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Slideshow: 2020 World Press Photo contest winners

17 Apr

2020 World Press Photo contest winners

The World Press Photo Foundation recently announced the results of its 63rd annual World Press Photo Contest. World Press Photo of the Year, Story of the Year, plus winners across all 8 categories were included in Thursday evening’s announcement. Nearly 74,000 images were submitted by 4,282 photographers. 44 winners, 30 which are recognized for the first time, hail from 24 countries.

The jury, consisting of 17 professionals from 6 continents, selected ‘Straight Voice’ by Yasuyoshi Chiba (which was featured in our nominee coverage a few months back) as Photo of the Year. ‘This moment was the only peaceful group protest I encountered during my stay. I felt their undefeated solidarity like burning embers that remain to flare up again,’ says Chiba of his winning photo.

‘Kho, the Genesis of a Revolt’ by Romain Laurendeau, which documented the unease of Algerian youth that led to the biggest protest in decades, was selected as World Press Photo Story of the Year. ‘It was impossible for a part of me not to recognize myself in these young people. They are young but they are tired of this situation and they just want to live like everyone else,’ explains Laurendeau.

Elsewhere, fans of the Tiger King docuseries on Netflix will recognize Kevin Antle in Steve Winter’s ‘The Tiger Next Door’ image, which won Second Prize in the Contemporary Issues – Stories category. All digital storytelling contest winners can be viewed on the World Press Photo homepage.

Winning photographs and multimedia will be on display during year-long worldwide exhibition, which premieres every year in Amsterdam. The launch date has been postponed due to the current pandemic. Those interested in attending events can check in with the World Press Photo event calendar.

World Press Photo Story of the Year: ‘Kho, the Genesis of a Revolt’ by Romain Laurendeau (France)

Caption: Football fans gather in the street and sing during a match that is taking place behind closed doors due to violence, in Algiers, Algeria, on 22 November 2014.

Story: Young people make up more than half of Algeria’s population, and according to a UNESCO report 72% of people under 30 in Algeria are unemployed. Pivotal moments in Algerian history, such as the ‘Black October’ revolt of 1988, have had angry youth at their core. Black October was harshly suppressed—more than 500 people were killed in five days—and was followed by a ‘black decade’ of violence and unrest.

Thirty years on, the effects of that decade are still present. In a traumatized country, high unemployment leads to boredom and frustration in everyday life and many young people feel disassociated from the state and its institutions. In neglected working-class neighborhoods such as Bab el-Oued in Algiers, young people often seek refuge in diki—private places that are ‘bubbles of freedom’ away from the gaze of society and from conservative social values. But the sense of community and solidarity is often not enough to erase the trials of poor living conditions.

In February 2019, the United States of young people from working-class neighborhoods again took to the streets in what became a nationwide challenge to the reign of long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.

Kho (the word means ‘brother’ in colloquial North-African Arabic) is about the genesis of a revolt. It is the story of the deep unease of youth, who, by daring to challenge authority, inspired the rest of the population to join their action, giving birth to the largest protest movement in Algeria in decades.

World Press Photo Story of the Year Nominee: ‘Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 Crash Site’ by Mulugeta Ayene (Ethiopia)

Caption: Onlookers inspect debris at the crash site of Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, near Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 11 March 2019.

Story: On 10 March, Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302, a Boeing 737 MAX, disappeared from the radar six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa airport and crashed into a field, killing all 157 people on board. The impact was so great that both engines were buried in a crater 10 meters deep.

A week after the crash, empty coffins were buried at a ceremony at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, as victims were unable to be identified. Officials gave relatives bags of earth from the crash site. On 14 November, eight months after the crash, the site of the impact was covered and the unidentified remains of victims buried in rows of identical coffins.

Comparisons were made with the crash of a Lion Air aircraft, also a 737 MAX, 12 minutes after take-off from Jakarta in October 2018. Countries across the world, initially with the exception of the US, grounded the 737 MAX. First reports showed that pilots had been unable to prevent the plane repeatedly nosediving, despite following procedures recommended by Boeing.

It appeared that in both cases pilots were struggling to deal with an automated safety system designed to prevent stalling, which was repeatedly pushing the nose of the plane down. It seemed that the system was being activated, possibly due to a faulty sensor, even though nothing was wrong.

It later emerged that American Airlines pilots had confronted Boeing about potential safety issues with the MAX. Boeing had resisted their calls but promised a software fix, which had not been done by the time Flight ET302 crashed. Planes remained grounded into 2020.

Contemporary Issues – First Prize, Stories: ‘The Longest War’ by Lorenzo Tugnoli (Italy) for The Washington Post

Caption: An Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) anti-mine team detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) found on the Ghazni-Kandahar highway in eastern Afghanistan, on 2 December 2019. IEDs are one of the leading causes of casualties among civilians and members of the ANDSF.

Story: The Taliban made significant territorial gains and increased their influence in Afghanistan in 2019. Eighteen years after the US invasion, and five years since the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have been responsible for securing Afghanistan, the Taliban control or contest around half the country, in some districts acting as a shadow government.

Peace talks began in January appeared to be nearing agreement in August, but were scuppered by US president Donald Trump in September. Fighting escalated during talks as both sides tried to gain leverage, while on the ground the talks provided the Taliban with increasing political legitimacy. The frequency and spread of Taliban violence left the ANDSF overstretched and in some cases overwhelmed, with a high casualty rate.

The escalation of the conflict also severely impacted the civilian population, resulting in high casualties, forced displacement, extreme insecurity, lack of access to education and a weakened public health system. A report published in June 2019 by the Institute for Peace and Economics named Afghanistan as the world’s “least peaceful” country, replacing Syria, though by early 2020 it seemed that a peace agreement was once again a possibility.

Contemporary Issues – Second Prize, Stories: ‘The Tigers Next Door’ by Steve Winter (United States) for National Geographic

Caption: Kevin Antle poses with his staff in a swimming pool they use in a tiger show, at his Myrtle Beach Safari entertainment facility in South Carolina, United States, on 30 April 2019. Tourists pay upwards of USD $ 399 each to join a morning tour, during which they play and are photographed with cubs.

Story: Between 5,000 and 10,000 tigers live in captivity in the US. Roadside zoos and other businesses breed tigers and charge guests to pet and pose with them. Individuals also keep tigers as pets. By contrast, there are only 3,900 wild tigers in Asia and 1,659 in accredited zoos worldwide.

Many of America’s exotic pets are not covered by the 1973 Endangered Species Act, which applies only to those taken from the wild, not those bred in captivity. Four US states have no laws on keeping big cats as pets, and in ten others, although a permit is required, once secured for a small pet it can be used to acquire a larger animal such as a tiger.

By the time cubs bought as pets are four months old they become too large and dangerous to keep domestically, and are sold on, opening concerns that this feeds the highly lucrative illegal international trade in tiger parts. Investigations by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is tasked with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, dropped by 92% between 2016 and 2018.

In June, the US House of Representatives reprimanded the USDA for redirecting its focus from active enforcement to providing ‘teachable moment’ interactions with the public. A federal Big Cat Public Safety Act has now been proposed. It will address the gap in state laws and prohibit the private ownership of big cats, and ensure that if they cannot be returned to the wild, they can be transferred to accredited sanctuaries.

Contemporary Issues – Third Prize, Stories: ‘Exodus’ by Nicolò Filippo Rosso (Italy)

Caption: Migrants crowd onto a truck near the Colombia-Venezuela border, in La Guajira, Colombia, on 6 July 2018.

Story: A political and socio-economic crisis in Venezuela, from 2016 onwards, led to an increasing outflow of migrants from the country. Venezuelans said they were compelled to leave for reasons of insecurity and violence, lack of access to food, medicine and essential services, and loss of income due to the political situation. Colombia feels the impact of this exodus most keenly.

According to the UNHCR, by October 2019 approximately 4.5 million Venezuelans had left the country, of which 1.6 million were in Colombia. Others had moved through Colombia before going on to surrounding countries. Even though Venezuela officially closed its land border with Colombia in February, around 300 clandestine crossing points remained active. More than half of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia lacked regular status, and so had no access to health, education or legal employment.

Charity organizations and NGOs helped supply people with medical attention and food, but many ended up in informal settlements or living on the streets. Early in 2020, the Colombian government announced two new Special Stay Permits that would allow more than 100,000 Venezuelans to stay and work in the country, and ruled that children born in the country to Venezuelan parents could acquire Colombian nationality, but vast numbers of people remain dispossessed.

Environment – Second Prize, Stories: ‘Fading Flamingos’ by Maximilian Mann (Germany)

Caption: Farmers harvest apples near Lake Urmia, Iran, on 14 September 2018. The region is known for its apple production.

Story: Lake Urmia, in northwest Iran, once one of the largest salt lakes in the world, is drying up. In the 1990s, it was twice the size of Luxembourg, but intensified droughts and elevated summer temperatures have sped up evaporation. In addition, illegal wells together with a proliferation of dams and irrigation projects along the lake’s tributaries have diverted water to farm fields.

Research by an international group of scientists conducted in 2014 showed that the lake had shrunk to about 12% of its size in the 1970s. In addition, environmentalists argue that a 15-kilometer-long causeway that cuts the lake in two, built in 2008, contributes to the drying as it inhibits water flow between the two sides.

The exposed lakebed forms a vast salt desert that cannot support agriculture and is susceptible to salt storms which adversely affect surrounding agriculture, and cause eye, skin and lung disorders. Residents in the area, for whom the lake was once a leisure spot, are moving away. The desiccation also affects food sources for migratory birds such as flamingos, ducks and egrets.

President Hassan Rouhani of Iran has pledged US$ 5 billion over ten years to revive Urmia, and the United Nations Development Programme is working with farmers to introduce more sustainable working practices.

General News – Second Prize, Stories: ‘Chile: The Rebellion Against Neoliberalism’ by Fabio Bucciarelli (Italy) for L’Espresso

Caption: Demonstrators resist water-cannon jets during clashes in Santiago, Chile, on 28 November 2019.

Story: In the most extensive civil unrest in Chile’s recent history, people rose throughout the year in protest against economic inequality. Despite being one of the region’s most prosperous nations, Chile is the most unequal country in the OECD group of nations, according to a United Nations report. Just 1% of its population controls 33% of its wealth.

The trigger for the unrest was an increase in subway fares instigated by President Sebastián Piñera on 18 October. A peaceful rally in the capital Santiago sparked further protests leading to a nationwide uprising. Demands grew to include comprehensive economic reform and the replacement of the constitution, which was drawn up during the reign of Augusto Pinochet in the 1980s and which created a legal basis for a market-driven economy and privatized pensions, health and education.

Demonstrations grew in size—the largest comprising more than one million people on 25 October—and became increasingly violent. According to Human Rights Watch, the authorities used excessive force against demonstrators, including pellet shotguns that caused numerous eye injuries, and were accused of abuse, including rape, of people in detention.

Women played a prominent role in the demonstrations, particularly after reports of human-rights and sexual offenses against female protesters by security forces. On 15 November President Piñera announced a referendum on a new constitution to be held in 2020, but unrest continued with demands for an inquiry into human rights violations during the protests and an immediate overhaul of the pension, health and education systems.

General News – Third Prize, Stories: ‘ISIS and its Aftermath in Syria’ by Ivor Prickett (Ireland) for The New York Times

Caption: Two men walk through a destroyed neighborhood in Raqqa, northern Syria, on 4 April 2019. Very few families returned to live in Raqqa after the city’s liberation from IS.

