Dubai to host "Life in Colors" international photo contest

DUBAI 

Hamdan International Photo Awards (HIPA), an internationally-renowned photography contest held in Dubai, will be held under the theme of "Life in Colors".

The contest, which is open to both local and international photographers, will reward the winner with US$ 120,000, according to a press statement released on Tuesday.

Ali Bin Khalid, Secretary General of HIPA, stated that the contest will be organized for the fourth time in 2015.

Noting the will for the contest  to gather photographers from around the world, Khalid emphasized that there was no limit to the support by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

Henry Dallal, a board member of HIPA, said that after a registration through the website, photographs could be submitted in four different categories: Life in Colors, General, Faces and Night.

Dallah noted that in total, US$400,000 will be distributed among the winners. He also stated special awards will be granted. As a response to a question, Dallah noted race or nationality will not play a role in determining winners. Only photographs themselves are important.

Meanwhile, Mattar Bin Lahej, an artist from the United Arab Emirates, said cameras were distributed to refugee Syrian children in Jordan. Their pictures will be shown in an exhibition that will take place before HIPA’s award ceremony.

In appreciation for Turkey, as part of the organization, Deputy Director General of AA Cagatay Culcuoglu and Director of Marketing Sefik Tahir met for a discussion with important actors of the event.   

The artists specifically appreciated and praised the visual and artistic works of Turkey's AA.  During his meeting with Secretary General of HIPA Ali Bin Haled, Culcuoglu stated that the competition’s  international appeal was evident from the 38,000 photographs from 156 different countries shown at  HIPA.  

Culcuoglu added that AA will continue to follow HIPA's successful works closely in the coming years.

After meeting with world famous American photojournalist Steve McCurry, best known for his photograph "Afghan Girl", Culcuoglu praised  AA's broad staff especially reporters and photojournalists who regularly produce high quality content from all around the world.

He said the AA staff were on the forefront in such critical places as Syria, Egypt, Venezuela and Crimea.

McCurry, meanwhile, voiced his appreciation of AA's work, and said, "I follow the international photos of AA and I really wish them success on their partnership with Getty Images."

The organization committee said they would discuss the suggestion of Tahir about using the photos in some social projects.

HIPA winners were announced in Dubai on Monday, in which Fuyang Zhou from China won the top prize of $120,000 for his photograph "Overall Grand Prize Winner".

Anadolu Agency, being a guest in the closing ceremony on Monday, is expected to take a more active role in next year's photo contest.

englishnews@aa.com.tr