Judging ‘Vignette”

Vignette is the diminutive of the french word for vine - vigne/vignette,  and originally meant the looping vine illustrations decorating the title pages of books. 
The definition widened to include narrative illustrations, shading away at the edges.  The 19th century French artist, Gustave Doré, illustrated many books in this way.  
In photography, 'vignette' describes a similar effect  of shading at the edges. 
More recently 'vignette' has come to mean a short, impressionistic scene, focusing on a moment, a mood, a character – described in writing, or depicted in a film. 
When I sit down to read, and judge, the entries in the Segora International Writing Competition, I'm looking for  a photograph in words. Clear in the centre. Conjuring atmosphere, mood, character. Above all, something that lingers in the mind long after I've read it. 
After the briefest of glances, I know it won't be easy to pick a winner.