Story: By early 2019, the territory held by the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria had reduced to a four-square-kilometer patch in the southeast, centered on the village of Baghuz. The IS retreat from northern Syria took place under the onslaught of the combined militias of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and supported by an international coalition of primarily US troops.

As IS drew back, tens of thousands of people emerged from the enclave, many of them the wives and children of foreign IS fighters. Numerous IS fighters themselves surrendered or were captured. The Kurds were left with the conundrum of what to do with so many prisoners, many of them under 18 and orphaned or separated from their families. Then, at the beginning of October, US president Donald Trump ordered US troops out of northern Syria.

On 9 October, Turkey—which regarded Kurdish forces on its border as a security threat, given the decades-long Kurdish insurgency against Turkey—invaded northern Syria, aiming to end Kurdish control over the territory. As Kurdish forces refocused their attention on a new opponent, the fate of the many thousands of prisoners grew even more uncertain.

Long-term Projects, Second Prize: ‘Haf?z: Guardians of the Qur’an’ by Sabiha Çimen (Turkey)

Caption: Students sing religious farewell songs, at their graduation ceremony from a Qur’an school in Istanbul, Turkey, on 23 April 2017.

Story: Muslims who completely memorize the Qur’an are allowed to use the title ‘Haf?z’ before their names. They believe that whoever memorizes the holy book and follows its teachings will be rewarded by Allah and will rise in status in Paradise.

The practice dates back to the days when illiteracy was widespread and paper and vellum were prohibitively expensive, so haf?zes were seen as guardians of the holy word, keeping it alive for future generations. The Qur’an has 6,236 verses, and memorizing is usually achieved by repetition and recitation.

In Turkey, thousands of Qur’an schools exist for the purpose and many are attended by girls. Ranging in age from eight to 17 years old, most take three or four years to complete a task that requires discipline, devotion and focus. After graduating, most of these girls marry and have families but still retain the holy text word for word.

The photographer attended a Qur’an school with her twin sister when they were 12, and so is able to reveal a world unknown to many. Her project follows the daily lives of boarders at Qur’an schools and shows not only their emotions as they try to memorize the sacred texts, but how they retain the dreams of young women their age, as well as the rule-breaking practices and fun of school life when they are not studying.

Nature – Second Prize, Stories: ‘Pangolins in Crisis’ by Brent Stirton (South Africa) for National Geographic

Caption: A man reaches for a pangolin that is about to be slaughtered and prepared for a meal in a restaurant on the outskirts of Guangzhou, China, on 4 January 2019. Pangolin meat at the restaurant sells for around US $ 376 per kilogram.

Story: Pangolins are scaly-skinned mammals, and while sometimes mistaken for reptiles, they are more closely related to dogs and bears than anteaters or armadillos. They range through Asia and parts of Africa, and vary from the size of a domestic cat to over a meter long. They are solitary animals, meeting only to mate and produce a litter of one to three offspring, which are raised for around two years.

Pangolin scales are highly prized in some parts of Asia for traditional medicine, and the meat is considered a delicacy. A 2017 report by Traffic, the wildlife trade monitoring network, states that pangolins are currently the most illegally traded animals in the world, with at least one million estimated to have been poached in the last ten years. All eight pangolin species are protected under national and international laws, and two are officially listed as critically endangered.

Portraits – Second Prize, Stories: ‘Between Right and Shame’ by Tatsiana Tkachova (Belarus)

Caption: Natalia (62) was pregnant at the time of the explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Although the baby was born healthy, she didn’t dare risk another pregnancy as she feared the effects of radiation. She also felt she could not cope with two children, so had an abortion the second time she conceived. Taken 22 April, 2018.

Story: Belarus abortion laws allow termination on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, and in certain medical or social circumstances up to 28 weeks, which places them among the most liberal in Europe. Nevertheless, abortion is still a taboo for many women, and many are reluctant to admit they have had a termination. ‘No abortion week’ campaigns are held annually, and the decision to have a termination is often accompanied by a sense of shame.

In this project, Belarusian women who have considered or undergone abortion tell their stories. The women had a range of concerns behind their decisions surrounding abortion—from contamination after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to fear of poverty, not wanting to be a single parent, or a background of sexual abuse. As their decisions were often made with difficulty, in this story they did not want to show their faces and their names have been changed.

Sports – Second Prize, Stories: ‘The Gouandé Gazelles’ by Olivier Papegnies (Belgium)

Caption: Bélassé Tchari (left), in Gouandé, Benin, gets up every morning to work in her field to feed her seven children. She works hard to put Virginie and her two sisters through secondary school and encourages their footballing ambitions. Taken 21 February, 2019.

Story: The Gazelles de Gouandé from Gouandé village in northern Benin is one of 16 football teams set up across the country with the aim of giving young women more control over their futures through sport. The project, established by the Plan International organization, aims to empower women by promoting self-confidence, widening educational opportunities, and through advocacy against early marriage.

Following the 2019 Women’s World Cup, there was an international surge of interest in women’s football, and projects like the one in Benin can be seen as part of a wider view of the power of sport to unify and spread social awareness. In January 2019, Benin hosted a delegation from FIFA, football’s international governing body, aimed at supporting a new sports strategy in schools, and Beninese president Patrice Talon announced plans for four new football schools, including one for women.

Spot News – Second Prize, Singles: ‘Nairobi DusitD2 Hotel Attack’ by Dai Kurokawa (Japan)

Caption: Women are evacuated as security forces look out for perpetrators of an attack on the DusitD2 luxury hotel and business compound, in Nairobi, Kenya, on 15 January 2019.

Story: Five attackers threw bombs at vehicles in the parking area before entering the hotel lobby, where one staged a suicide bombing. At least 700 people were evacuated from the complex, with 21 killed and 28 wounded. The Somalia-based Islamist extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a statement that called it a response to US president Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The DusitD2 complex houses a number of international companies, and is frequented by government officials and foreign visitors, making it a target that would draw media attention. The attack and subsequent security operation lasted 20 hours, and ended with all five attackers being killed.

Spot News – Second Prize, Stories: ‘Australia’s Bushfire Crisis’ by Matthew Abbott (Australia) for The New York Times

Caption: Aluminum, which melts at 660.3ºC, has streamed from a burning car in Conjola Park, a town where bushfires razed more than 89 properties, in New South Wales, Australia, on 31 December 2019.

Story: The annual fire season in Australia began early and was exceptionally severe—following months of record-breaking drought and fanned by strong winds. Far stronger wildfires than usual, mostly battled by volunteer firefighters, raged through New South Wales and Victoria as well as areas in South Australia and Queensland, laying waste to bushland and rainforest and destroying homes.

By the end of January 2020, more than 30 people had been killed, 3,000 homes lost, and around 12.6 million hectares of land burned (nearly three times the size of the Netherlands). Wildlife was harshly hit. Local scientists estimated that up to one billion animals perished, and more than 50% of the Gondwana rainforest traversing New South Wales and Queensland was burned.

In December, while the intensity and speed at which many bushfires were spreading increased, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison went on holiday to Hawaii, and was prompted to return only after the death of two volunteer firefighters. He continued to champion a pro-fossil-fuel policy and held back from linking the fires to the climate crisis.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition 2020 winners and shortlisted images

17 Apr

Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition 2020 winners and shortlisted images

The World Photography Organisation has announced this year’s category winners and shortlisted entries in the Open competition of the Sony World Photography Awards, 2020. The annual Open competition, now in its 13th year, recognizes the best single images captured in 2019. Judged by Gisela Kayser, Managing and Artistic Director for Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus e.V. in Berlin, more than 100 photographs were shortlisted across 10 categories.

‘To have my image make the shortlist of this prestigious contest is an incredible honor, especially when it was selected from such a huge number of entries from around the world. I am over the moon to have my work recognized. Congratulations to all the shortlisted and winning photographers for their amazing work,’ Marc Le Cornu tells DPReview about his recognition in the Motion category.

Each category winner will receive a set of Sony’s latest digital imaging equipment and compete for the Open Photographer of the Year title. The overall winner will be announced on June 9th and be awarded a $ 5,000 USD cash prize along with recognition on the World Photography Organization and Sony’s online social accounts.

The ten category winners are:

Architecture
Rosaria Sabrina Pantano (Italy) for ‘Emotional Geography’

Creative
Suxing Zhang (China) for ‘Knot’

Culture
Antoine Veling (Australia) for ‘Mark 5:28’

Landscape
Craig McGowan (Australia) for ‘Ice Reflections’ – who was also a finalist for the International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Motion
Alec Connah (United Kingdom) for ‘Going Down!’

Natural World & Wildlife
Guofei Li (China) for ‘Tai Chi Diagram’

Portraiture
Tom Oldham (United Kingdom) for ‘Black Francis’

Still Life
Jorge Reynal (Argentina) for ‘A Plastic Ocean’

Street Photography
Santiago Mesa (Colombia) for ‘Colombia Resiste’

Travel
Adrian Guerin (Australia) for ‘Riding a Saharan Freight Train’

Due to the current pandemic, this year’s Sony World Photography Awards 2020 exhibition has been cancelled. The World Photography Organisation has launched the Stay Connected page to keep photographers inspired with educational resources. They will also recognize the work of past and current competition winners and finalists across their various online channels.

Open Competition, Travel, Winner: ‘Riding a Saharan Freight Train’ by Adrian Guerin (Australia)

Artist Statement: At 2.5km long, the iron-ore train in Mauritania is one of the longest trains in the world. It covers over 700km on its journey from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat. More than 200 carriages are loaded with rocks in Zouérat, before the train begins its long journey back to Nouadhibou. I rode the train in both directions in July 2019.

On the first leg of the journey I learnt that in order to photograph the full length of the train I needed to stand on the rocks for height, position myself in a rear carriage to get the full view, and keep the sun behind me. Alas, none of this was possible until the morning of day three, at which point I had almost given up.

This shot was taken as I balanced on my toes atop a mountain of rocks, trying to remain steady as the train jolted from side to side.

Open Competition, Street Photography, Winner: ‘Colombia Resiste’ by Santiago Mesa (Columbia)

Artist Statement: In recent years, a number of protests have broken out across Latin America. Reasons for this unrest range from a proposed end to fuel subsidies in Ecuador to a rise in metro fares in Chile, and feelings of inequality and a general lack of opportunity in Colombia. In Medellín, north-western Colombia, workers and street vendors were taking part in a march when the Medellin riot squad dispersed them.

Open Competition, Still Life, Winner: ‘A Plastic Ocean’ by Jorge Reynal (Argentina)

Artist Statement: Each year, eight million tons of plastic end up in our oceans – equivalent to emptying a garbage truck into the water every minute. This is my protest against pollution.

In my language (Spanish), we use the words ‘Naturaleza Muerta’ to refer to still life, which ironically translates as ‘Dead Nature.’

Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Winner: ‘Tai Chi Diagram’ by Guofei Li (China)

Artist Statement: These cheetahs had just eaten an antelope, and were licking the bloodstains off each other’s faces. It’s a very rare posture, and one that reminded me of the traditional Chinese Tai Chi diagram. The picture was taken in Botswana in January 2019.

Open Competition, Portraiture, Winner: ‘Black Francis’ by Tom Oldham (United Kingdom)

Artist Statement: Photographers for MOJO Magazine enjoy a rare degree of freedom and trust with what is usually an open brief. This allows us to capture our own experience with very high profile musicians. However, when photographing famous singers, we are often painfully aware of how many times the sitter has, well, sat.

