How to Win – Judges’ Top Tips

Since Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year’s launch, the competition has attracted entries from all corners of the globe. With categories ranging from Food Stylist Award, through to World Food Programme Food for Life, MPB Award for Innovation to Politics of Food, there is something for every kind of photographer.

Our judging panel is carefully crafted to maintain an incredible wealth of knowledge and experience.

Chaired by David Loftus, our panel range from photographers and magazine editors, to creative directors and film directors, to food retailers and chefs.

 

 

All of them touch food and photography in their professional life and have many years, even decades, of experience. We have been honoured over the years that so many great and illustrious international names have given their support, time and expertise.

We asked some of our expert Judges and Ambassadors to share some insight into what they specifically looked for when judging an image.

 

 

Our Judges' Top Tips

 

Liz Galbraith,
Freelance Creative Director

 

What are you looking for in an image when judging?

1. I either need to understand immediately what it’s a picture of or it needs to be so striking and intriguing I want to look into it to discover more.

2. The lighting and colour balance have to work to tell the story and craft an image that’s a complete narrative.

3. I’m a stickler for composition, this needs to be tight. No more and no less than is necessary. Every pixel counts.

4. The food should look delicious.

5. Beware of current ‘fashion gimmicks’ in food photography.

6. The entire image needs to be beautiful and convincing, I need to believe it. This doesn’t mean that difficult issues can’t be tackled but all images must be well composed, well lit and well put together irrespective of their subject matter.

 

Lorena Salinas,
Chef, Blogger and Food Photographer

 

What images stand out to you when judging?

- A unique point of view: When you see a photo you can often place yourself in the picture and feel what the photographer feels. Maybe it’s the shot of a family member, or of a kitchen, or a special dinner. Whatever it is it’s always nice to have that sense of transporting yourself into the photo through the photographer’s lens.

- An interesting colour story: Colour (or the lack of it) can really make an engaging photograph. It enhances textures, gives us focus and helps us understand the story behind it. Photographs with interesting colour stories (or even B&W photos) lure us in and demand attention.

- The unexpected: There are certain things that we cannot foresee. We know more or less the kind of photos we will get for each category, but every once in a while we get one with an unexpected wow factor that just leaves us astounded. That could be an amazing context, the process that’s being photographed or just how breathtaking a photo is.

- Originality: I would say that if you have a photograph of a subject or place, look for that subject on Google/pinterest before submitting. If your image looks a lot like many other popular images, chances are we’re not going to pay that much attention to it. We’re looking for original photographs, unique points of view and a clear distinct message!

 

Rein Skullerud,
Head of Photo Unit, Communications Division, World Food Programme, United Nations

 

Since becoming head of WFP's Photography Unit in 1999, Rein SKullerud has travelled the world documenting WFP’s life-changing work responding to humanitarian emergencies and helping the world’s poorest build a future free from hunger. Rein’s work tells the story of the world’s hungry through images, capturing their dignity and perseverance as they struggle for a better life. Over the years, his photographs have been published in several international publications including TIME Magazine, Der Spiegel, the Economist, the Guardian and the BBC online. 

What are the most important things you look for when judging?

“To me three elements are most important to me when judging a photo and these are; the emotion the image gives me, the story the single frame tells and last but not least the skill the photographer has applied to produce the image.”

What was one of your favourite finalist images?

“I still believe that the 2019 winning photo is an excellent piece of work because it touches on all three elements listed above.”

 

Yasia Williams,
Art Director, Octopus Publishing

 

What are the most important things you look for when judging?

“The three things I’m looking for are:
Originality – I want to see something I’ve never seen before or a familiar image but seeing it photographed from a new and exciting perspective.

The Wow Factor – an image that instantly makes you want to know more about it and continue to look at it.

Feeling – a picture that stirs emotion.’’

What was one of your favourite finalist images?

“My favourite from 2019, which had all three, was the winner of Food for Celebration.”

 

Angela Nicholson,
Co-Founder & Director at Camera Jabber, Founder of SheClicks

 

What are the most important things you look for when judging?

I'm always looking for subjects being photographed in new and exciting ways. The way light is used in a photograph is crucial - it can either elevate the image to new heights or diminish its impact. However, what truly captivates me is the narrative conveyed through the image. This can range from a simple yet intriguing mix of ingredients that makes me want to head into the kitchen to get cooking to more profound themes like issues behind food production or ethical considerations. These elements combine to create a compelling and thought-provoking visual story.

 

 

Discover More...

Learn more about our illustrious panel and discover our previous finalist images.

You can find full competition details and how to enter here.