The monthly picture contest put on by The Independent Photographer in February 2021 had the theme “Street Photography.” Martin Parr, a famous modern photographer, was one of the judges during this event and chose the best photos.
Parr was a famous photographer who is known for his signature projects that show the social classes and wealth of people in the Western world and look at modern life in a personal and anthropological way.
Being the head of Magnum Photos from 2013 to 2017; he had been a member since 1994 for 25 years. He is famous all over the world for being in and putting together a huge number of photography events. For more information, visit independent-photo.com, Instagram, Twitter.com, or Facebook.
1. Joseph by Philippe Bevillard won second place for “After Church Wedding” in Wexford, Ireland, in 2019.
Irish women and girls who travel getting together after church. As a rite, girls as young as 3 wear high heels, put on makeup, get a tan, and wear bright dresses.
The prize is $600.
Martin Parr said in his review that the picture, which he took at a wedding for travelers in Wexford, Ireland, really captures the mood of the event, with everyone in their place. The picture of the woman on the left, smoking a cigarette while fixing her daughter’s dress, is one of a kind. The layers of pink dresses make the picture even more so. Also, it’s just a coincidence that both of the winners were able to turn complicated real-life situations into beautifully balanced pictures. And as we’ll see with his runners up, a strong picture is often hidden in something simple. But the challenge of his street photography is to find order in chaos.
#2: “The Train for Jaipur” by Giuliano Lo Re – India
The trip from New Delhi to Jaipur, with people taking a break on board. For a few hours, the wagon is like home while they’re traveling. While sitting on the seats, some people are lost in their thoughts, while others brush their teeth, shave, or cook.
#3: “Repair” by Marcel Van Balken in the Dordogne, France.
As long as someone is under the car, it looks like it might be broken. But it’s not clear what the woman is trying to do. The dog might be sitting in the car while she works on it. It doesn’t look like her dog is happy with it.
#4: Monia Marchionni won third place for “The Gardens from the Sky” in Cuba.
During the summer, an Italian-Cuban family spends time at a house by the beach.
The prize is $400.
The editors of Independent Photographers wrote in their review that Monia Marchionni’s perfectly timed skills communicate the diversity of family life by capturing the uniqueness of each person with equal clarity. This shows how a skilled photographer can change a seemingly random scene.
5. “Children Looking Through the Glass” by Orna Naor, taken in Beni Brak, Israel, in 2000.
#6: “Fantasy Alley” by Carlos Antonorsi in Hollywood Beach, Florida, USA, 2020.
#7: Florian Lang won first place for “Buddhist Roadside Shrine” in Siem Reap, Cambodia, in 2020.
People going to a Buddhist shrine by the side of the road in Siem Reap.
The prize is $1,000.
Martin Parr gave his feedback, saying that one of the things that makes a great street picture is getting all the parts to line up so that, among a random group of people, the things in the background have room to breathe. Everything fits together in this picture of a Buddhist shrine in Cambodia, and the people in the picture have real jobs to do. It’s not easy to find mistakes in this picture, and he knows how hard it is to get.
8. “Workers in a shipyard” by Andrew Biraj, taken in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
People who work in shipyards by the river Buriganga in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
#9: “La comitiva” by Lorenzo Caten in Paola, Calabria, Italy, in 2020.
10. A group of kids who are very close to each other is called “La Comitiva” in Italian. He met this group by chance at the beach, and he liked spending his evenings with them while they told stories about their daily lives on the beaches of a small Italian town.
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