I like to acknowledge this and asked Charles (aka Black Francis) to show me the level of frustration photoshoots can generate. He offered up this perfect gesture of exasperation, and the image ran as the lead portrait for the feature.

Open Competition, Motion, Winner: ‘Going Down!’ by Alec Connah (United Kingdom)

Artist Statement: Despite measuring 125 metres high, it took the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station in Shropshire, England, just 10 seconds to be demolished on 6 December 2019. The towers had been a feature of the landscape for 50 years, but were brought down as part of a new development on the site.

The demolition had been a long time coming – the towers were close to a river, railway line and protected woodland, so their destruction had to be precise. This picture was taken from my garden, which is on the hillside opposite the site.

Open Competition, Creative, Winner: ‘Knot’ by Suxing Zhang (China)

Artist Statement: This picture is from my series ‘Hua,’ which means flower in Chinese. Flowers are often used as metaphors for life and eroticism in art. Hua explores the commonalities and connections between flowers and the feminine – in particular, emotional vulnerability and sensitivity. Qualities such as calmness, and emotions such as uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and loneliness are translated into conceptual and artistic forms.

In Knot, I use a combination of light and texture to create strong visuals that heighten the senses. I like to use symbolic and metaphoric ingredients in my work, which I hope allows the audience to blend their own subjectivity with the objectivity of the photograph, leading to different interpretations and emotions.

Open Competition, Culture, Winner: ‘Mark 5:28’ by Antoine Veling (Australia)

Artist Statement: When audience members were invited on stage to dance at an Iggy Pop concert in Sydney Opera House, Australia, on 17 April 2019, it showed the warm welcome Aussies extend to overseas artists who travel long distances to reach them.

A woman’s outstretched arm lunges to touch Iggy. He seems unaware of her approach as the crowd presses around him. One of Iggy’s assistants, Jos (in the grey checked shirt) tries to make some space around Iggy. The scene is reminiscent of a passage from the Bible: ‘Because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.”’ (Mark 5:25-34, line 28).

The image has been likened to religious paintings by Caravaggio, and his chiaroscuro technique. It went crazy on social media, making 40,000 people, including Iggy Pop, very happy.

Open Competition, Architecture, Winner: ‘Emotional Geometry’ by Rosaria Sabrina Pantano (Italy)

Artist Statement: Having returned to Sicily for the holidays, myself and a group of friends visited Fiumara d’Arte, an open museum showcasing sculptures made by contemporary artists, located along the banks of the Tusa River. Among these works is 38° Parallelo by Mauro Staccioli – a pyramid that stands at the exact point where the geographical coordinates touch the 38th parallel.

Open Competition, Motion, Shortlist: ‘NEOM Spin’ by Marc Le Cornu (United Kingdom)

Artist Statement: This image was taken during a commission to capture the area of NEOM in Saudi Arabia as part of a project for the NEOM tourism team. Our captain asked for a photo of his vessel, and I happily obliged! The golden hour light was catching the boat and its wake, and the patterns on the water looked incredible from above.

Marc elaborated a bit more for DPReview: ‘The inspiration for the shot came from our transport driver who requested a photo of his boat. I couldn’t just give him a standard photo, so I asked him to maneuver the boat in a circle whilst I captured the shot by DJI Inspire 2 drone from above. The light was perfect for giving a lovely, rich, warm feel to the image as it caught the boat’s wake and the boat itself, and the patterns left in the water from the boat’s wake created the final striking image.’

Open Competition, Natural World & Wildlife, Shortlist: ‘A Fever of Cownose Rays’ by Alex Kydd (Australia)

Artist Statement: A rare encounter with a fever of cownose rays on the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. The rays were circling and rubbing together in a behavior that is not fully understood. They were spiraling up and down the water column for approximately 20 minutes, at which point they disappeared.

Undeterred by my presence, they continued to focus on each other while I documented the encounter. There have been few reports of cownose rays in the Ningaloo Reef region in recent years. The image was taken while free-diving – it was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

Open Competition, Landscape, Shortlist: ‘Come on In’ by Kai Hornung (Germany)

Artist Statement: A small path in the ancient forests of the Anaga Mountains in Tenerife, Spain. The clouds hung inside the moss-covered trees, creating a spooky atmosphere. When I arrived at this spot, I was smiling while setting up my tripod – I just knew I was about to take one of my best images of that tour, if not one of my best pictures of 2019.

Open Competition, Creative, Shortlist: ‘Fractals and Flowers’ by David Swindler (United States)

Artist Statement: The Badlands of Utah, USA, are fascinating to explore and photograph. We had a really prolific wildflower bloom last year, which only happens every decade or so. The yellow flowers added a nice accent to the erosion lines and patterns in the ground. These patterns reminded me of fractal mathematics.

Open Competition, Culture, Shortlist: ‘Colourful Catrina’ by Sergio Carrasco (Mexico)

Artist Statement: My wife dressed as a Catrina – one of the most recognizable symbols of the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

Open Competition, Street Photography, Shortlist: ‘Back Home’ by Liu Jon (China)

Artist Statement: After a downpour, there is often a moment of beauty. Here, a zebra crossing, an umbrella and a lone figure combine to make a colorful composition.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: PDNedu Student Photo Contest 2020 winners and finalists

10 Apr

PDNedu Student Photo Contest 2020 winners and finalists

The annual PDNedu Student Photo contest gives professional exposure to students currently enrolled in university/college, high school, or a certificate program. This year’s winners and honorable mentions will be published in the Spring 2020 issue of PDNedu – a publication that reaches over 50,000 educators and students. Images and multimedia will also be featured on PDN’s social accounts that boast over 500,000 followers.

Nikon is the main sponsor for the contest that awards the best student images across 7 categories: Fashion & Portraiture, Documentary, Still Life, Travel & Landscape, Fine Art & Personal Work, Multimedia & Video, and High School (Any Subject). Academy of Art student, and third-generation photographer Pratik Parulekar, won both the Grand Prize and Honorable Mention in the Still Life Category.

Grand Prize winners will receive the latest Nikon gear and lenses. Multimedia Grand Prize winner, Zuzanna Rabikowska, will also receive $ 1,500 cash. Other contests, plus conferences, can be viewed here.

Grand Prize, Documentary & Photojournalism: ‘Faith, Custom, Home’ by Arne Piepke

Artist Statement: Every year, from May to September, marksmen’s festivals are held in the Sauerland in Germany. The three-day festivals consist of Marches through villages, church processions, as well as dances and honors. The highlight of each festival is a shooting competition to determine the new annual King.

The origin of these marksmen’s clubs goes back to the civil defense in the Middle Ages and their motto, ‘for faith, custom and home,’ is still written on their flags today. With few exceptions, most of these clubs and brotherhoods have strict rules, do not allow women as members and represent conservative Christian values. The citizens of small villages in Germany have a strong sense of community and a deep attachment to their home, which is shaped mainly by cultivating this tradition and their regional customs.

Growing up in one of these small villages and visiting the local marksmen’s festivals from childhood on has led me to reflect on my personal experiences with this tradition. From 2015 on, I visited 31 festivals in order to use photography to question the contemporary exercise of the tradition and to examine the theatre like procedure of the fest.

Grand Prize, Fashion & Portraiture: ‘Untitled’ by Angel Chai Arviv

Artist Statement: I was born in 1989, in Pardes Hana in the north of Israel. Today I am based in Tel Aviv. I love it here; this place keeps me grounded. I’m into photography since early years and it’s been a long journey which started with taking simple sketches of everyday life and continued with fashion projects.

I’ve tried many genres – from documentary photography to product or travel photography. Finally I found myself in fashion photography where my passions for photographing ‘real people,’ and for storytelling and aesthetics, became the most inspiring combination. Today I am in the last year of my degree at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, and I aspire to be a professional photographer.

In my work I remember all the time that everyone is important, and everyone wants their fifteen minutes of fame. It doesn’t matter if the subject is a model or not, everyone wants to be remembered. When the subjects are looking at you in my photographs, I think you can see yourself in them.

Many times I find myself questioning photographic norms, whether or not it’s
acceptable to talk about the concept of masculinity in our time, and pushing boundaries. My work continues to document the perception of the human body as a machine of passion and sculpture in human matter.

Honorable Mention, Fashion & Portraiture: ‘Under the Veil’ by Ney Mila

Artist statement: Fashion photo shoots I created and directed in 2019.

Honorable Mention, Fashion & Portraiture: ‘Under the Veil’ by Ney Mila

Artist statement: Fashion photo shoots I created and directed in 2019.

Grand Prize, Fine Art & Personal Work: ‘#Metoo’ by Carol Record

Artist Statement: The #MeToo movement, which went viral in October 2017, prompted me to reexamine and reprocess my own personal history with sexual assault and harassment.

From 1996 to 1998, between the ages of 13 and 15, I was raped and manipulated by my stepfather, a man I had grown to love and trust like my own father. This series revisits family photographs from this time period, documenting my turbulent state of mind and expressing what I was unable to fully process in the moment. Through the addition and subtraction of various elements, the images reveal the extent of the trauma and begin to more accurately illustrate my life and psyche during this chaotic nightmare.

Working both digitally and physically allows me to create layers of separation and an emotional buffer between myself and the memories. Using the laptopogram process, family photos, legal documents and diary entries were scanned, digitally manipulated, and then exposed to silver gelatin paper via a laptop monitor in the darkroom. The resulting images were then developed and rescanned to create new images that could not have been made through digital means alone.

This workflow allows me to both mentally and physically process my thoughts, exorcising the demons from my past by physically channeling long-held feelings of anger, grief and frustration into the development of the image. The solitude and focus during the practice allow me to reflect upon this turbulent period of my life now that I am no longer inside it.

Honorable Mention, Fine Art & Personal Work: ‘Untangle’ by Sadie Cook

Artist Statement: I want to hold onto my body. I want to understand all its sides and parts. I’m just starting to understand how tangled up desire and photography and power and gender are. Figuring out how to negotiate this tangle, especially as a young, queer girl, feels urgent and exciting and frightening. I take pictures incessantly. I photograph the women around me and the act of touch and myself.

I think about language a lot. I want looking at my photographs to feel like when an acquaintance stops me on the street to say hi and ask how I am doing, and I take a deep breath and I say everything I?m really feeling and thinking with all the stammers and stutters and half-said sentences.

Grand Prize, High School (Any Subject): ‘Above the Rim’ by Losany Doumbouya

About this photo: From a teacher submitting on behalf of Losany Doumbouya, a junior at Ypsilanti Community High School: ‘This photo represents the stereotype that athletics, specifically basketball, are the only way for African American students to get ahead. The idea was Losany’s as well as the composition and camera settings, while his classmate, Jessie Jones, took the photo so Losany himself could be in it.’

Honorable Mention, High School (Any Subject): ‘BW Surf’ by Jack Bober

Artist Statement: My idea behind this series was to create a unique view of surf and waves. By making them black and white, it adds a certain mood that adds solitude and feeling to the ocean.

Grand Prize, Still Life: ‘How Many’ by Pratik Parulekar

Artist Statement: A photographic solution to a curious question.

Honorable Mention, Still Life: ‘Monochromatic Food’ by Pratik Parulekar

Artist Statement: A self-promotion project about Japanese food in the contexts of design, color and minimalism.

