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Ellas by Maureen Mayne-Nicholls

Captured along a rugged southern road in Chile, this poignant image documents a quiet, profound moment between the photographer’s two daughters and their beloved horses. Drawn to the raw, natural beauty of the region, the photographer observed her children in a state of pure, motionless connection with the animals. By focusing on this intimate interaction, the image transcends a simple family portrait, becoming a timeless meditation on the bond between humans and nature. The composition is elevated by the atmospheric conditions of the Chilean landscape, capturing a fleeting sense of peace that the photographer hoped would last forever.

Ellas by Maureen Mayne-Nicholls
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM
Exposure 1/125sec @ f/4.0 | ISO 1600 | Focal Length 105mm
Copyright © Maureen Mayne-Nicholls
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Maureen Mayne-Nicholls

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Viña del Mar, Chile, Maureen Mayne-Nicholls is a dedicated artist whose work traverses the diverse landscapes of Latin America, from the high plateaus to the southern reaches of her home country. Her photography is defined by a deep exploration of intimacy, specifically focusing on the profound relationships individuals maintain with their own inner worlds and those closest to them. Through a career marked by artistic versatility, she consistently seeks to capture the quiet, representative lines that connect human beings to their most authentic experiences.

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10.8/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
119/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
7,456 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date September 28, 2019
69.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 13.0
Composition 18.0
Style 13.0
Skill 13.0
Photograph Location
Region de Aysen, Pueblo de Murta, Chile

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Black & White Photography
Maureen Mayne-Nicholls Photography
Top 100 Portrait Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.7/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
4.3/5 points
868/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
7,456/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.2/5 points
3/100 Review
Submissions
1.2/5 points
119/500 Submission
Jury Score: 69.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.7/20
Total Award Score: 79.7/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 3

Deepa Krishnan Underwater Photography, Marine Environments & Subsurface Optics Expert Review
Looking at these two girls and their horses, I’m struck by the stillness. It’s a stark contrast to the chaotic, light-starved environments I usually inhabit. Down deep, we fight the refractive index and backscatter just to see a subject clearly. Here, the atmospheric haze in Aysen mimics the diffusion I’m used to, but without the crushing pressure. It’s a quiet, terrestrial grace. I’ve spent my life chasing light, but this soft, monochromatic intimacy feels like coming up for air.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
It’s easy to snap a family portrait; it’s quite another to capture the stillness of Aysén. One suspects Mayne-Nicholls didn’t just stumble upon this. She’s clearly spent hours in that biting wind, waiting for the horses to settle and the girls to forget the lens was there. I’ve been that cold, and it’s rarely worth it, yet here, the quiet connection is palpable. She’s earned this moment. It’s a rare, honest bit of work.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The frame’s geometry hinges on the vertical alignment of the horses’ necks against the muted Aysen horizon. It’s a rigid, deliberate architecture that anchors the subjects. The negative space above the figures provides a necessary, cooling silence. I’m genuinely struck by how the 105mm compression flattens the depth, forcing the subjects into a singular, cohesive plane. It doesn't rely on sentiment; it relies on the absolute, disciplined placement of mass. The structure holds. It’s precise.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Breath of Velvet

The smell of damp earth and warm, coarse hair always brings me back to a place I cannot name. It is the scent of a heavy coat worn in the rain, mixed with the sweet, grassy musk of a creature that breathes in rhythm with your own heartbeat.

Read the reflection →
By Beatriz Andrade

The Language of Quiet Kinship

I often find myself thinking about the conversations that happen without a single word spoken. There is a specific kind of silence that settles over a landscape when two living things—different in species, different in history—decide to stand perfectly still together.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

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

6 replies
  3. Nicole Sanhueza Parra says:

    Maravillosa fotografía… Retrata la hermosura natural del sur, el viaje a los recuerdos de infancia que nunca se olvidan.!!

    Reply

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