End of Summer by Christopher Utano

Captured on Labor Day, this poignant image of a child's sandals resting on cement serves as a evocative metaphor for the transition of seasons. By utilizing a Sigma 70-200mm lens at f/2.8, the photographer achieved a shallow depth of field that isolates the subject while maintaining the intricate textures of the ground. The decision to convert the frame to black and white further highlights these tactile details, stripping away color to focus on the raw, nostalgic essence of the 'End of Summer.' It is a masterclass in finding profound meaning within simple, everyday objects.

End of Summer by Christopher Utano
Nikon D60 with Sigma 70-200mm | Exposure 1/200sec @ f/2.8 | ISO 200
Copyright Β© Christopher Utano
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Christopher Utano

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Hauppauge, New York, Christopher Utano is a versatile photographer with a deep appreciation for black and white, landscape, still life, macro, and HDR imagery. His technical expertise and artistic eye have earned him significant recognition, including publication credits with National Geographic Stock, iStockphoto, and Boating Times Long Island. Utano consistently demonstrates a commitment to capturing the subtle details of his environment, whether through his extensive collection of Nikon and Sigma equipment or his thoughtful approach to conceptual storytelling.

Profile View Full Profile
11.7/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
135/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
21,213 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date May 20, 2011
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 15.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
New York, The United States

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Christopher Utano Photography
Conceptual Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.4/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
2,370/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
21,213/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.4/5 points
135/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.4/20
Total Award Score: 75.4/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
A pair of abandoned sandals on concrete. It’s a quiet scene, though one wonders if the photographer simply happened upon it while walking to lunch. Did he wait for the shadows to lengthen, or did he just snap and move on? I’ve spent enough hours shivering on hillsides to appreciate the texture here, but it feels a bit convenient. It’s a decent shot, certainly, but I’m left wondering if he ever bothered to return.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The sun was retreating, leaving those sandals abandoned on the cooling concrete. It’s a quiet, heavy silence. I’ve felt that same acheβ€”that sudden realization that the warmth is slipping away. By choosing a shallow depth of field, he’s forced us to kneel right there with him, listening to the fading light. It doesn’t need color; the texture of the stone tells the whole story. I find myself missing a summer I never even lived.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The sandals occupy the lower quadrant, anchoring the frame against a vast, blurred void. It’s a precarious balance. The shallow depth of field forces the eye toward the textured concrete, yet the negative space above doesn't quite resolve the tension. It’s almost too tidy. I’ve seen this geometry before, but the weight of the footwear holds the composition together. It’s a rigid, calculated stillness that finally earns my respect. The frame holds, barely.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most entries I’ve seen this year rely on heavy-handed symbolism to force nostalgia, but Utano’s sandals succeed because they’re quiet. The shallow depth of field isolates the worn leather against the concrete, grounding the loss of summer in physical reality rather than sentimentality. It’s a simple frame, yet it hits me with a sharp, familiar ache. Thirty years from now, we won’t remember the gear, but we’ll still recognize the feeling of those empty shoes.
Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
Sandals abandoned on concrete aren't merely a seasonal marker; they’re a haunting void. By stripping away color, the frame forces us to confront the weight of what’s missing. It’s not the shoes that ache, but the encroaching darkness surrounding them. I’ve stared at these shadows for an hour, feeling a sudden, cold shiver of mortality. Heidegger would argue that we don’t see the child, only the silence they’ve left behind. It’s a brutal, necessary absence.
Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
Stripping away the chromatic spectrum feels like a betrayal, doesn't it? I’d have preferred the bruised, melancholic violet of a fading August sky or the parched, ochre warmth of sun-baked concrete, for without that vibrant dialogue, the sandals lose their soul. It’s a quiet, monochromatic study, yet I find myself mourning the absence of those golden, honeyed tones that Vermeer would have captured to make this fleeting, childhood ghost truly ache with the weight of time.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Sven Lindqvist

The Weight of Empty Shoes

The season turns not with a shout, but with a withdrawal. We leave things behind on the porch, on the sand, on the cooling stone. A pair of shoes, abandoned in the heat of the afternoon, suddenly feels like a ghost.

Read the reflection →
By Clara Menezes

The Weight of Small Things

We leave pieces of ourselves behind like shed skin, scattered along the paths we no longer walk. It is a quiet shedding, a slow surrender to the turning of the earth.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

6 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Architecture of SilenceBeach at Dusk, by Ronnie Glover - Artistic Photography, Photography Education, Online Photography Courses, Photo of the Day, Photography AwardsThe Future of India by Achintya Guchhait - Documentary Photography, Photojournalism, India, Children Photography, Photo of the DayThe Future of India by Achintya Guchhait