Grand Prize, Travel & Landscape: ‘Vacated Vacation’ by Itamar Dotan Katz

Artist Statement: Whether it was caused by the wave of terror attacks (2004), the Tahrir Square uprising (2011), or various economic considerations, this once-promising tourist area has turned into a graveyard of hotels. These enormous monuments have been abandoned and now stand as silent memorials to what might have been.

The South-side of the Sinai peninsula is beautiful, unlike any other landscape, as unique and as barren as Luke Skywalker’s home planet. Its dramatic red mountains tumble down into a turquoise ocean, which is filled with colorful aquatic life. Scattered on the beach are some very low-cost guest houses in the form of straw huts. Only a handful are occupied by those “brave” enough to visit Sinai.

The land itself is inhabited mostly by Bedouin tribes and the Egyptian army. But what looks like a heavenly resort area is almost completely deserted, filled only with traces of humans. Some of those resorts are in a fully operational state, with beds in the rooms and running water in the sink; others are in different stages of construction—but all are empty.

Over the past three years I have been documenting these resorts to show the wastefulness of men, the consequences of conflict and economy, and how present humans can be without being present at all. This is an ongoing project and the aim is to present it as a mock ‘travel guide to abandoned hotels.’

Honorable Mention, Travel & Landscape: ‘A Salted Land’ by Beihua Guo

Artist Statement: ‘A Salted Land’ explores the escalating environmental disasters triggered by human activities at the Salton Sea. Located in Southern California, the Salton Sea was accidentally created by engineering failures and was once a popular tourist destination. However, agricultural runoff and other pollutants resulted in fish and bird die-offs as well as rapidly increasing salinity, destroying homes and resorts.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: 2020 Zeiss Photography Award winners and shortlisted projects

03 Apr

Winner, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

KyeongJun Yang, Korea

A previously unpublished 27-year-old journalism student from Korea has picked up €12,000 to spend on Zeiss lenses on top of a €3,000 grant towards a photographic project after winning the annual Zeiss Photography Award. KyeongJun Yang, who is studying at The University of Texas in Austin, shot a series of black and white images on film, depicting the sense of loneliness and isolation felt by a Chinese immigrant in the USA. The project, called Metamorphosis, comprises a collection of portrait and still life pictures about the experiences of fellow immigrants and girlfriend Julie Chan.

The theme of the competition was Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, and Yang’s images were picked out because “The images’ closeness and quietness allows us to see and think more about what’s going on here. To me, this work stood out from the other submissions we judged as it was clear that although these were documentary photographs, there was a conceptual depth to them which raised more questions than answers and left their true meaning open to interpretation”, according to judge and photojournalist Max Ferguson.

The shortlist of winners runs to ten photographers in total, all of who would normally have their work displayed alongside the winning images of the Sony World Photography Awards in April, but this year’s awards ceremony and exhibition are postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

More images from the shortlisted photographers can be seen in the award section of the Zeiss site. You can see all Yang’s images in an interview on the Zeiss website.

Alexey Vasilyev, Russian Federation, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Sakhawood” by Alexey Vasilyev, Russian Federation

Artist statement: I discovered photography quite late, at the age of 28. Now I’m 34 years old. At first it was just a hobby, a way to pass the time after work and on the weekends. The longer I kept taking pictures, the better I got at it. Slowly but surely I realized that I was better at photography than anything else. So I quit my job and decided to devote myself entirely to photography.

My intention was to show how ordinary people without much money and without a proper education are shooting films in a harsh, remote region of Russia. I always wanted to learn and see how movies are made with my own eyes – who works on them, how the process is organized. Between ten and 15 films are shot in Yakutia each year. This is no small feat considering the conditions in the region – long and hard winters, poor roads, high prices. You might say that films are made here not because of, but despite the conditions. Although production is so difficult, the quality of Yakutian cinema is steadily improving – evident in its success at numerous international film festivals. These days, the Yakutian film industry has long ceased being a mere hobby that exists only as a form of entertainment for the local audience. International filmmakers, from producers to extras, are interested in the development of the local film industry.

The film that my project began with is Stepan Burnashev’s drama Black Snow. Shooting took place in March. The severe frost had just receded, but it was still incredibly cold. During the last two weeks, filming took place outdoors and only at night, when the temperature dropped to minus 40 degrees Celsius, so the film equipment was constantly breaking and some scenes had to be reshot. It was an extreme experience for everyone involved.

I have always been interested in observing the filmmaking process with my own two eyes to see how a movie comes together step by step. “Is it really such a time-consuming process? Could I become a director myself?” These are the questions I was interested in answering. While working on this series, I came to the conclusion that I, too, could make a movie. You don’t need a lot of money. The personal experience that you bring to the job is probably more important. I doubt that my movie would ever make it to Cannes, but that doesn’t matter. The important thing is to do something to avoid going crazy in this godforsaken country.

Pan Wang, China Mainland, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Like a father, Like a mountain” by Pan Wang ? ?, China

Artist statement: The first time I came into contact with professional photography equipment, I sensed that I had found my calling. The camera became the expression of my vision and my heart. After publishing several photo stories, I received some recognition in the industry and became a journalist. I have worked in the field of news photography for the past 17 years – as a photojournalist, later as an image editor, then as head of the photo department. After progressing through these positions in the world of photojournalism, I decided to turn my back on the news media and pursue my own projects. This is what led to my work on Like a Father, Like a Mountain.

The idea for this series came to me because I miss my father, who passed away when I was five years old. Among the few memories I have of him, there are some blurry images of him and the mountain. In the year that I became a father myself – more than 30 years after the death of my own father – I decided to quit my job. I then tried to understand the “mountain” that fills my heart. I try to understand it through photography, to revive lost memories and see my father more clearly. I thought about this project for several years before I started working on it. I couldn’t have worked on it while still employed. That’s why I quit and took about three years to shoot the photos.

I often think of my father when I go into the mountains alone. I imagine the moments when he held me in his arms when it stormed. Sometimes my father would carry me on his back and pedal his bike with all his might while I looked over his shoulder, wrapped in my raincoat. When I think of the heartache and unbearable experiences of the children in the world who have to grow up without a father, I often have to stop my car at the side of the road and cry. At the time, I was also very scared. But when I was photographing the mountain, a little bit of this fear and feeling of emptiness disappeared with every press of the shutter button.

While editing this photo series, I rediscovered myself and this very important mountain range of China. While getting to know the geographical features and traditions, I also tried to understand the reciprocal relationships between humans and nature and between individuals. From a professional standpoint, it also isn’t easy to shoot a 1,600 kilometer mountain. Time, climate, health, income, family, traffic, and many other things all have an impact on the project. Fortunately my family, especially my wife, understands me and supports me.

Stefano Sbrulli, Italy, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Tajo” by Stefano Sbrulli, Italy

Artist statement: I’ve been working as a visual designer for ten years and have always had this “urge” to look beneath the surface of things. I started this project because I wanted to reveal the truth behind the pollution caused by big business – how countries suffer under the effects of malicious and irresponsible consumerism. Then I decided to focus on mining in South America. Peru is one of the countries with the most mining industries in the world. Over 15% of its territory is owned by mining companies, mostly foreign. The province of Pasco is an emblematic case, where almost 53% of the territory is licensed to mining companies, and the town of Cerro de Pasco is the regional mining center. My project brought me together with the staff of the non-governmental organization Source International, the only NGO active in Cerro de Paco. It was only through their help that I was able to organize and carry out this project.

I’ve always had this urge to find out what lies behind the facade. If you look at the situation in Cerro de Pasco, you’ll see that it is absolutely appalling. Apart from the fact that it is one of the poorest cities in Peru, there is virtually zero healthcare. The education system is collapsing and the local community is not receiving any help from the state. The residents of Cerro live in a state of limbo where they are socially and economically marginalized, yet have no opportunity to escape from this life in the shadow of “El Tajo.” Moreover, the pollution caused by 60 years of industrial mining makes Cerro one of the most polluted places in the world. By international standards, the entire population should be hospitalized for heavy metal poisoning. 33% of infant deaths are due to congenital deformities, and cancer rates are four times the national average.

What touched me the most emotionally while completing the project was certainly the day I spent with the community after Lionel died. He had just turned five years old. I still remember being at the funeral home at 5 in the morning waiting for the body from Lima. It surprised me how much this death sparked the community’s anger and will to fight – it was something I hadn’t seen before. On that day, something happened between the people there and me – we developed a strong bond. Lionel’s funeral was held that afternoon, and I documented the ceremony with photos and videos. I stayed until the end, then I went back to my room to review the material. When I looked at these photos, I realized that nobody there had looked at me, none of those in attendance had felt disturbed by my presence.

Magdalena Stengel, Germany, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“±100” by Magdalena Stengel, Germany

Artist statement: Ever since my childhood, I’ve loved being shown photographs and listening to the stories about the people or places pictured. My grandmother had an old cardboard box where she kept all her black-and-white prints – completely disorganized and not in chronological order. The lion’s share of the photographs were portraits and group photos, and usually, the names of the people pictured and the date of the photograph were carefully written in pencil on the back in old German cursive script. As a child, I often asked to look at this box. I was fascinated by the faces of the past, their stories and lives during the war, and the connections and relationships between the people.

The number of centenarians in Germany has more than doubled over the last ten years, and this number is likely to continue to rise rapidly in the future. According to the latest studies, one in three girls born in 2019 will live to be over 100 years old. So it will soon no longer be a rarity for many of us to celebrate our 100th birthday. Many very elderly people still live independently in their homes today. I was curious to see what daily life at around age 100 looks like within extremely different realities and living environments. How do you manage everyday life? What’s on people’s minds? What skills do you perhaps only acquire at such a ripe old age? For ±100, I followed between 20 and 30 people, visited them at their homes, and traveled all over Germany.

What I experienced during these conversations and encounters is very difficult for me to put into words and express. People of this age are often perceived or portrayed as frail and weak. And yet it is precisely these people who have a remarkable degree of resilience, strength, and willpower. Despite disease, pain, and the limitations that come with it, despite being traumatized by the war and losing loved ones – you have to be really tough to still be grateful and have a positive attitude towards the future and life.

Robin Hinsch, Germany, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Wahala” by Robin Hinsch, Germany

Artist statement: I studied photography at the Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design under Professor Elger Esser and at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences under Professor Vincent Kohlbecher. I’ve worked as a photographer for several years now.

The original idea for Wahala goes back to a project initiated by Moritz Frischkorn called The Great Report. The Great Report was an exhibition performance that premiered in January 2020 at Kampnagel in Hamburg. For this project, choreographer Moritz Frischkorn asked me if I would be interested in creating a new photo series that focuses on logistics in the broadest sense. After doing a bit of research, I came up with the idea of exploring the Niger Delta. The question that particularly interested me was how people can still participate, in their own way, in such an exploitative situation. And this is what ultimately led me to focus more on oil and particularly on the people who have no prospects other than to clandestinely participate in the oil business by “stealing” it.

On the one hand, I was horrified by the terrible environmental conditions the people in this region have to live under. They say the environmental damage began in the 1950s when the first wells were drilled. This means that the residents of the Niger Delta have had to deal with pollution caused by foreigners for 70 years and suffer from other countries’ prosperity. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new problem generally speaking, but this forgotten conflict is now moving back into the spotlight for some people and will hopefully cause some to change their views. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface from centreadvocacy.org. Without him, this entire project probably wouldn’t have been possible. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface is an activist and social campaigner from Port Harcourt. He helped me gain access to the different communities and also helped me deal with the excessive bureaucracy.

