2020/2021 Winners & Shortlists

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Dear Reader … Today, we opted to address you in an unconventional way, to convey the philosophy behind Xposure International Photography Festival. We chose to write about photography without using any pictures to emphasise their importance in our everyday lives, their key role in shaping arts, science, education, and culture, and their pivotal role in news and media. In a world flooded with images, we wanted you to take a moment to imagine how our world would be in their absence. How will our imagination and memory operate? How will our reaction to humanitarian issues or natural disasters be without visuals? How will we interact with others? Today, we want our message to be seen by every individual who has a memory attached to a picture. We want you to stop for a moment, and imagine a #worldwithoutphotography. ( This first part will be included in the first page of the newspaper as a main lead and the whole letter will be in the second page ) The evolution of the image Early humans cautioned those they might never meet about the dangers they might encounter through drawing on rocks and walls of caves. They say the birth of an initial idea is usually its purest form. The first idea for communication was thus born when they drew on a wall. But, if we step back a bit more in time, we see that human interactions entailed the exchange of sign language. So, hands were used to convey messages even before our ancestors picked up sticks and stones to draw. Proof and posterity of human intelligence Soon, images became inseparable from explanations, be they scientific, philosophical, customary or social in nature. Images rendered an immortal quality to the recording of human intelligence and ensured its transference to people from other cultures and successive generations. Pictures became the means to transfer knowledge from teacher to student. Visuals helped to not just document history but validate it. Images were the means to hasten understanding, the transfer of knowledge and information. We all speak the language of image A picture doesn’t require someone to explain its message or translate it. A mere look allows the viewer a fair if not complete understanding the story behind it. Silent movies, for example, are a sequence of pictures moving in front of a light that brings its message to life without a single word spoken, to any viewer regardless of the languages they speak or their nationality. When searching for a common ground, pictures trump words, unequivocally. It is a link that connects two people. It connects us all. What do images have to offer to individual and collective memory? Pictures breathe life into our memories. They are physical repositories of the memories of individuals, groups and nations. They immortalise those who have left us. Pictures shape memories of human suffering from a certain period of time, reminding us of the consequences of repeating past mistakes. A picture frames the memories we make as we traverse through the beauty and abundance of nature. I hope they are a strong enough deterrent for us to value what we have, so our pictures don’t turn gray. Images mark our consciousness That some pictures dwell in our consciousness forever, and impact us more than any other artistic medium, is self-evident. Pictures have altered the course of history. For instance, the 1972 Napalm Girl Photo by AP Photographer Nick Ut became a Pulitzer Prize winner; I remember the thirds degree burns this girl suffered and I know those of you who have seen it clearly remember too. But, do we instantly recall what was written at the time? Some do. How can we forget the eyewitness account of the Wright brothers' launch the Flyer on its first flight in 1903 by John T. Daniels? Pictures, therefore, are live in our consciousness. Images reflect the photographer’s relentless human spirit We write about wars and disasters, the beauty of nature in its remotest reaches, unfathomable adventures by reading about or listening to those who lived these experiences. However, a picture won’t be taken if the photographer decide to not travel the distance, live in the moment, get hurt or even risk their life at times. Behind every photo, is a photographer whose relentless human spirit brings their art and message to the forefront. An image is, thus, a tribute to the photographer and their craft. The image’s purpose is human We need to safeguard the purpose of the picture because it shapes our conscience and feelings. It brings people together and preserves our memories. Photography is art, and the purpose of art is always noble. To safeguard and preserve this art is a collective responsibility of individuals, communities, and government bodies who must all unite to ensure the preservation of the image and the art that goes into creating it. If we do so, our conscience will no longer have space for pictures, which serve other agendas – ones that contradict the basis of survival and human nature itself. Xposure International Photography Festival: Xposure was born as a tribute for art and artists, a commitment to our vision of the world, our keenness to keep pace with developments in photography. Our goal is for Sharjah and the UAE remain at the centre of such events, in pursuit of which, we will be working with partners and supporters to protect the arts and enable them to serve as the core of civilisational values and progress. Sincerely, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ( FIRST PAGE ) A World Without Photography What will the world look like without photographs? What if media was just a series of texts? What if newspapers didn't have photos to support their stories? What if we couldn't look at pictures of someone we miss? Or look at a selfie years after we took it? These questions prompted us to design the #WorldWithoutPhotography campaign before the launch of the fourth edition of the International Festival of Photography Xposure to highlight the impact of the absence of photos on our lives. