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PHOTO CHALLENGE
June 2026 - FASHION STATEMENT
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A Colorful Stage EntranceA Colorful Stage Entrance
GROUP A - SCORE: 82
Robert Suarez: 80
Robert considered this a very colorful and energetic image that fit the Fashion Statement theme through the elaborate costumes and theatrical presentation. He appreciated the rich colors and the lively atmosphere created by the performers. However, he felt there was so much happening within the frame that the viewer's eye struggled to settle on a single point of interest. He suggested simplifying the composition, either through a tighter crop or by photographing from a slightly different angle, to make the principal subject stand out more clearly. Even with the busy scene, he complimented the photographer for handling the exposure well and preserving detail in both the bright costumes and darker areas of the stage.Tom Collins: 84
Tom enjoyed the vibrant colors and theatrical nature of the scene but agreed that the image lacked a clear visual center. With multiple performers and colorful elements competing for attention, he felt the composition became somewhat confusing. He recommended directing the viewer's eye more deliberately by cropping or darkening less important areas. Despite those suggestions, he felt the image successfully conveyed the excitement and pageantry of the event.
Author: This was a show from the Ballet Folklorico Nacional Jacchigua in Quito, Ecuador - shot with a Nikon Coolpix P4
Image Submitted By: Silvia RojasCamera: NIKON COOLPIX P4Aperture: f/2Exposure Time: 1/16Iso: 299Focal Length: 7Date: January 31st, 2009 -
Color FashionColor Fashion
GROUP A - SCORE: 89
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 93
Robert felt this was a fun and engaging fashion portrait. He liked the bright red clothing, which contrasted nicely against the clean white background, and thought the accessories helped reinforce the fashion theme. The exposure was well balanced, with good detail maintained throughout the clothing and skin tones. His only recommendation was to give the subject a little more room around the edges of the frame, allowing the composition to breathe more naturally. Overall, he considered it a successful and well-executed fashion image.Tom Collins: 85
Tom enjoyed the playful nature of the portrait and thought the subject's expression contributed significantly to its appeal. He complimented the clean lighting and simple background, which kept attention focused entirely on the model. His only suggestion was a slight adjustment in composition to improve the balance around the subject. He felt it was a strong image that fit the competition theme very well.
Image Submitted By: Norma OrozcoDate: June 6th, 2026 -
Eye on FashionEye on Fashion
GROUP B - SCORE: 87
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 87
Robert recognized the difficulty of photographing fashion accessories and products, particularly when multiple objects require perfectly balanced lighting. He complimented the photographer for selecting an attractive subject and assembling a colorful arrangement. However, he noted that the right side of the image received noticeably stronger illumination than the left, leaving some of the decorative stones and rhinestones without equal lighting. He also felt the composition was somewhat cramped and could have benefited from additional breathing room around the handbag. Despite these issues, he praised the photographer for tackling a technically demanding subject and believed a few lighting adjustments could easily transform it into an outstanding commercial product photograph.Tom Collins: 87
Tom initially intended to criticize the apparent cropping of the shoe, but after viewing the projected version realized that the print mat had actually covered part of the original image. He suggested extending the tabletop in post-processing so it would run completely across the frame, creating a cleaner presentation. Overall, he considered it a strong photograph whose projected version displayed fewer distractions than the printed presentation.
Author: Photographed at the “From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana” exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami, this image highlights fashion as both vision and expression.
Ornate, jewel-encrusted sunglasses hover above intricately crafted platform shoes, each piece rich with floral embellishments, vibrant color, and mosaic-like detail. Together, they form a striking composition that celebrates the artistry and craftsmanship behind high fashion.