Alena Zhandarova, Russian Federation, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Hidden Motherhood” by Alena Zhandarova, Russian Federation

Artist statement: I experienced a deep feeling of insecurity after I became a parent and began to ask myself questions that I hadn’t ever considered before. So I got in touch with other parents and tried to find answers to my questions. The main subjects of my photos are usually also my friends. They are interested in the questions raised by the project – like the various myths and taboos surrounding motherhood. Modern society turns a blind eye to a number of things in this context. For example, breastfeeding in public places still raises many questions in some countries.

I talk a lot with each woman I photograph and ask them to write an essay about their experiences with motherhood. This is how I also found some answers to my own questions and came to the conclusion that we can only influence our own change. I am inspired and driven by this need to discover more. Topics such as reconciling the irreconcilable as well as internal and external relationships, beliefs, and preconceptions are what I focus on in my work and what I look at from different perspectives.

My perception of the world is closely connected to the visual composition of the image. I find it hard to understand things without seeing them. This also applies, for example, to ephemeral concepts like feelings and beliefs. The moment I discovered photography for myself, it became my most important tool for communicating and experiencing the world. So I began to flesh out their possibilities and limits – also in order to learn how to shape my own path through life.

Jorrit T Hoen, Netherlands, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Parallel Universe” by Jorrit T. Hoen, Netherlands

Artist statement: When I was growing up in the days of analog film and analog equipment, me and my brother were always playing around with cameras and experimenting with 8 mm film. My father, who was an avid amateur photographer, introduced me to the magical process of developing film and printing black and white images in a darkroom he had set up in our house. I really enjoyed it and I decided to make photography my profession.

I had the idea for this series when one evening on my way home, I noticed a strange light coming from a window. The curtains were open, and when I looked inside, I saw a dark, empty living room, sparsely lit by the light from an aquarium in the corner of the room. It looked normal and yet so magical at the same time, like a scene from a David Lynch film. I was standing in a cold, deserted street, and there was this warm exotic world, only a few meters away, where tropical fish were swimming. I think I stood there for five minutes and just savored this beautiful sight. When I first took an indoor shot for this series, the owner told me a lot about the fish and plants in his aquarium. I had already been there for about an hour when he pointed out to me that I should better start taking pictures before the “sun sets” in his fish tank. When I asked him to turn off the lights in the living room, we both started whispering, as if we were afraid of disturbing the magical atmosphere of the moment.

I like to take an anthropological approach to my images. This means that I prefer to shoot people in their personal environment, manipulate as little as possible, and work with existing conditions. For this series, however, I left the people out and turned off the lights in their living rooms. This changed the scene dramatically – it was still a normal room with an aquarium, but the way I perceived it was completely different. I discovered that the absence of people made me focus more on their visible traces in their homes and learning more about them.

Luisa Dörr, Brazil, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“The Flying Cholitas” by Luisa Dörr, Brazil

Artist statement: I use photography to help me connect with the world – to better understand who I am and my relationship with others. These places and faces help me live a less abstract life. I look at them over and over again and try to internalize thoughts, words, and feelings. Photography is an amazing tool to focus on what’s important.

I believe that everything you experience, see, read, learn, and think about is reflected in photography. Everyone who lives changes, no one is the same person forever. And it stands to reason that this is also reflected in one’s work. So I can see that my style is changing. Elements most likely to stay the same are my fusion of portraits and landscapes and use of warm colors.

The history of the Cholitas is as fascinating as their iconic clothing. As indigenous women, the Cholitas have long been one of the most marginalized groups in Bolivia. They fight not only in the ring, but also for their survival, to put food on the table for their children. Over the years, as these women gained more rights and freedoms and became more equal to their male counterparts, the term “cholitas” lost its pejorative connotation. Now it’s a symbol of female self-determination. While I was working on this project, I had the feeling that they wanted to be viewed, outside of the ring, with respect. I was there for the first time in 2018. It was difficult, because the Cholitas aren’t really interested in journalists and glossy magazines. In the end I worked with Monica, a friend and social worker in the community. On my first trip, I spent ten days there. The second time was easier because they already knew me. When you look at the pictures, it’s easy to forget the conditions under which they were taken. It can often be hard to breathe at 4,000 meters above sea level, but it was worth it.

Tadas Kazakevicius, Lithuania, Shortlist, ZEISS Photography Award, Seeing Beyond – Discoveries, 2020

“Between Two Shores” by Tadas Kazakevicius, Lithuania

Artist statement: I remember when I was young and my uncle showed me his darkroom with the “magic red light” that was on in there. I got myself a digital camera in 2008 after my friend bought one. Until then, my connection to photography was that I owned the same compact film camera as everyone else to shoot photos of family life at special events. I think I only really “got” photography after I bought my first medium format film camera. Only through it did I truly understand the point of photography.

Between Two Shores was created during a spring photography plein-air event where a small group of photographers work together or retreat like painters to work alone. It took place on the Curonian Spit and was organized by one of the local photography initiatives. During this time, I got to know the area I know from spending summers here in a completely new way. It was quiet, empty, and almost mysterious. Geographically, it’s a very interesting area (and also historically, since it was Prussian and German for a long time). So I began to analyze all this and understood that the people who choose to live here have a pretty strong connection to this place. The rest came naturally – I just had to begin shooting. Interesting subjects, magical locations, and people who really “feel” the places. It just all came together.

I more or less rediscovered the Curonian Spit, although I had already visited it during summer vacations. It is a very interesting patch of land that stretches from Lithuania to the Baltic Sea, forming a kind of lagoon in between them. So there are these two magic shores, which in my opinion create a place with both an electric and calming feeling at the same time. I drove around, walked around, asked around, and often found interesting places all by myself. Basically it was a kind of adventure – discovering this place that I actually knew well, but now saw with new eyes. The other season gave it a whole new appearance – it transformed before my eyes. I felt the urge to get to know this place better, to meet people I didn’t know yet, to listen to their stories. It was one grand and magical journey of discovery for me.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: Inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 winners

28 Mar

Inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 winners

The winning entries for the inaugural Nature TTL Photographer of the Year 2020 competition were recently announced. Over 7,000 images were submitted from wildlife, landscape, and macro photographers in 117 different countries. French photographer Florian Ledoux received the £1000 grand prize and title of Overall Winner for his image ‘Above the Crabeater Seals.’ If it looks familiar, it’s because this photo, captured in Antarctica, was also a Drone Awards 2019 winner.

‘It was a quiet morning and the sun was just about to rise. When I saw all the ice drifting alongside the sailboat in the fjord where we were anchored, with lot of crabeater seals resting on the ice, I immediately knew from previous experiences that this would give me a blast and really graphic and stunning images telling the story of how they use the ice to rest after night feeding,’ Overall Winner Florian Ledoux explains to DPReview about how he pre-planned his capture.

‘It is important that anyone inspired by this style of drone image understands the importance of wildlife and being ethical in your approach. Ensure that your drone does not spook animals or disturb them, and always conduct yourself within accordance of local regulations,’ Ledoux told Nature TTL when he learned of his win.

‘It is important that anyone inspired by this style of drone image understands the importance of wildlife and being ethical in your approach. Ensure that your drone does not spook animals or disturb them.’

Wildlife cameraman, and organizer of the competition, Will Nicholls said, ‘Florian’s image provides a unique angle that is not often seen in wildlife photography. The judges had a tough choice to make, but the detail and strong composition of the seals surrounded by the broken ice made it stand out from the crowd.’

The Landscape category winner, Marek Biegalski, also used a drone to show a flock of sheep resting in a tree’s shade. The Macro category was won by Chinese photographer Minghui Yuan for his simple, two-tone image of a damesfly resting on a blade of grass. The Youth category winner, 15-year-old Saptarshi Guyen from India, depicts a drongo searching for insects fleeing grassland fires.

Thousands voted for the People’s Choice category. Robert Ferguson’s intricate image of a pelican struggling to swallow a fish received the most votes. This is the first of what Nature TTL says is many annual photography competitions to come. Nature TTL offers photographers of all skill levels free tutorials and features that can be found here.

Overall Winner (& Wildlife Category Winner): ‘Above the Crabeater Seals’ by Florian Ledoux

Taken in: Antarctica

About this photo: ‘Aerial view of crabeater seals resting in a group on the ice after feeding at night. The aerial view allow us to better understand how the wildlife use the ice to rest and give birth.’

Equipment used: Phantom 4 Pro+

Runner-up, Wildlife Category: ‘Startled Owl’ by Paul Holman

Taken in: United Kingdom

About this photo: ‘The little baby owl made an appearance within the window during a
burst of early morning sun. A couple of jackdaws spooked by his presence started dive bombing him. After a few passes I noticed the jackdaw’s reflection in the adjacent windowpane and decided to try and capture this behavior. The startled look on the little owl’s face adds a little humor to the image.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 7D II, Canon EF100-400mm Mark II lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Sleeping the Fall Off’ by Terje Kolaas

Taken in: Norway

About this photo: ‘A Collared Dove in a garden in mid-Norway takes a break in feeding during a heavy snow fall. A remote street light in the background creates a halo around the bird. As soon as the snowfall stops, it shakes the snow off its shoulders and goes back to the daily routine with collecting wheat from the nearby fields. Tried many different shutter- speeds to vary the movement of the snow, this one is at 1/40s.’

Equipment used: Nikon D850 + 600mm f/4 lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Breathing’ by Bence Ma?te?

Taken in: Romania

About this photo: ‘A brown bear growls a warning of his presence to an interloper, his breath vanishing slowly in the windless forest.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II; 400mm lens

Highly Commended, Wildlife Category: ‘Badger Blues’ by Dave Hudson

Taken in: United Kingdom

About this photo: ‘I had been putting in the hours watching a number of setts in the
area but decided to focus on this particular one due to the abundance of bluebells. I set myself up close to one of the badger tracks, knowing that I would only have one shot and I would need a lot of luck. After a good couple of hours, I began to hear movement. The light was fading fast and I knew that I would not have long before it would be too dark for any pictures.

An adult badger came towards me first, sniffing the air as they often do and heading towards me. It drifted out of shot and into the bluebells, but much to my delight behind it was a cub. He seemed comfortable enough so I clicked the shutter and got a couple of shots.’

Equipment used: Nikon D3s with Nikon D3s with Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 Sport lens

Winner, Landscape Category: ‘Shadow Game’ by Marek Biegalski

Taken in: Italy

About this photo: ‘Aerial image taken in Tuscany in autumn light. Flock of sheep was hiding in the shade from the sun under the shadow of a tree.’

Equipment used: DJI Mavic Pro 2

Runner-up, Landscape Category: ‘Viking Rainbows’ by Alessandro Cantarelli

Taken in: Iceland

About this photo: ‘I am very attached to this photograph, both because of the technical
difficulty and because it took years to make it. Over the last few years, I have found myself dozens of times in Iceland, several of which I was lucky enough to witness incredible conditions on the Vestrahorn.

Seeing such a powerful sunrise on the right was already magical, and the very intense rain made things difficult for me but it gave me a great gift: a double rainbow on my left that perfectly compensated the strong light on the right. 88 layers in Photoshop to create a panorama; 6 shots bracketed.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV + Samyang 12mm f/2.8 fisheye lens

Highly Commended, Landscape Category: ‘Valley of the Scheldt’ by Bart Heirweg

Taken in: Belgium

About this photo: ‘In early autumn the valley of the Scheldt is often filled with a thick layer of fog on clear and windless mornings. When the sun starts to rise the fog slowly disappears revealing the landscape underneath. When seen from above this atmosphere is simply magical.’

