survival. The spoon becomes a symbol of loss, memory, continuity.
After my grandfather was executed, my grandmother was forced to separate from her four younger children, leaving them with relatives while she remained with her eldest son. Soon after, both were deported to a labor camp for more than a decade. She died not long after her return.
The project explores how trauma is passed down through generations. As descendants of survivors, we inherit not only their stories, and stories surrounding them, but also silences, fears, resiliencies, shaping how we see ourselves and the world in which we are thrown into. Through a series of photographs, The Last Silver Spoon reflects on how memory persists and transforms over time. It seeks to confront inherited trauma and open a space for healing.
JEAN-LUC VAN DAMME
Portraiture is the path we take to capture the spirit of human nature. We replace the busy backgrounds of our everyday life with plain ones, direct the light on the face, and focus on the eyes, the windows to our soul. The photographer did all these and more to create a true connection between the one viewed and the one viewing. Personality shines through, as well as a sense of cultural belonging and an invitation to dialogue. Who are you, the stranger looking at me? – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Taken in the street of the township of Imizamo Yethu in Cape Town, South-Africa.
CHLOE KRITHARAS DEVIENNE
Belonging is a basic human need, but maybe the one we struggle with the most. The smallest difference can serve as a reason for segregation. After thousands of years of civilization, we still need means like photography to raise awareness, build bridges between communities, and remind us of our shared nature. This portrait documents humanity starting from the core: the family, the strongest bonds, the simplest and most intense kind of love. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Started in 2021, this project portrays the strength, pride, and resilience of Afro-Mexican women in the Costa Chica of Oaxaca, home to the largest Afro-descendant population in Mexico. Long marginalized, they were officially recognized only in 2019. This work is a tribute to them.
DANIEL CASARES-ROMAN
People who make things happen for us often remain unseen. But this photograph gives them the main role, highlighting their way of life and work environment. At the same time, it underlines the feeling of being unknown, unappreciated, and unvalued, like a disparate body part that does a function but doesn’t have to have a face. The composition is complex, layered, and well-balanced, with the space taking on an active meaning in the development of the story. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The weight of the days. Deep in the hold of an old cargo ship, a worker pauses briefly from his task while, above him, the cargo continues on its journey.
There are jobs that are barely seen. Men who spend their days surrounded by wood, sweat, noise, and hard work, making it possible for things to reach their destination. Their hands carry much more than a load: they carry a life, a family, a future.
There is no sought-after grandeur in their faces, nor any heroic gesture. There is something deeper: the dignity of a man who does his work, day after day, without expecting anyone to notice.
In Dumai, Indonesia, I came across a cargo ship transporting everything from live animals to agricultural and construction materials. After asking the supervisor for permission, I boarded the vessel to take portraits of the crew. While I was trying to photograph Aziz, the young man in the picture, a worker on the upper deck stopped what he was doing and came over to see what I was shooting. That was the moment he inadvertently stepped into the frame–leaning in to see the subject of my photo–and that was when I snapped the picture.
Perhaps the world keeps moving, in part, thanks to those who remain below, in silence, carrying the weight of the days.
MONIKA WAND
The photographer devoids the frame of any distractions, including color, to allow us to focus on the individual and their journey. What drives the scene is contrast that comes in multiple forms: highlights and shadows, textures, and concepts. The composition is naturally framed, a cinematic effect that allows the viewer to detach and concentrate on the image’s message. From nature to modern technology, the story of human evolution is told in one frame. – LIFE FRAMER
MUSTAFA YANAR
What an impressive perspective and composition! The shooting angle transforms the scene into a theater performance. Aren’t we all just performing a role, sometimes following the script, sometimes improvising, but always confined within our limitations like string puppets? The silhouettes over the spectacular blue sky and the magnificent arch create a powerful vision, both aesthetically appealing and moving. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2025.