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page headline: (SECOND and THIRD PAGE ) Here’s what to expect at Xposure 2019 / Open your eyes to new stories at Xposure 2019 Article headline: 1,112 of the world’s finest images in Sharjah… Yes, Xposure has yet again, exceeded the expectations of photography professionals and hobbyists in the UAE. The upcoming edition of the festival is bringing the excellence of as many as 357 photographers from all seven continents of the world. Their awe-inspiring visual narratives are being curated into 46 exhibitions to be displayed at the Sharjah Expo Centre and across five key locations in Dubai and Sharjah. Flowing smoothly across themes of nature & landscape, portrait & people, architecture, photojournalism, mobile photography and night photography, the images will allow viewers to discover the rare beauties these photographers have found in unnamed, uncharted territories. The photographs will also offer usvisitors an opportunity to take a moment to think of reflection about on our individuals responsibilities towards our the world as we they zoom into the cracks, which have been made in it. The indoor exhibitions will include 38 solo galleries featuring award-winning photography series created by globally acclaimed names in the field. The outdoor exhibitions showcasing 89 works have already been unveiled at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre and, Mirdiff City Centre in Dubai, and the Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xposure’s competitions are for everyone. Literally. The originality and excellence of thousands of photographers, irrespective of their age, background or experience has been brought to the fore by Xposure for four years. The festival introduced a new category for filmmakers to its International Competitions in 2018, which expanded the celebration of visual perspectives to include moving image & short-films. This year, Xposure’s free-to-enter International Photography & Film Competition closed registrations with a whopping 14,757 entries across its 11 competition categories including a Junior Category, which is open to only those who are below 18 years of age. The sense of inclusivity created by Xposure, even in its competitions, drives home its message of art’s universality – both in execution and appreciation. It is a fitting tribute to Sharjah’s singular achievements in promoting art and culture to everyone, without exception, here in the UAE and around the world. The Timothy Allen Photography Scholarship Award (TAPSA), on the other hand, handpicks the most promising talents in the field to take them on a 10-day training including 5 days with Timothy Allen himself. In its fourth season this year, TAPSA received 1,269 entries, and has selected the following winners: Shahab Naseri from Iran, Greece’s Anna Pantelia, Rossi Fang from Taiwan, Russian national Sergey Parshukov and Senthil Kumaran Rajendran from India. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Article headline: A photograph can’t change the world. What about perceptions? That an image speaks louder than words, is a cliché for a reason. The impact of a picture in grabbing one’s attention, evoking emotions, telling a story or conveying a message is almost tangible. An image eternalises the moment captured, making a story believable to generations who will only read about them in history books. For four years, Xposure has been turning our attention to the beauty, power and sheer need of photography through its spectacular showcases. This year builds on these important conversations. Antonio Aragon Renuncio is among a host of stellar photographers to be witnessed on the Xposure International Photography Festival’s platform this year in Sharjah. He says, “An image is not going to change the world, I am sure. Does that mean we stop trying? Our mission as photographers is to show what is real, get people to think, get them out of their comfort zones.” The exhibitions at Xposure will include the likes of Stephen Wilkes, who compresses 30 hours of photography into a single image; Frans Lanting, who documents nature, from the Amazon to Antarctica; Gabriel Wickbold uses the camera like an aura reader to expose the human condition; and Will Burrard-Lucas documents the last of Africa’s giant tuskers. Imagine if this incredible artistic and human wealth didn’t ever exist or suddenly ceases to? Really makes one ponder on questions Xposure has raised in its campaign: What will we do in #aworldwithoutphotography? Or, more importantly, who will we be in #aworldwithoutphotography? Stay tuned for the entire line-up of attending photographers, which will be announced soon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disneyland for photography lovers and gadget geeks? Xposure is better… Want to hear from photojournalists about how they snapped Pulitzer-winning civil war bombing, which almost consumed them? Or think twice about before accepting a plastic bag upon your next grocery purchase after you’ve heard from a photographer about the melting Arctic ice? Xposure’s got it. This edition will host 33 of such hair-raising public seminars and inspirational talks, where the audience gets to hear, from the horse’s mouth, the incredible story of the image in front of you. Or maybe, you’re more interested in your own journey behind the lens. Xposure’s got that covered too. The trade show at this four-day festival attracts the best names in the business who bring their latest products – cameras, lenses, tripods, and