Equipment used: DJI Mavic Pro 2

Winner, Macro Category: ‘Chinese Painting’ by Minghui Yuan

Taken in: China

About this photo: ‘I was wearing a piece of waterproof overalls in the stream of Dabie Mountain, waiting to observe this Matrona basilaris (damselfly). Matrona basilaris is the king of the stream here. There is a male Matrona basilaris every 3 meters. They were waiting for the female to fly over its territory; the male chased away a male opponent and then stopped at the tip of the grass.

Against the background of the sky, I discovered the connection between the lines of the grass and the subject. Nature itself is a simple painting.’

Equipment used: Nikon D7000, Tamron 180mm f/3.5 macro lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Nothing Here but this Tree’ by Caitlin Henderson

Taken in: Australia

About this photo: ‘The Lichen Huntsman (Pandercetes gracilis) is an incredible species of tree- dwelling spider from Australia’s tropical north. Its astounding camouflage enables it to blend perfectly with the tree bark and lichens, and is near impossible to spot by day.

At night, I went searching for these spiders with a torch, using their reflective eye-shine to discover their hiding places in plain sight.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 7D, Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Trailblazer’ by Christian Wappl

Taken in: Thailand

About this photo: ‘It was past midnight in the forest of the Peninsular Botanic Garden (Trang, Thailand), but a light still shone in the dark. A large firefly larva (Lamprigera sp.) emitted a constant glow from its light organs.

I wanted to capture the scene in a way that celebrated its bioluminescence, and decided on a long exposure with rear-curtain flash. The shot had to be made in near-total darkness, which meant I had to estimate the position of the firefly larva in the frame.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS 5DS, Canon EF 16–35mm f/4L lens

Highly Commended, Macro Category: ‘Home Sweet Home’ by Jesslyn Saw

Taken in: Malaysia

About this photo: ‘While on holiday at my family home in Malaysia, I set out to document as many different types of jumping spiders as possible in a fortnight.

Battling the rain and heat and humidity of the tropics, the best time to hunt these spiders was early in the morning and late afternoon. It was on one of these late afternoon jaunts that I saw this colorful jumping spider and discovered a nest nearby. Hoping that the nest belonged to this particular spider, I came back again early the next morning to photograph it in its nest. To my delight, I saw that the nest did indeed belong to this spider. However, it took me another two days of early morning visits to finally successfully photograph the spider in its nest.’

Equipment used: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, 60mm f/2.8 macro lens

Winner, Under 16 Category: ‘Phoenix’ by Saptarshi Gayen

Taken in: India

About this photo: ‘For the last 4-5 years I have seen that, at the end of every winter, farmers of this huge grassland generally burn the grass and reeds to clean the land for upcoming crops.

When the fire spreads across the land, small insects start coming out. Then the brave Black Drongo starts capitalizing on such a moment by eating them and flying above the live fire. The birds usually sit on a branch fearlessly and watch the movements of the insects as the fire spreads into a new area, then it flies close to the fire for the catch. This is a full frame image, and the calmness of the Drongo reminds me of the Roman Emperor Nero.’

Equipment used: Nikon D7100, Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E VR lens

Runner-up, Under 16 Category: ‘The Cradle of Life’ by Tama?s Koncz-Bisztricz

Taken in: Hungary

About this photo: ‘Late winter in February, the soda lakes are full of life in Hungary. These lakes are the sanctuary of wide variety water birds.

There is a nice, but unknown, hidden lake between the village of To?mo?rke?ny and Pa?lmonostora which is surrounded and covered with cane and sedge – therefore impossible to observe.

I took this aerial photograph by a remotely controlled drone. I use a special technique to slowly approach the birds from very high altitude, which is a method also used by conservation experts to count the population of the birds.

In the picture the wild ducks roil in the muddy water and leave lines in the yellowish-brownish, sometimes purple, water colored by organic materials coming from decomposition of cane. The sparkling color pallet of the image is composed by the blue sky and the white cloud reflection on the water’s surface.’

Equipment used: DJI Phantom 3 Standard

Winner, People’s Choice Award: ‘I’m Not Going Easy’ by Robert Ferguson

Taken in: Singapore

About photo: ‘This is the Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), struggling with a non-native fish. These wonderful birds are free to roam, but have established a large colony on one of the artificial islands in the old Jurong park in Singapore.

I had set up my camera to take some portraits and watch their behavior, and noticed one particular bird that had caught one of the big fish from the pond. I watched, intrigued, as the bird swam in circles, dipping his bill, taking water, then raising his beak to attempt to swallow his large prey. But every time the fish extended its sharp spines on its fins – you can see it hooked on the beak here – and lodged itself firmly.

This went on for over 20 minutes, with no sign of either party tiring. I was fascinated to see the intricate veins in the birds throat pouch, as the overcast day backlit the thin skin, and I had to move and crouch low to the ground to get the shot.’

Equipment used: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 200-400mm f/4 lens?
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photos: SkyPixel 5th anniversary aerial imagery contest winners

23 Mar

SkyPixel 5th anniversary contest winners

SkyPixel, in partnership with DJI, Nikon, SanDisk, and Western Digital Corp, launched its 5th Anniversary Aerial Photo & Video contest on December 3rd. Entries closed on February 3rd and the results were announced earlier this week. The 56 category winners and finalists were awarded prize packages worth over $ 117,000. Since launching in 2014, the SkyPixel platform has attracted over 18 million aerial photographers and content creators from 140 countries.

‘I feel really grateful to be chosen as part of the winning crew of talented people who entered the SkyPixel contest. Taking first place in Sport was totally unexpected. I knew I had a good image but also understood I was going up against thousands of talented people in the community,’ Andy Leclerc, First Prize winner, tells DPReview.

‘The emotion and drama captured in this image (is) very powerful. Fantastic composition and post production,’ says judge Chris McLennan about the Grand Prize-winning image from Tony Wang.

Nominees are currently featured on the recommended photographers section, an area that receives over one million page views according to SkyPixel. They’ll also be considered for the role of DJI Creator. Winning photographs and videos will be showcased at DJI Flagship stores around the globe this Spring. To view all selected photos and videos, visit the SkyPixel 5th Anniversary Aerial Photo & Video Contest page.

Grand Prize: ‘Top of Java’ by Tony Wang (China)

About this photo: ‘Indonesia has the reputation of a volcanic country. Among the more than 400 volcanoes, 129 are active volcanoes. At 2 am, my team and I drove to the most unique viewing platform of Mount Bromo National Park. After shooting the Milky Way volcano, the sky gradually brightened. I decided to use the perspective of a DJI drone to overlook the sunrise of this volcanic park.

When the first rays of sunrise hit the volcano, there was nothing more beautiful than this moment. In the future, Mount Bromo in the foreground has been active for a long time, while the prospect of Mount Semeru is not always in an eruption state, and this picture of the eruption was fortunately captured by DJI.’

Gear and specs: Not available

First Prize: ‘EdgeRider’ by Andy Leclerc (US)

About this photo: ‘I captured my image “Edge Rider” with a Mavic 2 Pro. This particular photo was tricky to plan and execute, I had to get the sun position just right and have his shadow cast the perfect riding position. I used the PhotoPills app to plan for the sun’s position and the burst mode in my camera settings to be able to capture the “WOW” moment. It took 256 attempts to get it right but the results paid off,’ Leclerc reveals to DPReview.

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F5.7, 1/500s, ISO 100

First Prize: ‘The Epic Moment’ by Vincent Chen (Zambia)

About this photo: ‘I took this special selfie with Mavic 2 pro in Dolomites National Park, Italy. The setting sun hit at the peaks and clouds at sunset, it was really epic moment, I then used the pano mode to take the amazing whole scene.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F5, 1/500s, ISO 100

Second Prize: ‘Xiyun Buyun Pavilion’ by Yisan Xiao (China)

About this photo: ‘This is an aerial perspective of Xiyun Wetland Buyun Pavilion in the morning mist.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F5, 1/400s, ISO 100

Second Prize: ‘Family’ by Ben Mack (Australia)

About this photo: ‘A sight to see on Australia’s East coast. A mother whale with her newborn enjoying their migration South.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F3.6, 1/200s, ISO 100

Third Prize: ‘Aiken Spring’s Undead’ by Dreamland (China)

About this photo: ‘Aiken Spring is located on the vast ground at the foot of the Snow Mountain, with a wide horizon. Viewed from the air, various beautiful pictures have been formed around the eyes of the spring due to the long-term sulfur precipitation. Because there is no comprehensive detailed and reliable survey of Aiken Springs to date, this geological wonder has been cast a mystery.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F6, 1/240s, ISO 100

Third Prize: ‘Margaret River Surfing’ by Shaneri (Australia)

About this photo: ‘Margaret River, in Australia, is renowned for wine and the big winter swells that hit the coastline. This shot was captured last Winter.’

Gear and specs: DJI Phantom 4 Advanced, F5, 1/1000s, ISO 100

5th Anniversary Prize: ‘The Beauty of Greenland from Above’ by Albert (Netherlands)

About this photo: ‘Greenland is a truly magical place. We explored this place with our little red sail boats that made great contrast with the white and blue ice chunks everywhere. By using a drone I am able to show the immense size of of these ice bergs compared to our boats. At some point you forget that they’re pieces of ice. I used to just call them mountains.

It’s incredible to fly your drone above these giants. But Greenland’s atmosphere is incredible in general. The midnight sun colors lasting all night and casting their beautiful light on the ice and water. And not to mention the whales that I saw everyday. I enjoyed watching them play right from the coastline of Ilulissat.

You only realize how beautiful this place is when you’re actually there. There’s something magic about the whole atmosphere. It’s a place we should really cherish in the future and that will hopefully not lose its magic because of global warming.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F3.4, 1/100s, ISO 100

5th Anniversary Prize: ‘Populus Euphratica’ by Wang Hanbing (China)

About this photo: ‘In Western China, there is an ancient tree that condenses the heavens and the earth, crosses the ancient floods, stands proudly in the desert Gobi, and interprets the meaning of survival in a brilliant way. With the body of the cricket, it forms an eternal landscape and an eternal statue. It is Populus euphratica in the desert!

Populus euphratica, a hero tree in the desert, is not afraid of the sand and the heat with a tenacious character, a tenacious body, a stubborn destiny, a persistent spirit, and guarding his homeland, he has constructed the eternal theme of Populus euphratica and life; it With tenacious life and indomitable will, compose a song of life.’

Gear and specs: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, F6, 1/60s, ISO 100

Nominated Entry: ‘Coexistence’ by Dipanjan Pal (India)


About this photo: Captured in Iceland, ’it’s wonderful to see how nature and human can coexist together to create beauty, if we change our perspective a little.’

Gear and specs: Not available

Nominated Entry: ‘Autumn Memories’ by Yamaguchi

About this photo: ‘Located in the “Red Steel City” of Qingshan District, Wuhan, there are a number of staff quarters built by WISCO Group in the 50th century. They are all brick-concrete red roof tiles. The layout is regular and the floors are the same. “Double Happiness” has become a permanent memory of the older generation of WISCO.’

