August's photo contest: Portraits

Morro, one half of the Toronto clown duo Morro and Jasp. (John Rieti/CBC)

Last month's collaboration with CBC's Multimedia Unit on a special photo contest drew such a tremendous response from you that we're going to team up again!

As always, our August contest is designed to be instructive while helping you be at your most creative, but this time, we've got a brand new theme. 

This month we want to see faces.

Whether it's a grandparent, a newborn, or a stranger on the street, CBC Community is looking for your best photographic portraits. They could be candid or carefully set up, but what we're really looking for is expression and emotion. It's up to you, the photographer, to capture your subject's character for the world to see.

Please note that we cannot accept portraits of children aged 18 or younger that include the children's names or locations.

Here are some quick tips for shooting.

Get close, get comfortable. Getting close allows you to capture the details in faces. And as you shoot, try to keep your subject comfortable and relaxed.

Windows are your friend. Windows usually provide a soft, flattering light that's perfect for simple portraits.

The eyes have it. Whether it's wide-eyed surprise or a watchful gaze, eyes are often the key component of a great portrait.

Now it's time to go forth and start shooting. Send us your best work - we can't wait to see what you come up with. 

We'll be posting your best shots each day in August, and asking you to vote for your favourite of the top five submissions at month's end.
 
The contest winner will receive a prize courtesy of the CBC Shop.

Please note: While we loved seeing all of your fantastic shots last month -- many from around the world -- we would like to remind everybody this contest is Canadian, and only Canadian residents will be eligible for the final prize. 
 
How to enter

Upload your images here or to our CBC Your Voice Flickr pool, tagged with the words "August photo contest," or email them to: yournews@cbc.ca with "August photo contest" in the subject line.

Related links

• Tips and guidelines for taking a good photo

• CBC Community photo contest rules