Well unfortunately i didn’t make the final cut for the award. I did get some very positive feedback on my submissions. I posted them below for everyone to read;
Hi Saul-
Your images dial into the core of something deeply human and emotional. It's as if the surface of these people were merely a porous membrane that you knew how to penetrate to find something more authentic. And the best of your images draw me into some very powerful and revealing places.
I noticed you haven't requested any specific feedback. So, I will offer some thoughts that come to mind.
Image 1 is outstanding in my opinion. It's as if he was eating his double bass. It's diabolical. It's intense. And it's wonderful. I love the smattering of tiny lights on the left too; I don't know what they are, but it's as if his power had caused some sort of combustion in the environment around him.
Image 2 feels like a very intimate and personal family moment. And I appreciate the way my eye moves around the frame from one red object/element to the next. Of course the heart and the woman's expression on the left are all key elements. That being said, this photograph feels like a personal family moment that is cute and funny. But I don't feel it extends into something competitive for this contest.
Image 3 is very delicate and beautiful. And your sense of light--which extends throughout the singles you have submitted--is a clear and powerful component to the image. I find this image, in combination with image 1, gives me a sense that you have a tremendous understanding and appreciation of jazz and the musicians that are a part of it. I am glad to hear that you are continuing this work with a project in Cuba. My sense is that will be very fruitful for you.
The way your brother is looking at you in image 4 is wonderful. No less, I like how he is lit in such a fashion that gives him a sense of emerging/receding (depending on how you see it) from/into the shadows. This image makes me interested in knowing whether you are continuing this work with other family members. Or perhaps you have made other images of your brother...
Image 5 represents a very different style from the rest of your images. Yet it is equally as strong. The woman's shape is sculptural and elegant. And her expression is somewhat fierce and perhaps chilling. It feels like a very accomplished portrait.
I wonder if you know the jazz photographs of Frank Stewart, Roy DeCarava, and Guy LeQuerrec. All of them have dedicated themselves to this beautiful medium and made extensive and thoughtful bodies of work.
In short Saul, I find your images are quite strong. I'm not sure what your goals are with your photography. But one thing that I feel would be great for you is to compile some of your images into series. For example, I don't know if you have ever laid out all of your jazz photos in one place. Or perhaps sequenced them into a book format. Perhaps you could even self-publish a book of the work; just to see what they look like together. Like jazz, it's rarely a single person that makes the music--and seeing all of the photos together could create a whole new experience you could never have imagined.
I'm glad I came across your work. Thanks for sharing your images and wishing you the best of luck.