Sophia has chosen September’s Photo of the Month. Congratulations go to “The Portrait” by Dariush Madani for this beautiful image submitted for Round 1 of the PDI competition.
“I wasn’t able to be at the latest PDI competition, but when I looked at the high scoring photos afterwards, this photo by Dariush immediately caught my eye. The lighting is superb with good detail on his right side and a mere hint of an eye on his left. The placement of the light is very important here as the man is wearing a cap which could easily shade his eyes. His right eye has a catchlight which gives life to the face. As the light glances across his face it emphasises some furrows on his forehead giving him character. This stye of lighting is very suitable for a male portrait. I also like the direct stare, which provides us with an intense connection. This is a beautifully dark portrait overall but Dariush has done well to still get detail in the dark cap and jersey. The overall impression is of a painting reminiscent of the old masters. I love it.”
—Sophia Spurgin