Space by Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez

In his project 'Space,' Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez explores the concept that a photograph captures not just a subject, but the hidden environment surrounding it. While exploring the natural park of La Estanzuela, the photographer encountered a small subject that immediately struck him as a unique opportunity to frame this philosophy. By isolating the subject against its surroundings, he highlights the often-overlooked negative space that defines a scene. This image is award-worthy for its thoughtful composition and the photographer's ability to transform a simple encounter in nature into a profound visual narrative about the relationship between subjects and their environment.

Space by Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez
Nikon D7000 with NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G | Exposure 1/125sec @ f/3.5 | ISO 250 | Focal Length 105mm
Copyright © Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Monterrey, Mexico, Joaquín Alonso Arellano Ramírez balances a professional career as a software engineer with a deep-seated passion for nature and macro photography. Since acquiring his first DSLR in 2010, he has dedicated his free time to mastering new techniques and exploring the natural world through his lens. His work is characterized by a constant drive to learn and experiment, reflecting a lifelong fascination with photography that began in his childhood.

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11.7/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
144/500
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SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
15,666 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date October 6, 2014
65.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 12.0
Skill 11.0
Photograph Location
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Close-Up Photography
Joaquin Alonso Arellano Ramirez Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.7/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,260/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
15,666/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.3/5 points
6/100 Review
Submissions
1.4/5 points
144/500 Submission
Jury Score: 65.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.7/20
Total Award Score: 76.7/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Sophie Delacroix Emotional Narrative, Viewer Response & Psychological Impact Expert Review
Before the eye identifies the subject, something in the chest tightens. It’s the sudden, sharp silence of the Monterrey woods. The negative space here doesn't just surround the insect; it swallows the viewer’s peripheral vision, forcing a singular, breathless focus. I’ve returned to this frame three times today, and each time, the blur feels like a memory I can’t quite place. It’s an unsettling, beautiful isolation that makes me want to reach out and touch the quiet.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
It’s quiet here, isn't it? Joaquín stood in the cooling air of La Estanzuela, waiting for the world to shrink. With that 105mm lens, he didn't just capture a subject; he listened to the silence surrounding it. I’ve felt that same stillness, where the negative space breathes. It’s a humble, holy kind of isolation. Looking at this, I find myself wanting to reach out and touch the soft, blurred edges of that hidden, breathing environment.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
It’s easy to snap a macro shot of a leaf and call it art. Most don’t bother to consider the air around the subject. Ramírez, however, has clearly sat with this frame until the negative space felt intentional rather than accidental. I’ve spent enough damp mornings in the brush to recognize that stillness. It’s a quiet, disciplined bit of work. He didn’t just find this; he waited for the environment to finally agree with him.
Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
Light here doesn't illuminate; it interrogates. By isolating the subject against the void of La Estanzuela, Ramírez forces us to confront the silence between things. It’s a brutal, necessary reduction. I’ve spent hours staring into those dark, unyielding corners, and I’m unsettled by how much they reveal about our own insignificance. When the shadows swallow the periphery, the subject isn't framed—it’s trapped. It’s a haunting reminder that we are defined only by what we refuse to see.
Rafael Ortega Shutter Technique, Motion & the Cinematic Single Frame Expert Review
It’s a masterclass in the long take. The 105mm lens isolates the subject, forcing the eye to linger where the motion stops. I’m genuinely moved by how the negative space breathes; it’s the silence between two lines of dialogue. Ramírez understands that the cut would have been a mistake here. He’s held the frame just long enough for the environment to become the lead character. It’s the shot the editor keeps, perfectly still, perfectly alive.
Lena Brandstrom Macro Photography, Optics & the Science of the Seen Expert Review
At f/3.5, the NIKKOR 105mm renders the focal plane with a surgical thinness that isolates the subject from the chaotic bokeh of La Estanzuela. It’s a delicate balance; the diffraction limit hasn’t softened the fine textures, allowing the light to cling to the subject’s edges with startling clarity. I’m genuinely moved by how the negative space feels almost tangible here. It’s rare to see a lens pushed to resolve such quiet, profound isolation so perfectly.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Margaret Holt

The Weight of the Void

We often speak of objects as if they are islands, self-contained and sovereign. We focus on the texture of a leaf, the curve of a stone, or the sudden, sharp line of a branch, believing that these things possess their own meaning in isolation.

Read the reflection →
By Yuki Sato

The Breath Around Things

We often mistake the object for the entirety of the experience. We focus so intently on the leaf, the stone, or the petal that we forget the air that cradles it. Yet, it is the surrounding space that gives the subject its meaning, its permission to exist.

Read the reflection →

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