Last Updated on 06/28/2024 by Chris Gampat
One of the most challenging tasks in photography, especially portraits, is to capture the person’s essence. Whether it is the flick of one’s hand, a sparkle in one’s eyes, or the way one’s lips part to form an expression — each of these moments come together to weave a photograph that transcends the mask we wear every day. As one of the great portrait photographers of the 20th century, Yousef Karsh, succulently said: “It should be the aim of every photographer to make a single exposure that shows everything about the subject.” Today, we look at All About Photo (AAP) Magazine #40: Portrait competition winners, whose photographs reveal the truth about those in front of their lenses.
The lead image is courtesy of J Derville Mailys/All About Photo. All images are used with permission by AAP.
For this edition, AAP magazine received entries worldwide. Following a stringent judging process, the publication chose 25 winners, each representing portraits depicting different walks of life. To honor their commitment and skills, AAP will offer the top three winners $1,000. Their images will also grace the platform’s winners’ gallery and be published in the magazine. The remaining 22 winners’ photographs will be part of the merit gallery.
Here’s a look at the top three winners whose portraits capture the human spirit:
Table of Contents
First Place: Aline Smithson (United States) Revisiting Beauty
![](https://www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1st-Place-Winner_-Aline-Smithson_Lucy-in-Teal_from-Revisiting-Beauty-770x770.jpg)
A painter and a photographer, Smithson’s series drew inspiration from the portrait artists of the 20th century, such as De La Roche, Stroganov, Sargent, Whistler, and Hockney. What sets her work apart is how she goes beyond the usual depiction of a pretty individual to capture the essence of girls at the cusp of womanhood. Smithson’s sitters, usually between the ages of 14 and 17, look graceful, strong, and full of hope (like Lucy here) as they embrace their femininity with dignity.
Aline is a multi-award-winning photographer and a Hasselblad Heroine.
Second Place: Manuel Bess (France) A Dog Day Afternoon
![](https://www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2nd-Place-Winner_-manuel-besse-photography-Those-two-blue-eyes-light-your-face-Finlande-770x770.jpg)
Bess’ series culminates the contrasts between individuals, lifestyles, and cultures. Captured between New York, Los Angeles, and Rio de Janeiro, the series examines human diversities, societal extremes, and the universal beauty of humanity. Intesteringly, his stark images delve more profoundly than what we see in the picture; it is not a portrait of a person but the connection we share despite the physical and spiritual boundaries.
Third Place: Simon Martin (United Kingdom) The Story of Stoney Sleep
![](https://www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/3rd-Place-Winner_-SIMON-MARTIN-ShianofStoneySleep-770x963.jpg)
In this photograph, Shian, a resident of Essex, poses for Martin following a long day of shoot. The portrait was created while filming What Rough Beast, a documentary exploring the talent and drug-fueled story of the 90s grunge band Stoney Sleep. The colors, use of natural light, and Shian’s straight expression add to the mystery of the image.
The other 22 winners include Alena Grom (Ukraine), Yukio Kumada (Japan), Sandy Hill (USA), Diego Fabro (Brazil/Ireland), Tom Zimberoff (United States), Aurelien Bayo (United States), Harry Williams (United States), Eva Chupikova (Czech Republic), Anna Biret (Poland/France), Manuela Thames (United States), Allison Martinek (United States), Mike Narciso (United States), Alex Lobo (Spain), Andreas Kanellopoulos (Greece), Erberto Zani (Italy), Martina Holmberg (Sweden), Maïlys Derville (France), Roberta Dall’Alba (Italy), Maryam Ashrafi (Iran), Rene Dissel (Netherlands), Joseph-Philippe Bevillard (United States/France) and Prescott Lassman (United States).
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![](https://i2.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Harry-Williams-_Piercing-Glance_-770x770.jpg?ssl=1)
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![](https://i1.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Maryam_Ashrafi_-No-Title-770x1155.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MartinaHolmberg-Voukko-770x1051.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/ManuelaThames_Anoymouswomen4AAP-770x550.jpg?ssl=1)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Rene-Dissel-Raquel-portrait-300dpi--770x1026.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Yukio-Kumada-I-am-starving-770x510.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i1.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TOM-ZIMBEROFF_Kasamune-Spirits-770x1028.jpg?ssl=1)
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.thephoblographer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SANDY-HILL-FlagsAndDolls-770x520.jpg?ssl=1)
After viewing all the photographs, one can gladly say how they leave the confines of traditional portraiture to make the viewers question what they see. The images elevate the subject, reveal the thought behind the artist’s vision, and offer a glimpse into what it feels like to be human. It’s like flipping through a book, with each winner representing a chapter we can relate to or appreciate. With an array of diverse subjects, each belonging to a different social status, religion, race, cast, or gender spectrum, the images are also a gateway to understanding our evolution as a species and how we still have so much to offer each other despite our differences. Moreover, with a contest like this, All About Photo pushes photographers to inspire others to pursue their projects to change the world in the minutest of ways.
For more information, visit All About Photo.