Four photographers are chosen from 148,203 images submitted to the International Photography Contest.
Animal Winner - China Caged monkeys await their fate at a medical laboratory in Hubei Province, China. The judges liked that this image subverts the usual romanticized approach to wildlife photography and more accurately reflects the fate of many of the world’s animals. The sneaker at the top provides scale and injects a human being into the scene; the anonymity of the wearer suggests concealment and complicity. The structure of the cages, the horror of the captivity, the crowded composition, and the claustrophobic tension all add up to a sad and compelling photo.
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People Winner - United States This evocative portrait of two Tibetan children looking out on their world captured the imagination—and the admiration—of the panel of judges. Cropped to the exact shape of the window, the photo frames the children in a timeless manner as they peer through the cloudy glass. The judges spent a long time looking at this portrait, observing how the intensity of the faces, the texture of the clothing, the surface of the old red wood, the reflections in the glass all create an absorbing series of levels. The best people photos tell a story and draw the viewer into the lives of the subjects. These children’s faces seem filled with both expectation and sadness. What are they waiting for? Jean-Claude Louis’s photo asks the question; viewers will no doubt provide their own answers.
Landscape Winner - United States This year’s landscape winner is a surprising composition of a scene in Moab, Utah. The photographer, a resident of Baltimore, Maryland, captured a swirl of spring cottonwood trees and other shapes reflected in a shiny black Buick. The judges were impressed with how the image stretches the definition of landscape photography and departs from the traditional and the predictable. They hailed the photographer’s sophisticated eye, her ability to mix color and texture, and her skill in arranging the elements in a creative and imaginative way. She turned the car into a camera lens, its curves reflecting the landscape. A mundane scene is made extraordinary by the photographer's willingness to look beyond the expected.
Photo Essay Winner - China Chinese photographers scored a second success with “Descendants of the Builders of the Great Wall,” the winner in the photo-essay category. The judges were won over by the varied locations and activities, the quality of the light, and the mood of the images. This essay tells the story of a great landmark by showing how the lives of the people who live nearby are shaped by their shared history. While photos of architectural masterpieces often divorce their subject from a human context, Tian Li’s images allow the Great Wall to recede so that the people behind the icon can emerge.
Photo Essay Winner - China Children perform traditional ballads on a stage
Photo Essay Winner - China On Tomb-sweeping Day villagers on a gate tower engage in sacrifice rituals and pray for peace and a good harvest.
Photo Essay Winner - China An ancient gate in the Great Wall has been the backdrop for the difficulties faced by many generations of villagers.
Photo Essay Winner - China Villagers make sacrifices to their ancestors.
Photo Essay Winner - China After Tomb-sweeping Day the descendants are excited to till the land for another harvest.
Photo Essay Winner - China After the sacrificing ritual the whole family usually gets together to have a meal.