Image Submitted By: Maribel GonzalezCamera: Apple iPhone 16 Pro MaxAperture: f/1Exposure Time: 1/120Iso: 125Focal Length: 6Date: May 17th, 2026 -
Fashion HatFashion Hat
GROUP A - SCORE: 91
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 95
Robert awarded this image a Superior rating, praising it as an excellent example of fashion photography. He felt it adhered perfectly to the theme while demonstrating outstanding lighting control. He noted that the white hat retained detail throughout without any blown highlights, an indication of careful exposure and lighting. The model's skin tones were natural and beautifully rendered, with every flesh tone preserved. He admired the elegant contrast of the white hat against the black background and black clothing, while the flower added a tasteful accent. The composition reminded him of a high-end fashion advertisement, combining technical excellence with artistic presentation.Tom Collins: 87
Tom scored the image 87. He appreciated the slightly rectangular crop, which minimized unnecessary empty space. He agreed that the exposure was technically challenging and complimented the photographer for maintaining detail throughout the white hat. He also liked the subtle separation between the model's shoulder and the background on the camera-right side. His only suggestion was to add a similar highlight along the opposite shoulder, believing this additional separation would have elevated the photograph several more points.
Image Submitted By: Norma OrozcoCamera: NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D780Aperture: f/5Exposure Time: 1/50Iso: 200Focal Length: 38Date: December 6th, 2025 -
Fashion Hits the PavementFashion Hits the Pavement
GROUP A - SCORE: 85.5
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 85
Robert found this to be a creative interpretation of the theme by focusing exclusively on fashionable footwear. He admired the bold colors of the shoes and appreciated the low shooting angle, which gave the image a contemporary commercial feel. The exposure was excellent, with no blown highlights despite the bright colors. His primary suggestion was to reduce or eliminate some of the surrounding pavement, allowing the colorful shoes to dominate the frame more completely. He considered it an excellent image with strong graphic appeal.Tom Collins: 86
Tom liked the concept immediately and thought the colorful shoes stood out beautifully against the neutral pavement. He praised the sharpness and vibrant color but agreed that cropping a little tighter would increase the photograph's impact. He felt simplifying the composition would strengthen the visual statement while maintaining the originality of the concept.
Author: This was taken at while exploring Miami. The young man was standing in the street and allowed me to take his picture. I was cropped to create a more interesting composition.
Image Submitted By: Yevette ShapiroAperture: f/8Exposure Time: 1/1250Focal Length: 100Date: June 22nd, 2026 -
Mother and Chil of the Floating IslandsMother and Chil of the Floating Islands
GROUP A - SCORE: 82
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 80
Robert found this image worthy of a Good rating. He acknowledged the difficult lighting conditions and felt the background and foreground were somewhat overexposed. However, he praised the excellent exposure on both the mother's and child's faces, noting that skin tones and facial details—including the teeth—were well preserved. He suggested a tighter crop and better control of the background brightness but felt the photographer deserved credit for maintaining pleasing illumination on the primary subjects under challenging conditions.Tom Collins: 84
Tom focused primarily on composition. He felt there was too much unused space at the bottom while the top of the image appeared cramped, with the subject's shoulder nearly touching the edge of the frame. He recommended a tighter crop to strengthen the composition. He also noted that the image appeared to have been taken during harsh midday light, which is rarely ideal for award-winning photographs. Whenever possible, he recommended photographing earlier or later in the day when the light is softer.
Author: A mother and child in colorful traditional outfits sitting on the reeds at one of the Uros islands on Lake Titicaca, Peru. Elevation over 12,000 feet, it is the worlds highest navigable body of water.
Image Submitted By: Silvia RojasCamera: Canon Canon PowerShot G15Aperture: f/2Exposure Time: 1/500Iso: 160Focal Length: 6Date: April 24th, 2016 -
Pensive ModelPensive Model
GROUP A - SCORE: 89
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 94
Robert placed this image in the Excellent category. He felt the model's jewelry, hairstyle, pose, and background all worked harmoniously to support the fashion theme. The pose appeared professional and well directed, and he complimented the sharpness throughout the image. His primary criticism involved the lighting on the model's face. While fashion photography often embraces bright, glamorous lighting, he believed slightly stronger illumination would have enhanced the eyes and facial features even more. Overall, he felt the image successfully captured the essence of fashion photography with only minor refinements needed.Tom Collins: 84
Tom believed the print itself appeared too light, though he suspected the issue was related to printing for competition under bright display lights rather than exposure. He pointed out that the jewelry, an important fashion element, lost detail because of the brightness. His advice was to always evaluate prints under bright competition lighting before submission, as presentation conditions can significantly affect the final appearance.