IGNACIO AYESTARAN
A busy frame to picture how much we make our environment and how much the environment makes us. The high shooting angle puts things in perspective and gives us a bird’s-eye view, but at the same time seems a sign of respect for the subject’s privacy and intimacy. The photographer’s candor and sensitivity shine through. The connection is there, undoubtedly; the craft is there too, but there is also a sense of understanding and compassion. Humanity in front of and behind the lens. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – As humans, we are defined not only by the moments we share with each other, but also by the spaces we inhabit, the landscapes that surround us, and the rituals that shape our lives. In these photographs, I explore the human experience through moments of connection, solitude, tradition, and everyday resilience across cultures–defining and celebrating what it means to be human.
This image: Portfolio Deadline. As the deadline for her LaGuardia High School portfolio approached, a 14 year old, exhausted after spending smany long nights working on her submissions. falls asleep among her craft, watched over by the family cat.
GEORGE MEIJERS
It’s hard to comprehend minds that work in unique ways, lacking the understanding of the majority and gaining access to a world of their own instead. It’s even harder to capture their truth and bring them justice through a medium such as photography. But this photograph is so warm, innocent, and caring that it eliminates any awkward feeling and encourages the viewer to be curious and open about what others may think or imagine. It is masterful in its simplicity, for sure. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series Zonder Pose. In the 1990s, I worked in a centre for people who are mentally impaired. In this own, familiar environment, I then photographed these people and their supervisors, photographs that behave autonomously and can do without captions or explanatory text. They are portraits of people with obvious disabilities, in possessing of something that adds to the enigma of human strangeness. I want to ease the pain we suspect at the sight of their otherness. Photographed in their daily environment, I leave people in their own dignity, not resting until I had found the form that most purely touches their being. The viewer is given plenty of space to fantasize about their lives and freely associate about the meaning of the portraits.
VALENTINA ACREMENT
Through fine-art photography, the photographer addresses some of the most complex and mysterious aspects of humankind. Delicate and futuristic, serene and intriguing, the image uses contrast as a way of communication. Elements fall into place naturally, and harmony surrounds them, yet the viewer senses the coldness of disengagement and isolation. The subjects are so close to each other, yet they seem worlds apart. Simple framing, matching colors, symmetry, artistically used negative space- an artful personal style shines through each pixel. – LIFE FRAMER
VICTOR DUMAS
A peaceful moment, an embrace, a reminder of the beautiful feelings we share. Without getting into details, the photographer conveys powerful emotions and narrates a story. The image makes you wonder who the characters are and what their relationship is, where they are and where they dream to be, whether they watch the sunset, listen to music, or play a game. They blend into the landscape smoothly, one more visual cue for our universality. Humans find myriads of reasons for explaining division, but we are all one. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – тиша (Tysha) — Silence. In Ukraine, tysha no longer means only the absence of sound. It is the word for the quiet hours between two air-raid alerts — that suspended moment when the sirens fall silent and life resumes. It is within this silence that the series takes shape: a chronicle of Ukrainian youth in wartime, caught in these intervals of life.
SHANNON FERGUS
This environmental portrait depicts a culture, a way of life. The layers reveal slowly, allowing the viewer to take in the atmosphere, get to know the place, and befriend the person. The color palette is striking, yet appealing, creating the contrast the composition needs to balance its elements. With so much happening in the frame, the viewer is hooked and becomes eager to explore every corner and listen to every story. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Bahamas.
JACKSON LAING
An expression of human curiosity and spirit of adventure, the photograph is atemporal and universal. The natural framing makes the tiny human figure stand out and puts things in perspective. The lighting is inspiring, welcoming, and warm. The serene blue background is an invitation to calm and meditation. The entire scenery seems like a giant human battery charger. Regardless of how far our technology takes us or where we live on this planet, we will always have a deep connection with nature. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – This collection of images representing the expression of humans spans many different years throughout many different countries. Society loves to point out the differences between us but I say, what about the similarities? Dance, celebration, grief, passion, curiosity to name a few. The human existence, wherever we walk this earth, is what binds us all together.
MARINA DEGO
Featuring a picture-in-picture perspective, the photograph is a testimony to all the human traits that ensured our survival. The viewer outside the frame experiences the same feelings as the one inside the frame, the entire artistic process becoming a shared invitation to openness and empathy. The roles may change at any point in life. The one fleeting may become the observer; the photographer may become the viewer; the viewer may be forced to find a new home. A touching epic poem that will never end. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Long Road Between Past and Future, Turkey, 2023.