Gear and specs: Phantom 4 Pro, F5, 1/60s, ISO 100

Nominated Entry: ‘Boat Carrying Flowers’ by Tu?n Nguy?n (Vietnam)

About this photo: ‘The monk carried a flower boat in the river, flower pots are transported to the temple to decorate for Tet holidays, the shadow of the cloud shining on the river feels like a boat going in the clouds. I took this picture in Thap Muoi wetland, Vietnam.’

Gear and specs: Mavic 2 Pro, F5, 1/30s, ISO 100

People’s Choice Prize: ‘”Circle” Dream Guangzhou’ by Garrett Liu (China)

About this photo: ‘A night shot of the Guangzhou Yuan Building in China.’

Gear and specs: Mavic 2 Pro, F5, 1/8s, ISO 100

People’s Choice Prize: ‘Walls of Gold’ by Joe Orsi (US)

About this photo: ‘Here is Hohenzollern Castle during the golden hour.’

Gear and specs: Mavic 2 Pro, F4, 1/120s, ISO 100

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: Sony World Photography announces 2020 National Awards Winners

18 Mar

Sony World Photography announces 2020 National Awards Winners

Recently, the World Photography Organisation announced Sony World Photography’s National Awards 2020 winners. The National Awards program was developed to support and celebrate local photographic talent from 63 countries and regions around the globe. All images entered into the Open competition are considered for a National Award. Over 190,000 were submitted this year, the highest number yet according to organizers.

‘Winning a National Award was a huge reward for my hard work and this acknowledgment has made me focus even more on my work as a photographer. Sony and the World Photography Organisation have helped me gain some extraordinary exposure around the world,’ says Mikkel Beiter, Winner of the 2018 Denmark National Award.

Sony’s World Photography Awards is now in its 13th year. Its mission is to highlight work from photographers of all ages and abilities so they have a global voice. A full list of countries and regions the National Awards program represents can be found here.

1st Place, National Awards: ‘Flamingo Fly Over Lake Magadi’ by Hong Chen (Hong Kong)

About this photo: ‘The water forms many unique colors and shapes, when Flamingo fly over the Lake Magadi, Kenya. I shot this from a helicopter.’

2nd Place, National Awards: ‘Video to Jacks’ by Kam Moon Lai (Hong Kong)

About this photo: ‘The photo was taken at Sipadan on 8-9-2019. I saw a School of Jack fishes swimming towards to the diver who was taking video for them. At such moment I took this photo.’

3rd Place, National Awards: ‘Water Magic’ by Isao Tabayashi (Japan)

About this photo: This is a reflection of the water gate at the ferry crossing in Hamarikyu Park, Tokyo.

Winner, National Awards: ‘Mount Elbrus’ by Sergey Savenko (Russian Federation)

About this photo: ‘Bermamyt Plateau. The best place with a view of Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain peak in Russia and Europe, included in the list of the highest peaks of the world “Seven Peaks”.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘The Game of Shadows’ by Jacek Patora (Poland)

About this photo: ‘This image was taken a few days after 2019’s New Year’s Eve in Lisbon, Portugal.

I always wanted to take a photograph of this famous bridge covered in fog, and that day turned out to be perfect. I took this shot as I was astonished by the shapes created by the light and shadows, the perfect lines and people’s silhouettes. Lisbon is famous for it’s incredible light, and advection fogs like that one are a common sight there. They occur when moist air passes over a cool surface of the river Tagus, creating this breathtaking sight.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Horse Motion’ by Abbas Alkhamis (Saudi Arabia)

About this photo: ‘A horse breeder plays a horse in one of the stables of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Sur La Mer’ by Roberto Corinaldesi (Italy)

About this photo: ‘Swimmers seen from above take on the appearance of human ants.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Mobil Home’ by Greg Lecoeur (France)

About this photo: ‘During an expedition on a small sailboat, we explored the Antarctica Peninsula by diving below the surface. Although the conditions are extreme with a temperature of minus 1°C, we have documented an extraordinary marine life in its fragile ecosystem such as on this image: crab-eater seals living on the pack-ice but witch are affected by global warming with the melting of the ice.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Descend from Above’ by Tien Sang Kok (Malaysia)

About this photo: ‘Hundreds of horses are galloping when the sun is about to shine its last ray. It is traditionally said that a Mongol without a horse is like a bird without a wing, this is how strong the bond between human being and animal that we should appreciate.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Red Day’ by Kiatthaworn Khorthawornwong (Thailand)

About this photo: The beauty of Mount Fuji is highlighted in Autumn at Kawaguchigo Lake, Japan.

Winner, National Awards: ‘Dubai’ by Antonio Bernardino Coelho (Portugal)

About this photo: ‘Based on an image of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper and surrounding skyline in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, this still life was made out of staples of various sizes. The staples were positioned on black glass with a black background, and lit via three independent sources.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Fun Fair’ by Wolfgang Wiesen (Germany)

About this photo: ‘A multi-exposure of people on a chairoplane.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Building’ by Liliana Ochoa (Columbia)

About this photo: ‘Workers assemble an iron structure during the construction of a building in Medellín, Colombia. This is a common scene in urban areas, and reflects the overflowing and uncontrolled growth of modern cities.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘Sunset’ by Atanas Chulev (Bulgaria)

About this photo: ‘The photo was taken in one of the excavated tunnels and galleries during the First World War. Most of them can be seen on Via Ferrata De Luca-Innerkofler, but it is advisable to go with the Via Ferrata kit.’

Winner, National Awards: ‘That’s Nothing to Laugh About’ by Adam Stevenson (Australia)

About this photo: ‘This image was taken with my iPhone X close to my home at Wallabi Point, New South Wales, Australia, after devastating bushfires swept through the area. As I watched the sun set through the smoke a kookaburra appeared and allowed me to walk right up to it. We shared a moment, watching the sun fade behind the apocalyptic scene… he was laughing.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: Apple reveals the winners of the Shot on iPhone Night mode challenge

05 Mar

Apple reveals the winners of the Shot on iPhone Night mode challenge

At the beginning of the year, Apple invited iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max users to share their best photos taken in Night mode. All 3 iPhone 11 models feature a Wide sensor with 100 percent Focus Pixels. As a result, Night mode automatically activates in low-light environments.

Thousands of photos were submitted from around the world. The winning photographers, selected from a panel of 10 judges, hail from China, India, Russia, and Spain. The judges, including Malin Fezehai, Tyler Mitchell, Sarah Lee, Alexvi Li, and Darren Soh shared their thoughts on what made the winning photos stand out.

Winning photos will be featured on apple.com, Apple’s official Instagram account which boasts 22.5 million followers, at select stores, on billboards around the world, and other third-party photo exhibitions.

Konstantin Chalabov (Moscow, Russia), iPhone 11 Pro
Location: Sakha Republic
Phil Schiller says: ‘Konstantin’s photo is a super-dramatic image shot with Night mode. It could be the opening shot of a great Cold War spy movie. It challenges us with intriguing questions — ‘Where is the driver? Where are they going? Why stop out here?’ A cool mist permeates the blue Russian hillside and snow-covered ground, framing the lonely vehicle with bright red lights that hint at an unknown danger.’
Brooks Kraft says: ‘A movie-like scene that leaves you curious about what happened in this snowy remote setting. Night mode captures the blue light exterior hue beautifully as well as the incandescent lighting inside the cab of the truck and the truck lighting — a wide variety of lighting.’

Andrei Manuilov (Moscow, Russia), iPhone 11 Pro Max

Mitsun Soni (Mumbai, Maharashtra, India), iPhone 11 Pro

Location: Quartiere San Lorenzo

Darren Soh says: ‘An amazingly well-balanced composition that throws so many questions back at the viewer — ‘Where is this? Who lives here?’ — and perhaps the most important — ‘Why is laundry hanging out to dry at night?’ As an architectural photographer, I am drawn by the image’s one point perspective that leads the viewer into the frame, right smack into the hanging pieces of clothing.’
Sarah Lee says: ‘I love this and feel it could only have been shot on Night mode. It is beautifully composed, uses symmetry very well, and without cliché to communicate a fascinating story about densely populated urban spaces and the way many people live. This work reminds me of Michael Wolf’s ‘Architecture of Density’ in its theme, but compositionally the photographer has their own take, which is really interesting.’
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tyler Mitchell says: ‘This one blows my mind. I have no idea where that deep rich red light is coming from on the tree. It almost feels like a UFO sitting above the tree, just out of frame. Absolutely beautiful composition as well.’
Arem Duplessis says: ‘The rich red color of the tree and ground gives this picture an otherworldly quality. Paired with the night sky, it feels like a still from a sci-fi film.’

Rubén P. Bescós (Pamplona, Navarra, Spain), iPhone 11 Pro Max

Location: Sierra del Perdón

Phil Schiller says: ‘Photography is the art of light, and Rubén’s photo magically uses light to bring this art installation in Spain to life. The color in this Night mode image is a captivating orange, beautifully framing the band of pilgrims in sharp silhouette. The crackly details on the foreground rocks add to the story of the long and difficult journey ahead for these pilgrims before they reach their holy site.’

Alexvi Li says: ‘Taking great advantage of Night mode with exposure setting, the photographer captured the silhouette of a group of people in the city light backdrop. The ground in the photo reveals beautiful texture when shooting against the light. The simple composition quickly draws viewers into a story, while delivering good image quality.’

Rustam Shagimordanov (Moscow, Russia), iPhone 11

Location: Hamnøy I Lofoten, Nordland, Norway

Kaiann Drance says: ‘A captivating shot of a winter village by the sea, which must feel cold, yet looks warm with the glow against the rocks and lights inside the red cabins, inviting a story about the people inside.’

Malin Fezehai says: ‘I love how the lights in the red cabins give a sense of warmth in the cold. The layers in the image create depth and give me a sense of cold and warmth at the same time. It’s a beautifully captured landscape image of a winter evening.’

Yu “Eric” Zhang (Beijing, China), iPhone 11 Pro Max

Jon McCormack says: ‘This image represents iPhone at its best. Capturing life as it happens, no matter what the light is! The sense of moment, intimacy and place in this image is very good. It really transports the viewer to being right there.’

Arem Duplessis says: ‘This picture has a very real quality to it. The rising steam, the silhouetted figures backlit from the lamp all align perfectly in this magical caught moment.’

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Slideshow: International Landscape Photographer of the Year winners and finalists

02 Mar

Slideshow: International Landscape Photographer of the Year winners and finalists

Nearly 1,000 professional and amateur photographers from around the world submitted over 3,400 images to the 6th annual International Landscape Photographer of the Year (ILPOTY) competition. From that pool of entries, 101 were recognized as Top Photographs. Oleg Ershov from Moscow, Russia, is the overall winner.

Ershov started out shooting multi-row, HDR, and vertical panoramas. Inspired by prominent landscape photographers he met, including Joe Cornish, David Ward, Rafael Rojas, and Bruce Percy, he began experimenting more. ‘I didn’t try to copy their styles, rather I took from them what I liked the best and then gradually, I felt that my skills were improving and that my work was becoming more serious.’

He now enjoys vertical landscapes, as evidenced in all of his winning photographs of Iceland and England. Ershov’s series impressed the panel of judges the most. ‘My passion for landscape photography is based on a love of nature, especially in places where human intervention is not yet visible. Just being on location at dawn and watching the start of a new day gives me tremendous vitality,’ says Ershov, an amateur photographer whose work at a food distribution company funds his passion.