Image Submitted By: Yevette ShapiroCamera: Canon Canon EOS REBEL T2iAperture: f/7Exposure Time: 1/100Iso: 200Focal Length: 100Date: November 23rd, 2014 -
Picasso with AccessoriesPicasso with Accessories
GROUP A - SCORE: 88
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 88
Robert admired the photographer's creativity in selecting an artistic subject that interpreted the Fashion Statement theme in an unconventional way. He felt the accessories added personality and humor to the familiar artwork, creating an engaging visual presentation. The colors were bold and well controlled, and the exposure maintained excellent detail throughout the image. His only suggestion was to reduce the visual dominance of the purple background slightly so that the decorated face would become the unmistakable center of attention. Overall, he regarded it as a clever and imaginative interpretation of the theme.Tom Collins: 88
Tom appreciated the originality of the concept and thought it immediately caught the viewer's attention. He complimented the vivid colors and sharp presentation but agreed that the strong background competed somewhat with the main subject. He suggested slightly toning down the background saturation or brightness to strengthen the emphasis on the face and accessories. Overall, he felt the image demonstrated creativity and effective execution.
Author: I wanted to shoot a still life that reflected this month's fashion theme. I grabbed a pair of sunglasses, some jewelry and the most colorful scarf I owned. After a lot of different configurations, I decided to use the face depicted on the scarf. Shot with iPhone 13 Pro
Image Submitted By: Norene MonahanCamera: Apple iPhone 13 ProAperture: f/1Exposure Time: 1/60Iso: 80Focal Length: 5Date: June 5th, 2026 -
RagladyRaglady
GROUP A - SCORE: 89
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 94
Robert found this to be one of the most creative entries in the competition. The colorful handmade costume immediately communicated the Fashion Statement theme, and he admired the photographer for capturing the entire outfit so viewers could appreciate all of its detail. He complimented the excellent exposure and vibrant colors, which remained rich without becoming oversaturated. His only suggestion was to simplify the background slightly, as some of the surrounding elements competed with the elaborate costume. Even so, he considered it an excellent example of environmental fashion photography.Tom Collins: 84
Tom appreciated the originality of the subject and agreed that showing the full figure was essential because the costume itself was the story. He praised the color, sharpness, and overall presentation. His only concern was that a few background elements pulled attention away from the subject. He suggested using either a wider aperture or selective darkening to reduce those distractions while maintaining the vibrant atmosphere.
Author: Shot with GFX100RF (35mm f/4 lens). Edited in Lightroom Classic to clean up background and desaturate colors to emphasize the subject.
Image Submitted By: Carlos EcheniqueCamera: FUJIFILM GFX100RFAperture: f/5Exposure Time: 1/125Iso: 160Focal Length: 35Date: March 21st, 2026 -
Steam Punk GetupSteam Punk Getup
GROUP A - SCORE: 88
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 88
Robert regarded this as one of the strongest fashion portraits in the competition. He felt the elaborate steampunk costume, goggles, hat, and wardrobe perfectly illustrated the Fashion Statement theme. He praised the sharp focus, excellent skin tones, and beautiful rendering of the costume's textures and metallic accessories. The lighting was well controlled and revealed detail throughout the image without creating distracting highlights. His only recommendation was to slightly soften or simplify the background so that even more attention would remain on the subject. Overall, he considered it an outstanding portrait that combined excellent technical quality with a strong sense of character.Tom Collins: 88
Tom was equally impressed with the portrait and admired the attention to detail in the costume. He felt the photographer had captured both the personality of the subject and the craftsmanship of the outfit. The composition was strong, the focus was crisp, and the lighting effectively showcased the textures of the clothing and accessories. He suggested only a very subtle reduction in background detail to provide additional subject separation. In his opinion, the photograph was an excellent conclusion to the competition and one of the standout entries of the evening.
