Winning photos from the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021 contest
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Editor’s note: There are images in this gallery that show animal carcasses being butchered (slide 8 and 9, in particular). Keep this in mind going forward if you would rather not see this content.
The winning photographs for the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021 contest have been announced, with the overall prize being taken by Chinese photographer Li Huaifeng for their photograph Taste, which shows a young family enjoying a meal in their home as the sun cast rays through the smoke-filled room.
The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards is celebrating its tenth anniversary. The finalists and winning images were whittled down from nearly 10,500 entries submitted from more than 70 countries around the world.
In lieu of an in-person event, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the winners were announced in a livestream, which can be watched in its entirety, below:
In addition to the usual categories, this year’s contest also featured a ‘very special category’ to honor Claire Aho, ‘Finland’s greatest woman photographer,’ according to contest organizers. The inaugural winner of the Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers was Marina Spironetti for ‘her magnificent portrait Female Butchers of Panzano – Martina, one of the women trained by Dario Cecchini, world-famous butcher of Panzano.’
As for the judges of this year’s contest, the event organizers say:
‘This year’s global judging panel, chaired by legendary food photographer, David Loftus, includes Fiona Shields, Head of Photography, Guardian News & Media, Susan Bright, Writer and Curator, Nik Sharma, Cookbook Author and Photographer, Chef Simone Zanoni, Restaurant Le George, Four Seasons Paris, Alison Jacques, Founder, Alison Jacques Gallery and Vitalie Taittinger, President, Champagne Taittinger.’
An exhibition for the 2021 finalists will premiere at The Royal Photographic Society in Bristol from November 20 through December 12. Entry is free.
The following gallery will showcase images from twelve of the more than three dozen categories in this year’s contest. You can see all of the finalists and winning images on the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021 contest website.
Taste, Overall Winner
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| Credit: Li Huaifeng via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Li Huaifeng, China
Image Description: The photograph was taken in Licheng, Shanxi, on a warm and sunny day, and shows a young family sharing in the joy of preparing food.
Drying Okra, Bring Home the Harvest
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| Credit: F. Dilek via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: F.Dilek Uyar, Turkey
Image Description: Drying okra flowers in Tokat, Turkey. Women pick okra flowers from the field and arrange them on a rope, then the dried flowers fall and the okra becomes ready to be used in winter
A Grape View, Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year – Overall
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| Credit: Oscar Olivera via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Oscar Oliveras, Spain
Image Description: The photograph captures the filling up of Semillon grapes ready to be pressed at the cellar. It was taken on the first day of the harvest of Sauvignon Blanc at Chateau des Ganfards, in Saussignac, France. The harvesting machine is unloading the fruit into the tractor, ready to take them into the winery for pressing. The tractor is being driven by M. Jean Claude Géraud, the owner of Château des Ganfards. Oscar took the photo whilst working there as a winemaker.
Breakfast at Weekly Market, Food at the Table
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| Credit: Thong Nguyen via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Thong Nguyen, Vietnam
Image Description: People enjoy their Pho (beef of chicken noodle) for breakfast at a local weekly market.
Making Rice Noodles, Fujifilm Award for Innovation
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| Credit: Abdul Momin via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Abdul Momin, Bangladesh
Image Description: A worker is inspecting rice noodles if they got dried rightly or not.
Old Friends, Politics of Food
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| Credit: Sandro Maddalena via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Sandro Maddalena, Italy
Image Description: Tskaltubo – Refugees from the Abkhazian – Georgian conflict gather in the basement of an abandoned sanatorium to share their food. Almost thirty years after the conflict, Abkhazian refugees are still living in abandoned buildings in conditions of poverty.
Female Butchers of Panzano-Martina, The Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers
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| Credit: Marina Spironetti via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Marina Spironetti, Italy
Image Description: Part of a project about the female butchers at Dario Cecchini’s, the world’s famous butcher from Panzano in Chianti. For some time now, Dario has been training a team of young ladies, who came to Tuscany from all over the world to learn the art of deboning. Traditionally, women butchers have always existed in Tuscany.
Head to Head, The Philip Harben Award for Food in Action
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| Credit: David Thompson via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: David Thompson, Taiwan
Image Description: Taken at Wanhua District night market, Taipei, Taiwan the photo depicts a butcher preparing cuts for the daily traditional market, here seen working on a pigs head cutting out the cheeks.
Family, WFP Storytellers Award
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| Credit: Ziney Abdulhakim Ibrahim via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Ziney Abdulhakim Ibrahim, Iraq
Image Description: The importance of all family members meeting around one dining table at least once a day, as this habit helps to strengthen family ties and gives family members a sense of emotional warmth and provides an opportunity for dialogue, exchange of ideas and problem-solving.
Orishas Tribal Markets, Young – 11 – 14
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| Credit: Indigo Larmour via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Indigo Larmour, India
Image Description: The tribal markets in Odisha are some of the most colourful in all of India. Vendors commonly sit on the ground and spread-out vegetables that they are selling.
Spill the Tea, Young – 15 – 17
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| Credit: Dewi Hollema via Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year |
Photographer: Dewi Hollema, Egypt
Image Description: Men gather round on the side of the street in old Alexandria to share the local gossip with a cup of black sweet tea and snacks. This is a common sight in Egypt where their national drink is enjoyed throughout the day: tea ???.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)