Food photography, at least as the snap-happy Instagramming and Facebooking millennials know it, is a ubiquitous ritual without performing which a meal is not a meal, a dessert is not a dessert, and dining at a fancy restaurant by the beach is a social media impropriety.
At the GCC Food Photography Awards though, indulgence is not appreciated as much as ingeniousness. While it welcomes the newbies and experts alike, the hunt for the region’s finest in the art of photographing food is understandably serious business. Following a successful debut last year, the Awards is now hurtling into its second season, promising a bigger, better edition.
Participants across the Gulf are invited to enter original photographs that capture different forms, styles, preparations and occasions of food, in this event based on the theme of ‘celebrating good food’ and with support from Jamie Magazine, the official publication of celebrity chef and the sweetheart of the global culinary world, Jamie Oliver.
Open for both professional and amateur photographers under multiple categories, the competition aspires to provide a platform to get noticed and appreciated. To encourage young talent to participate in the competition, a special category for junior photographers of less than 17 years has been added.
George Mathew, Managing partner, PhotoawardME, told Community, “People have awakened to the importance of a healthy lifestyle through responsible food habits, evident in the rise in traditional and organic farming. We intend to increase the awareness of healthy eating habits with our contest throughout the region, and at the same time encourage people to explore local markets.”
Photoaward ME patron and chief guest at last year’s event, Andy Harris, Chief Editor of Jamie Magazine, will be joining the judging panel, which will feature eminent names from the food industry. Multi-award winner and renowned food photographer David Loftus, celebrity chefs Kunal Kapur and Yann Bernard Lejard, Dubai-based food blogger Sally Prosser, food photographer Amelia Johnson, Bahrain-based food photographer Phil Weymouth, and award-winning Indonesia-based food photographer William Hondokusumo are the other panel members.
This time around, the competition has five categories, including two new ones – Earth’s Bounty, Fabulous Fish, Market Magic, Food Portrait, and Junior GCC Food Photographer of the Year (under 17, focusing on schools).
Participants must be citizens/legal residents of the GCC – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or the UAE. A maximum of 12 images (three in each adult category) or three images in the junior category can be submitted online. Entry is free and registration opens on June 1. Evaluation will be based on three criteria – creativity, photographic quality and genuineness/authenticity of the content. Shortlisted entries will be announced online at www.photoawardme.com in November.
In addition to the title ‘GCC Food Photographer of the Year 2016’, the grand prize winner will receive a cash award of USD1,000 and sponsored gifts. The first place winner in each category will each receive USD333 and gifts. The event is organised by Bahrain-based advertising agency MACADAM, in partnership with Creative Eye Photography and The Butterfly Effect, and is supported by inkchutney.com
About the awards, organisers say, “Through the contest we aim to reach across the length and breadth of the six GCC states. Both locals and expatriates are being welcomed to participate in the competition, which will be covered by regional media.”
The key points among the list of rules are that there is a limit of three entries per category, and all photographs must be entered at one time. The same photograph can be entered in more than one category. All photographs must be in digital format, and the photographs can be taken with any source. Scans of negatives, transparencies, or digital files are acceptable. Only minor burning, dodging and/or colour correction is acceptable, as is cropping. Any changes to the original photograph not itemised are unacceptable and will render the photograph ineligible for a prize.
While no changes to entries are permitted after the submission is made, the participant can contact the team at contest@photoawardme.com in case any entry requires changes. All entries must be submitted and received by September 30 – the competition begins on June 1 and ends on September 30.
In the competition’s first edition, last year, Oman-based Skyler Burt bagged the overall title closely followed by runner-up Krishnakumar, also from Oman. Sushil S (Bahrain) won the Food Portrait category followed by Saji Anthony (Bahrain) for Market scene and Skyler Burt (Oman) for Food from Farm.