Author: This was shot at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum when they were having a Steam Punk event. This fellow was very receptive to me taking his picture. I took several images of him. I think he liked the appreciation of his costume. The background of the image was very busy so I did a background replacement with this solid color. I also did some color adjustments in LrC and Photo Shop. Some cloning was done to replace two off color spots. I like the way he was looking over the top of his glasses. I think that adds some interest.
Image Submitted By: John McKnightCamera: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. E-M5MarkIIAperture: f/2Exposure Time: 1/250Iso: 200Focal Length: 17Date: April 21st, 2018 -
Styled by HistoryStyled by History
GROUP A - SCORE: 91
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 87
Robert awarded this image an Excellent rating and appreciated the way the historical costume clearly supported the Fashion Statement theme. He liked the subject’s relaxed pose and felt the colorful background complemented rather than distracted from the clothing. The exposure and color balance were well controlled, and the details in the costume were nicely rendered. His primary concern was the amount of empty space above the subject, which he felt could have been reduced with a slightly tighter crop. He also suggested that a little more separation between the subject and the background would have made the costume stand out even more. Overall, he felt the photographer successfully combined portraiture and fashion into an engaging image.Tom Collins: 95
Tom enjoyed the portrait and felt the costume immediately captured the viewer's attention. He complimented the sharpness and color but agreed that the composition contained slightly more headroom than necessary. He also thought softening the background just a bit would have helped isolate the model and increase visual impact. Despite these minor suggestions, he felt the image effectively conveyed the fashion theme.
Author: Taken at the Renaissance Festival with a Fuji X-H2s camera and a LensBaby Sweet 35 lens. Post processed with On1 Photo Raw and Nik Color Efex.
Image Submitted By: Walter RojterCamera: FUJIFILM X-H2SExposure Time: 1/800Iso: 200Focal Length: 35Date: February 9th, 2025 -
The Red BandanaThe Red Bandana
GROUP A - SCORE: 84
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 85
Robert felt the red bandana immediately satisfied the theme and complimented the photographer for achieving excellent exposure and natural skin tones. Sharpness was very good, and no highlights were overexposed. His concern centered on the subject's expression and direction of gaze. Because the subject was looking away from the viewer, Robert found it more difficult to establish a strong emotional connection. He also questioned whether the background was helping the image, suggesting it may have distracted from the portrait. Despite these issues, he considered it a solid Good image with strong technical execution.Tom Collins: 83
Tom also questioned the effectiveness of the background, whether it was original or digitally altered. He additionally wished the far eye had been fully visible. Having the chin turned slightly more toward the camera would have revealed the second eye and created a stronger portrait, likely resulting in a higher score.
Author: This image was taken at a Mexican Heritage Festival in Santa Barbara, CA. There was a plain white adobe wall background that I replaced with the solid green background. I felt he was making his fashion statement with his bright red bandana. I did some minor color adjustments using LrC.
Image Submitted By: John McKnightCamera: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP. E-M5MarkIIAperture: f/2Exposure Time: 1/2000Iso: 200Focal Length: 40Date: April 28th, 2018 -
Two Fancy ShoesTwo Fancy Shoes
GROUP A - SCORE: 90
JUDGES: Robert Suarez and Tom Collins
Robert Suarez: 94
Robert placed this image in the Excellent category. He admired the colorful sandals as an ideal fashion subject and complimented the photographer for selecting an aperture that maintained sharpness throughout the image. Color rendition was excellent, exposure was well controlled, and no highlights were blown. His only criticism involved the white mat surrounding the image. Because the photograph was a dramatic low-key presentation, he felt a black mat would have complemented the image far better and allowed the shoes to command even greater attention.Tom Collins: 86
Tom completely agreed regarding the mat choice. He explained that viewers naturally look first at the brightest element in an image, and in this case the bright white mat competed with the dark background instead of supporting it. He felt a darker presentation would have strengthened an already excellent photograph.
Author: Saw these shoes in Macy's and I just HAD to take a picture. iPhone 13 Pro
Image Submitted By: Norene MonahanCamera: Apple iPhone 13 ProAperture: f/1Exposure Time: 1/120Iso: 64Focal Length: 5Date: March 24th, 2026
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