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Photography Competition Winners 2017-18

Winner: Danny Concha, “Colombia is a labyrinth”

Colombia

This image of a child in a maze painted in the colours of the Colombian flag is a triumph both aesthetically and in terms of content. Colombia´s troubled recent past and present make possible profoundly different readings: perhaps the girl is hopelessly lost in her country´s labyrinth, with the tight framing heightening the sense of claustrophobia and entrapment? Or perhaps she is finding her way through? Her own body language is ambiguous, while the step she is climbing lends an additional dimension: a further obstacle to surmount, or a lift up towards the exit.

Danny Concha (author):
"When we were told that this year’s theme would be “Encounters and Immersion”, I immediately thought of this image. It’s safe to say that Colombia has been a maze of sorts – both symbolically for me, and literally for the child in this photograph! – as it has pushed me to traverse unknown territory, to adapt my beliefs, to take new directions and to constantly reconsider my place in the world. Whilst this process has been both disorienting and challenging… the rewards have been immeasurable. When the labyrinth becomes frightening, it is important to remember that it is ultimately there as a form of exploration and fun. After all, what greater pleasure is there in life than to get lost and find your way out again?"

Runner-up: Celine Dhenin, “Cloudy Venice”

Venice

Near perfect framing and use of light combine to create this stunning image. The dimensions and the different textures of the stone, water, and sky set the image up. The perspective and subtle modeling created by the line of the wharf, the row of gondolas, and the bridge is masterful. The verticality of the mooring stakes and the lamppost complement that of the Campanile of St Mark´s in the background. And the tropes of Venice conjured by the boats, lagoon, and church tower are subverted here by the glowering sky. A wonderfully composed image.

Third place: Amadea Finch, “Dome at dusk”

Dome

A deceptively simple image in red, white, and blue. The relationship between the Duomo and its city is most impressive: in this photo, they are spun from one and the same fabric. The rusty roofs and off-white walls of the Cathedral and the city mirror one another perfectly, an impression which is heightened by way the panels beneath the dome echo the window-frames and doorways of the buildings behind. The whole effect is enhanced by the grainy, flat texture of the evening light.

Amadea Finch (author):
"I took this photo whilst on a day trip to Florence at the start of December. We had packed so much into our itinerary as we wanted to see as much as possible in this beautiful city, and naturally the Cathedral was a must. Upon arrival, we found out that the tickets to climb the Dome had sold out, but there were still tickets on sale to climb the Bell Tower. Whilst a little disappointed at first, we soon realised how fortunate we had been, because had the tickets for the Dome still been available, we would not have had time to also climb the Bell Tower as we did, and appreciate the magnificent view of the Dome from above, which, as shown in the photo, we were able to marvel in from sunset to dusk. The contrasting rust and white of the building was striking against the backdrop of the rest of the city, and to be able to stand there and reflect for a short while is a moment that I will treasure for years to come."

Honourable mention: Viktória Makai, “Enchanted forest”

Forest

Exemplary composition and use of colour here. The image is divided into three slanting bands. Each represents a colour: brown for earth, grey for the trees, and green for the leaves. But the colours are surprising: the brown fades into the hazy pink of leaf litter in the distance, the smooth grey trunks almost seem purple, and the leaves run from the deepest to the faintest shade of green in the varying light. And what seems at first a clear division confounds closer inspection, as green overwrites brown in the foreground and brown rises behind green and grey further away. An enchanted forest indeed.