Life Framer is delighted to present the results of the April competition “Home Sweet Home” judged by Phaedra Brown, Photo Editor at the New York Times.
What do you think of when you think about home? Be it your household, your home town or your country, home conjures strong feelings in all of us – of safety and comfort, of friendship and community, or perhaps of constraint and ennui. A place to cherish or to escape, but either way one inexorably tied to our sense of identity. It’s therefore no surprise that it’s a subject so many photographers turn to, nor that it’s so fascinating to view other people’s home environments – offering a glimpse into the lives of others like nothing else. “This was such a wonderful selection of photos and I’m honored to have judged this work” Says Phaedra. “I loved the theme of “Home” and the diverse interpretations and perspectives on it.”
Across these varied images from twenty talented photographers we see colorful streets, children playing, abandoned housing developments, familial bonds and native land. The location may be Indonesia or North America, Kenya or Italy, but each is an expression of the idea of home, reminding us that we are as similar as we are different, and that home is something we all seek in our different ways.
1ST PRIZE – NASHCO PHOTO
Life Framer competition “Home Sweet Home”
“The colors are the first thing you register in this photo. The repetitions of the corals and pinks are not only lovely, but also give a feeling of the heat in the home. The fan in the foreground brings a lot of visual interest to the frame and starts the repetition of all the curves in the rest of the photo-the other fan, the gate, the woman’s arms. This image is not only split into thirds on the flat horizontal plane but also three dimensionally-there is the fan in the foreground, then the gate and then the living room. These layers add a texture and depth to the image. In some ways, the success of this photo defies logic. Instead of the fan in the foreground drawing your eye into the photo towards the subject, it fights to compete with the subject for where your eye should rest. This ends up creating a tension and visual interest that makes the photo exciting.” – PHAEDRA BROWN
Photographer statement – A Cuban woman relaxes during the heat of the day at her apartment in Havana.
2ND PRIZE – GEORGE TATAKIS
Life Framer competition “Home Sweet Home”
“This photo is all about the textures. The detailed texture of the walls, dress, veil, blankets all add interest and depth to the image. The composition is beautiful and the high contrast gives an ethereal quality to the woman’s face that is captivating. The technical skill used to bring out the interesting details around the room gives it its beauty and warmth.” – PHAEDRA BROWN
Photographer statement – From the series Caryatis. This work focuses on female traditional costumes all over Greece, with me taking control over the whole scene and direction.
WINNER - ERIC TSCHAEPPELER
Life Framer competition “Home Sweet Home”
“Environmental portraits of people in their bedrooms is a well-trodden photographic topic, but it’s no surprise – the bedroom, the only private space most of us have, can give a fascinating insight into our personalities, passions and rituals. This particular room is a chaos of pinks and pastel hues, jam packed with books, clothes, toys and figurines. The large Garfield stuffed toy and black-and-white cat are more prominent than the subject herself who is camouflaged amongst her paraphernalia, and it’s a pleasure to examine the scene and discover new details with each pass of the eye. The series title, Child Free, and Eric’s accompanying statement add a further level of interest. We are told this lady has chosen not to have children, choosing to live childhood instead through her possessions and obsessions. It makes for a fascinating character and an image of real complexity.” – LIFE FRAMER
Photographer statement – From the series Child Free. My subjects answered my advert looking for people who had chosen not to have children and were willing to pose in their homes in exchange for a print. The series was shot on medium format film.
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