BEST OF 2019

Dec 20, 2019

As 2019 comes to a close we are reminded that we have such an amazing year on AIBP with the 161 entries that were placed in this year’s “best of 2019” contest. Truly amazing work from everyone that entered.

First we start with a few words from our Judge Susan Pizarro-Eckert – Celebrated New York Boudoir Photographer and Author, http://www.liboudoirphotography.com/.

Thank you for the invitation to judge this contest. I’m sooo in awe of the talent in this group! This was NO easy task but I thoroughly enjoyed it—preferring it to sleep apparently!

There are so many things to look for when judging images: concept, impact, styling, lighting, composition, posing, focal point, retouching, story, emotion… As I went through the images some were so amazing in several areas but could have used development on others—i.e. a FABULOUS concept but retouching was too much or too little or too inconsistent and ended up detracting from the concept overall. In many cases, only ONE thing kept it out of the top 10 list.

As someone who learned to shoot strobe first, natural light second, I’m a stickler for lighting, so lighting above all became the most distinguishing factor across the images.

Best wishes to all for an amazing 2020!

Now let’s get onto our winners!!!

GRAND PRIZE

Ore Adesina
Intimate Lens Studio

Judge’s Comments: Holy mother of goodness! What an incredible couple’s shot! The light is beautiful! The pose is unbelievable! The emotion feels so raw, so real, and so very palpable. This image left me truly speechless. There’s really nothing to poke at here. ABSOLUTELY LOVE. Congratulations to the winner on an incredible, amazing, beautiful, artistic, masterful shot!

SECOND PLACE

Marta Carassi
MC Boudoir

Judge’s Comments: I am obsessed with this image! So much to love about it! The composition, use of light, BW processing, mood, story, emotion, leading lines—ahhh, so beautiful! This is art. The only thing that kept it from #1 was having the fingers poking out above her head, which I found just a tad distracting. But overall, did I mention I’m obsessed? Beautiful work!

THIRD PLACE

Noël Cosgrove
Noël Cosgrove Intimates

Judge’s Comments: This image struck me from the second I saw it! So beautiful! Like a painting! The concept is awesome, the colors harmonious, the body pose flatters and draws attention to her beautiful curves, the light creates a particular mood and evokes feeling, the composition is perfect – nothing distracting or detracting, and the post-processing is gorgeous. The only thing that kept this from the #1 position is the camera-facing arm being raised revealing armpit on the front side. I generally find it preferable to avoid armpit facing the camera. But even so, I feel this is an amazing image, hence the #3 position.