JONATHAN SYER
The composition is exquisite. Not only is the space maximized and used to sustain the story, but the geometrical features are framed in such a way that they become leading lines. Shapes and lines guide the viewer’s gaze towards the subject, while the subject’s gaze guides the viewer towards the past or the future, wherever your imagination takes you. Is this a story about loneliness or community, about hope or sadness? We can only imagine the richness of human nature. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – A man eating his lunch alone on the pier at Deal in Kent, England.
JOZEF MACAK
Powerful leading lines guide the viewer towards the main focal point, leaving no room for interpretation. The message is love regardless of its form. The composition is unusual but harmonious, symmetrical, and empowering. The shooting angle flips the perspective, inviting the viewer to be more than an observer. It wakes up memories and evokes feelings, becoming a conversation starter with oneself. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Echoes.
PAULINA GRÜNEWALD
It’s challenging to turn the lens on oneself and try to define your own humanity. For this photographer, colors are the favorite means of expression, and the choice comes, as always, from personal experience. The self-portrait is harmonious and playful; the space is well-used to make the subject’s features stand out; and the color palette is appealing. Nevertheless, the main focal point is the eyes that seem to follow the viewer everywhere, like the eyes of the famous Mona Lisa. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – I like standing out, but I don’t necessarily like being the centre of attention. My bleached hair definitely makes me stand out — it’s almost impossible to miss. But because it’s so stripped of colour, there’s also something quiet and understated about it. To create a contrast, I chose an intensely colourful blouse — something bold enough to catch your eye before you even notice my hair. I didn’t add dramatic makeup or much jewellery. Nothing else needs to compete for attention.
I like that balance: being noticed without having to perform. The blouse stands out, the hair stands out, but my face itself is quite ordinary. There’s nothing particularly striking about it, no strong or distinctive features. And somehow, that brings everything back down to earth. The pale hair frames my face and suddenly feels much simpler, almost unremarkable again. I can stand out without necessarily being an eyecatcher.
Maybe that’s what I like about it — being visible, but still having the option of blending into the crowd. Standing out while staying on the periphery. Being seen while quietly observing the person in front of me. And sometimes wanting the opposite: to disappear into a crowd, to be anonymous, to become just another face among many.
This photograph feels like a good reflection of that part of me — somewhere between wanting to be seen, wanting to observe, and sometimes wanting to disappear. I think a lot of people feel that way.
ELI MAGER
A beautiful portrait that highlights the model’s features and personality, the photograph goes beyond the story and encapsulates characteristics of a generation. Although an environmental shot, the frame is stripped of any distractions, with the main subject standing out and creating an impressive focal point. Light is soft and flattering, almost like a warm embrace, and flows out from the frame, inducing the same meditative state in the viewer. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series What Do You Like About Me, portraits of youth.
OSCEOLA REFETOFF
Such a good use of contrast to create drama and showcase the ugly face of humankind! Not only are the characters contrasting, but so is the entire frame. The camera angle and the framing are exquisite, and capturing the moment when one of the subjects looks at the camera adds even more thrill to the story. The black and white aesthetic gives a cinematic look, almost shielding the viewer from the scene, but emphasizing the permanence of the pattern. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – Late Weigh-In – Plaza de Toros Monumental de Tijuana, Mexico. Full frame, medium format film exposure. The bosses arrived late on this particular Sunday, so their employee is already soaked in blood for the weigh-in. The worker’s weight is subtracted from the total as he stands on the scale with large sections of beef on his shoulders.
TARUN CHHABRA
Celebration is one of the inexplicable human behaviors. We don’t need celebration to survive, but we do it with such passion and put a lot of effort into it nonetheless. The photographer made a couple of very good decisions in order to create this explosion of color and energy. Framing is the first, because filling the frame with texture and color deprived it of a main focal point but added pressure and intensity. Creating a vantage point is the second, because it leaves room for thought and makes the shot as much about the viewer as about its subject. – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – The Golden Embrace. Shepherd community celebrating Vithal Birdev Yatra festival in a small village of Maharashtra, India.
