The Winners
of
The 5th Annual International Lawyers’ Photography Competition
Theme: TRAVEL
Guest blog by Orla Murray
Professional Photographer & Co-Founder of Coalesce Photography
&
Judge of our Competition
I’ve really enjoyed seeing the four corners of the world through all your eyes. It’s always interesting to see how others view the world around them. It’s been tough to narrow it down. There were so many different reasons to pick more than three images that I enlisted the help of my colleague, but that only meant we had a shortlist twice as long as when I started. Neither of us were able to agree on our favorites or a top three.
We did eventually pick three, but there were also a few we wanted to give a special mention to. There were several epic landscapes by Niamh Gallagher, Dublin, Sarah Grace, Dublin, Joanne Robertson, London and Samuel Coppard, London. The colour, detail and post process really drew you in to the images.
In Liz Poon’s image of a cow standing on a mountain, the cow was beckoning you into the image to see what was just over the hill. While both Laura Murphy and Caoilfhionn Ni Chuanachain’s images of people travelling by boat and train were full of movement, colour and a wish to know where they ended up.
Strong composition and interesting lines drew my eye into images such as the two images of snow by John Tertan, London and William Costa, Jersey. While the moody, silhouetted shot of boatmen on a river by Grace Lumsden, Dublin was really eye catching as was the shot by Alex Towers from Dublin of the bathers in the sea with evening light catching the people in the image.
But to the winners:
1st place:
Amanda Lee
Lawyer at Seymours, London
It was the subtlety of the light in the centre of this image that caught my eye. It reminded me of a Rembrandt landscape. Photographing silhouette and getting that fine highlight detail around the reed heads against a black background creates a really atmospheric shot. The impact of the image would have been lost if the reed heads had merged into all of those shades of black in the centre of the image. Your eye is drawn into the image by them. The fine line of the trees in the background is mirrored in the foreground among the reeds and creates a lovely symmetry to the photograph.
2nd place
Edward Saunders,
Lawyer at Mayer Brown, London
When I was a kid I got a World Press Photographer competition book every year from my Dad to remind me of what I wanted to be when I grew up. This shot reminded me of these books. Every year there were compelling images or portraits like this one. A woman who had a story to tell. It’s the eyes, they keep pulling you in to the image. Combined with a vibrant, strong blue and green combination of the background and the clothes, and the horizontal and vertical lines running through the image. A powerful image, it makes you stop and engage with the picture.
3rd place
Nitish Upadhyaya
Senior Innovation Manager, Allen & Overy London
As humans we love symmetry and pattern and this images has all that. There’s almost perfect symmetry in this image and the repeat pattern literally draws you down the tunnel where you encounter silhouetted figure. It make you lean into the image to try and find out more. The colour is also striking and bold and catches my eye. While with the contrasting shadows add interest to the image.
RUNNERS UP
Niamh L. Gallagher
Sarah Grace
Joanne Robertson
Samuel Coppard
Liz Pawson-Poon
Laura Murphy
Caoilfhionn Ni Chuanachain
John Tertan
William Costa
Grace Lumsden
Alex Towers
About Orla Murray: Our Judge
Coalesce Photography and videography, media company that groups small to medium creative enterprises to pitch for large contracts. We provide creative solutions for our clients
Orla’s career spans 21 years and has seen her work as a photographer with corporates, semi-states, start-ups, charities and government departments. Affable yet highly-professional, she is
well known for being able to put her subjects — no matter how high-profile — at ease with her friendly demeanour. Orla established her own business in 2007, merging with photographer Shane O’Neill in 2016.
In 2020 they co-founded Coalesce, a company that brings groups of smaller creative businesses together to collaborate on photography, video
graphy and graphic design projects and larger contracts. Orla’s areas of expertise include press and public relations, corporate, portrait and conference/event photography.
Top Prize:
A fabulous 2 night stay in the luxury boutique hotel, Vivenda Miranda perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean in the Algarve, Portugal. Dinner for 2 on one evening is also included. (Flights not included!).
Video: Boutique Luxury Hotel, Vivenda Miranda
I’m a big fan of Vivenda Miranda and took this video on my iPhone at the hotel a few years ago.
2nd & 3rd Prizes
£100.00 gift voucher for a restaurant chosen by our winners.
A note from me – Colin
Congratulations to our winners but also a big thank you to all of you for entering your photos. I have loved seeing your photos and chatting to you about your photograph choice. A big thank you also to our professional photographer judge – Orla Murray.
Looking forward to seeing your photos next year for The 6th Annual International Lawyers’ Photography Awards! Have a good weekend and chat soon, Colin
The Lawyers’ Business Development CLUB 