Competition organizers chose the overall winner based on at least four strong photographs rather than a single image. This way, they could determine if a photographer’s vision and skills were consistent. ‘Each year, the Awards have two main prizes. The Photograph of the Year is awarded to the best single landscape photograph, while to be named International Landscape Photographer of the Year requires a set of four images. This is our main prize, acknowledging the additional skill and artistry required to produce a portfolio of landscape photographs,’ says Pete Eastway – the Chairman of Judges.

All the details of the Top 101 photographs can be viewed by visiting the ILPOTY website and download the free eBook embedded halfway down the main page.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Fleswick Bay, England’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Fleswick Bay, England

About starting out: ‘My interest for photography began in 2007 when I bought my first DSLR camera and signed up for a photo tour to the Southwest USA. I was struck by the tremendous variety of landscapes, colors and textures found in nature. Since then, I spend all my free time improving my skills and knowledge in landscape photography. I usually spend six weeks a year on photo trips, sometimes in groups, often on my own.’

About this photo: A lone pebble sits in the sand along the popular ‘smugglers cove’ in Fleswick Bay.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Bláfellsá, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Bláfellsá, Iceland

About the equipment: ‘I have always used full-frame Canon EOS 5D-series cameras. Currently it is the Canon EOS 5DSR because the high number of megapixels is very important for landscape photography and for me personally.

‘Regarding lenses, I started with the holy trinity of Canon zooms (16-35mm, 24-70mm and 70-200mm). They were convenient, universal and generally accepted. Then there was a period when I was fascinated with tilt-shift lenses (Canon’s 17mm and 24mm and Schneider- Kreuznach’s 50mm and 90mm), which required much more time to build a frame, but this was compensated by the sharpness and geometry of the image.

‘Today, I use two Canon zooms (24-70mm and 100-400mm) for versatility and three Zeiss Otus prime lenses (28mm, 55mm and 85 mm) due to their unsurpassed quality. Of course, it can be challenging to carry 1.5 kg lenses, but “good glass is heavy glass”.’

About this photo: Ershov captured the textured patterns of a stream in the Southern region of Iceland.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Kerlingarfjöll, Iceland

About his inspiration: Oleg’s favorite destinations for landscape photography are Iceland, Scotland and the USA’s Southwest. ‘I always return to my favorite places because this allows me to get to know the country better and to find new scenes and places to shoot. When I immerse myself in a familiar environment and slow down the pace, my productivity increases many times over. For example, I have been to Iceland 15 times and it took me 10 years to make my first photo book, but the second book only required two visits in 2019 and it turned out even better than the first!’

About this photo: Mist surrounds this tall mountain located in the Highlands of Iceland.

ILPOTY, 2019 — First Place: ‘Háifoss, Iceland’ by Oleg Ershov (Russian Federation)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Háifoss, Iceland

About his workflow: Oleg says that a photo is only good when it’s on a wall and so his workflow is focused on creating large prints. ‘I make the prints myself on an Epson SC-7000, so megapixels and attention to details are important to me.’

About this photo: Háifoss or ‘high waterfall,’ located in Southern Iceland, is the third tallest on the island.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Second Place: ‘Badain Jaran Desert, China’ by Yang Guang (China)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Badain Jaran Desert, China

About this photo: A single white cloud is the focal point of this photo captured in China’s third largest desert. Guang won second place for a set of four landscape photos captured in this region.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Third Place: ‘Grizzly Lake, Yukon, Canada’ by Blake Randall (Canada)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Yukon, Canada

About this photo: Randall calls this ‘Grizzly’s Fang’ about his photo of his stormy hike in the Tombstone range of Northern Canada.

ILPOTY Photograph of the Year, 2019 — First Place: ‘The Harvest of Road Salt’ by Magali Chesnel (France)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Gruissan, France

About this photo: Chesnel, a self-taught photographer and executive assistant, captured this top-down with a DJI Mavic 2 Pro. ‘I thought it would create an amazing abstract aerial photo, with the white of the salt contrasting against the bright pink colors, thanks to the proliferation of a red alga, the Dunaliella salina. From the ground, this scene doesn’t look glamorous at all, but from a bird’s eye view, it becomes unexpected, beautiful and like a painting.’

ILPOTY Photograph of the Year, 2019 — Second Place: ‘Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean’ by Sander Grefte (Netherlands)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Venezuela

About this photo: Says Grefte of his second place winner: ‘One of the eye-catchers on Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean) is the salty lakes and mountains. When the salt concentration is too high for most bacteria, one survives giving the water a pink color. When composed with a dark blue sky and white ‘mountains’ (17 meters high) you get a surreal landscape.’

ILPOTY, 2019 — The Lone Tree Award: ‘Madeira, Portugal’ by Anke Butawitsch (Germany)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Madeira Natural Park, Portugal

About this photo: Butawitsch focused on a single tree in the vast natural reserve known for its endemic flora and fauna.

ILPOTY, 2019 —The Heavenly Cloud Award: ‘SpaceX rocket exhaust plume, Sierra Nevada, California, USA’ by Brandon Yoshizawa (United States)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Sierra Nevada, California

About this photo: Yoshizawa captured a ‘once in a lifetime kind of shot’ of this exhaust plume, from a Space X rocket launch, that was visible over the Sierra Nevada mountains.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘Page, Arizona’ by Craig Bill (United States)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Page, Arizona

About this photo: ‘I have seen Antelope Canyon several times in the popular daytime – complete with crowds and noise. In fact, this magical slot canyon is well known for its mid-day shafts of light that creatively penetrate through the curvy sandstone. I had always wondered what this place would be like at night. And when I had a last minute chance to go the first time, I jumped! Although the first night was super clouded and windy, I was allowed to try the next night before my time ran out exploring this desert domain around Page, Arizona. I was lucky, however, to find the next night lacking clouds or wind,’ explains Bill on his website.

‘Finally, there I was, standing in the dark cracks in the earth with the stars peering in from above – no crowds or sounds at all. It was so different at night compared to the day. Here, star and moonlight ricocheted softly around the Navajo sandstone.

In this adventure of a completely dark area of Upper Antelope slot canyon, I softly light painted strategic areas of the canyon with small red LED lights. The red color of the LEDs forced the camera’s color balance to expose the sky with a vivid blue. Along with experimental multi-positioning, long 15 second exposing and light painting, a surreal image of the night sky revealing itself light years above the canyon walls was created.

Even though I was focused on tweaking the camera’s settings and position, I was warned to watch my standing area and the canyon walls for huge Brown Recluse spiders (as one ran under my tripod). Now this sounds like a place in hell for most people, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the night hikes experience into Antelope Canyon.’

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘North East Greenland National Park, Greenland’ by Craig McGowan (Australia)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: North East Greenland National Park

About this photo: A lone iceberg reflects against the landscape of the world’s largest national park.

ILPOTY, 2019 — Top 101 Photo: ‘Vestrahorn, Iceland’ by Nico Rinaldi (Italy)/International Landscape Photographer of the Year

Location: Vestrahorn, Iceland

About this photo: Northern lights illuminate Vestrahorn mountain and the Stokksnes beach shoreline.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced

21 Feb

The post Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced

The Winners of the Tamron 100-400mm (model A035) in winner’s choice of Canon or Nikon mount, and a Tamron SP 35mm (model F012) in winner’s choice of Canon or Nikon mount are…

A HUGE Thank You to everyone who entered our recent contest from our friends at Tamron.

Yet again, the response was AMAZING with thousands of shares and over 500 entries! But now…onto the winners! Drum roll please, and the winners are:

Grand Prize

Image: Tamron 100-400mm Di VC USD

Tamron 100-400mm Di VC USD

The grand prize winner is:

Laurel H.

Tamron 100-400mm Di VC USD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens – Value $ 799.

Winner’s choice of Canon or Nikon mount.

 

Second Prize

Image: Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD

Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD

Second Prize Winner is:

Mitzi H.

Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD SP Series 35mm lens produces stunning high-resolution quality across a wide range of focusing distances – Value $ 599. Winner’s choice of Canon or Nikon mount.

 

We were all thrilled with the entries! You tugged at our heartstrings, made us laugh, and made us smile. But most importantly, you made us keep wanting to do more of what we are doing – providing you quality information and guidance to become a better photographer.

We were so pleased to see that you came from every part of the world – young adults to grandparents, and everyone in between. Thank you all for your entries!

Winner’s entries

Here are the posts from the winners of the Tamron 100-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD, and Tamron SP 35mm F/1.8 Di VC USD, respectively.

Laurel

Wow! What a great lens! I would love to win a new lens like this. Over the past ten years, as my skills have greatly improved, I have upgraded my DSLR three times. I need to replace my aging 50-500 telezoom with a faster, more responsive AF lens with vibration compensation. Sadly, at this time, I cannot afford it. My passion and dedicated hobby is bird photography in all seasons. I love sharing the bird photos with my homebound parent and with others.

Should I win the A035 lens, it would be a dedicated lens for bird and wildlife photography. The challenge of shooting birds, who are mostly never quite still to flight shots of raptors and hawks, requires a rapidly focusing lens to clearly focus on the bird’s rapid wing movements of the tiniest hummingbirds to the largest raptors. I have reviewed the specs of the A035, and these are the strong selling points that stand out to me: highly responsive AF, APSC format for Nikon, handheld ability, moisture resistance with leak-proof seals throughout the whole lens barrel, the eband for reducing glare and ghosting, minimum distance of 1.5m, smoother background blurring, the USB connection to update lens firmware (never had that before on a lens), f stop of 4.5-6.3, the fluorine coating on lens. I also like the detachable mount for tripod, as I do use one from time to time. I am extremely impressed by this lens’ capabilities, which far exceeds my current telezoom lens. Thank you for reading my entry.

Mitzi

After a hiatus of many years, I am re-engaging in digital photography. Going through two major life transitions has pulled me back to my camera: I got sober in early 2016 and entered long-term alcohol recovery, and my Dad, an avid photographer for his whole life, developed ALS/MND in late 2016 and died in mid-2017 after a terrifyingly fast progression.

Something about these events made me want to get behind the lens again. The combination of the technical and creative aspects of photography helps with recovery (substance, as well as trauma/grief) by giving my brain something new and demanding to do, and the process makes me feel closer to my Dad.

Having a fast 35mm prime for my full-frame DSLR is a dream of mine. Travel and street photography are highest on my list of interests, and the ability to give context even to close shots would be fantastic. In this new stage of shooting, I find that I want to get close to my subjects more often than not (a change from my earlier days, when I loved to zoom), and the close focus distance would be brilliant for that. As well, my family has started a new tradition of traveling together at Christmas, and it would be so rewarding to have this lens to capture our memories for Christmas 2020. Finally, this is a new focal length for me and one that would spark new development/learning — which, as noted, I’ve discovered to be excellent therapy.

Thank you for running this contest and letting me tell these parts of my story.

Special offer for dPS readers

Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced

Now, for those of you that didn’t win, Tamron has invited ALL dPS readers to take advantage of their Tips and More section. You can find them here.

The winners will be emailed with details of how to collect their prizes. Please make sure to look for our email.

Thank you again for all the wonderful submissions and to Tamron for sponsoring this competition.

Tamron Rebates

For all of you residing in the USA, when you do purchase your next Tamron Lens, make sure to take advantage of the rebates* up to $ 200 off through March 1, 2020. Find additional information HERE!  

 

*Current rebate offers end March 1, 2020. US RESIDENTS ONLY.

Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced

About Tamron   

 

Disclaimer: Tamron is a paid partner of dPS.

 

 

The post Our Two Tamron Contest Winners Announced appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.


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