Melinda Craik, Held Close (PEOPLE & PORTRAIT 2026)

A quiet moment between mother and baby. I loved the way she looked down at her newborn, completely absorbed in the moment while he slept peacefully in her arms. Converting the image to black and white allowed me to keep the focus on their connection and the tenderness of those first precious days together.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.