Turning Around by Ryszard Wierzbicki

While visiting the Pura Tanah Lot temple in Bali, the photographer encountered a local family and was struck by a poignant interaction between a young boy and his mother. Despite his visible frustration, the child maintained a tether to his mother by clutching the edge of her robe. The photographer captured this fleeting moment of raw emotion just as the boy noticed the lens, resulting in a powerful portrait that balances childhood vulnerability with a candid, spirited expression. The image is award-worthy for its authentic storytelling and the photographer's ability to seize a transient, human connection in a culturally rich setting.

Turning Around by Ryszard Wierzbicki
Nikon D5000 with Nikon AF-S DX 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR
Exposure 1/350sec @ f/9.5 | ISO 200 | Focal Length 165mm
Copyright Β© Ryszard Wierzbicki
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Ryszard Wierzbicki

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Poland in 1963, Ryszard Wierzbicki transitioned from a diverse career in social sciences and marketing to a life dedicated to global exploration and photography. After emigrating to the United Kingdom in 2006, he shifted his focus toward documenting his extensive travels across South-East Asia, often blending his passion for photography with humanitarian work for orphanages. A PADI scuba instructor and founder of multiple travel forums, Wierzbicki now channels his experiences into a compelling body of work that captures the essence of the cultures and individuals he encounters on his journeys.

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14.8/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
442/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
16,491 views | 7 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date October 21, 2013
62.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 16.0
Style 11.0
Skill 11.0
Photograph Location
Thana Lot, Bali, Indonesia

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Portrait Photography
Ryszard Wierzbicki Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (14.4/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,534/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
16,491/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
4.4/5 points
442/500 Submission
Jury Score: 62.0/80
Resonance Score: 14.4/20
Total Award Score: 76.4/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 7

Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The salt air at Tanah Lot carries a heavy, sacred weight. Ryszard stood there as the light softened, waiting for the temple’s spirit to reveal itself through human connection. That boy’s grip on his mother’s robeβ€”it’s a tether to the divine, isn’t it? I’ve felt that same ache, that sudden, quiet recognition of vulnerability against such ancient stone. It’s not just a portrait; it’s a prayer caught in the cooling hour before dusk.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most of the portraits I’ve reviewed this year rely on staged perfection, but this one survives because of the boy’s grip. That white-knuckled clutch on his mother’s robe is the anchor of the entire frame. It’s a raw, universal ache of childhood defiance. I’ll admit, it makes my own chest tighten. While the composition is standard, the tension in his eyes ensures this will still matter in thirty years. It’s honest, and that’s rare.
James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
1/350sec at f/9.5, 165mm, ISO 200. The aperture is unnecessarily tight for a portrait, forcing a shutter speed that barely compensates for the focal length’s inherent shake. It’s a clinical choice that renders the background distracting rather than contextual. I’ve seen enough soft focus to know this isn't it. Still, the boy’s gaze is sharp. That connection hits me harder than the optics. He’s looking right through the glass, and for once, the math doesn't matter.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
Tanah Lot is a tourist trap of the highest order, yet here we are. Most would have snapped a postcard and fled to the shade. Wierzbicki clearly didn’t. He’s waited for the boy’s gaze to shift, catching that fragile, tethered frustration. It’s a rare bit of humanity in a place usually choked by tripods. I’ve spent enough hours in the humidity to know that look isn't luck. He earned this one. It’s quite decent, really.
Lena Brandstrom Macro Photography, Optics & the Science of the Seen Expert Review
At f/9.5, the 165mm focal length renders the boy’s gaze with a sharpness that pushes against the diffraction limit of the D5000’s sensor. It’s a clinical capture, yet the micro-contrast in the fabric’s weave reveals a tactile intimacy I find deeply moving. The lens resolves the tension in his grip so precisely that I’m struck by the physics of his vulnerability. It’s not just a portrait; it’s a perfect, optical alignment of human fragility.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
The boy’s grip. It’s the only anchor in the frame. Everything else drifts into the blur of the temple grounds. I’ve spent minutes watching his fingers against the fabric. They hold a weight that transcends the scene. The background doesn't matter. It’s just air. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s a breath held between mother and son. I feel a sudden, sharp ache in my own chest. It’s quiet.
Sophie Delacroix Emotional Narrative, Viewer Response & Psychological Impact Expert Review
Before the eye identifies the boy’s frustration, something in the chest tightens. It’s that tetherβ€”his small hand gripping the fabricβ€”that anchors the viewer. I feel a sudden, sharp ache for the weight of that connection. When I return to this a year later, the boy’s gaze doesn't feel like a challenge; it’s a plea for recognition. It’s a quiet, visceral reminder that we’re all just looking for a hand to hold while the world turns.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Isabelle Park

The Tether of Home

I was at the grocery store this morning when I saw a toddler let go of his mother’s hand to chase a display of apples. He didn't get far before he stopped, looked back, and grabbed the hem of her coat instead.

Read the reflection →
By Sven Lindqvist

The Tether of Silence

We are born with a need to hold on. A small hand finds the fabric of a coat, a sleeve, a life. It is the first geography we learnβ€”the distance between our own skin and the one who anchors us to the earth.

Read the reflection →

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