so much more. These industry leaders will also deliver free workshops on how to use the equipment to get top quality results. There’s also something who want the best of both worlds. For the first time in the festival’s history, a state-of-the-art interactive and integrated photography studio will be at hand for visitors to try out portrait photography. Then there’s 30 sessions of 17 dedicated workshops to be delivered by 10 top photographers. Beginners, intermediates, and professionals – take note. Xposure’s ever-popular portfolio reviews are back too, with 48 sessions to be delivered by eight experts. Document a ‘Crime Scene’ at Xposure 2019 As part of Xposure's continuous mission to activate partnerships with local entities, the festival has collaborated with Sharjah Police who will hold an exhibition titled ‘Crime Scene’. It'll be a one-of-a-kind introduction to the world of crime, where visitors will embark on an exciting exploration to identify a culprit through forensic photography, learning the steps involved in unraveling a crime. Sharjah Police will hold workshops highlighting the methodologies used to solve crime, explain the workflow of forensic teams, and discuss the role of forensic photography in solving crimes. Put your investigator's hat on! ( THIRD PAGE , We may include 10 empty photos of 10 photographers with their names written on them, just like they are portraits ) See the world through the lenses of 53 award-winning photographers at Xposure 2019 Jeffery Garriock’s exhibition includes a workers series at the Chernobyl nuclear plant Afshin Ismaeli’s extensive photographic essays on conflicts in Iraq, Syria, part of Xposure 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winner Essdras M Suarez returns to Xposure on popular demand Frankie Quinn brings one of photojournalism’s finest examples, his ‘Belfast Archive Project’ to Xposure 2019 Emirati photographer Amer Al Ali’s exhibition celebrates the UAE’s rich heritage & culture A stellar line-up of 53 globally acclaimed local and international photographers will be taking stage at the upcoming International Photography Festival ‘Xposure’ in Sharjah, from September 19 – 22. With the fourth edition of this leading festival, organiser Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) is offering camera professionals, media students and art lovers first-hand access to a wealth of the photographers’ incredible personal journeys, to be showcased in each of their exhibitions and awe-inspiring talks through this unique four-day celebration of photography. Participating photographers Afshin Ismaeli is a photojournalist, war photographer and researcher who has documented wars and humanitarian issues, and published extensive photographic essays on conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Greece and Bosnia. Aidan J Sullivan is an internationally renowned media expert and photographer who was Head of Assignments at Getty Images and a successful entrepreneur who launched Verbatim agency. Alice Wielinga is a documentary photographer from Amsterdam who has done some stunning work documenting artists in North Korea. Filmmaker Ami Vitale likes photographing the less exposed aspects of conflict areas and is a five-time recipient of World Press Photos honours. Amer Al Ali is an Emirati photographer who believes it is his duty to showcase the heritage and culture of the land. Spanish Antonio Aragon Renuncio has extensive experience in documenting lives around the world and has won numerous awards, including the Xposure Photojournalism award in 2018. Beno Saradizc is a time-lapse cinematographer and photographer, currently based in Dubai, who has won 50 awards in the last five years. Bjoern Lauen’s work has been published extensively in prestigious publications and has pioneered the development of aerial vehicles for photography. Fascinated with capturing nature in natural light, Chris Coe has won many awards for his work and founded the now prestigious Travel Photographer of the Year Award. US-based street and documentary photographer Chris Suspect’s work has been recognised and exhibited the world over. Chris Tuff began taking and processing photographs when he was nine and is now a globally known landscape photographer. Well-known for his long-term project on volcanoes, Cris Toala Olivares has won many awards and his work is displayed in museums across the world. Multiple award-winning documentarist David Chancellor’s works examine man’s commodification of wildlife. A graphic designer who specialises in photography-based projects and publications, David Griffin runs his own studio in Washington and has worked across the spectrum. Trained as a marine biologist, David Newton refuses to be tied to one genre in photography and travels the world to get his award-winning pictures. Pulitzer Prize-winner Essdras M Suarez was a photojournalist with the Boston Globe newspaper and now conducts photo workshops internationally. Florian Ledoux is a nature and wildlife photographer who specialises in the Polar regions and whose work has been published in several prestigious magazines and won many awards. Frankie Quinn is a documentarist and director of the Belfast Archive Project. His documentation of Belfast is considered one of the finest examples of photojournalism. Frenchman Gregory Pol is a sailor and a scuba diver whose passion is nature photography. He is famous for his series on the snowy owl. Best known as a cultural documentary photographer, New York-based Ira Block is also a lecturer and workshop leader. An educator with the University of Miami, Prof. J Tomas Lopez has held 35 solo exhibitions of his works, which have won numerous awards. Jason Hawkes’ aerial shots have won him much fame, clients and magazine covers, including the National Geographic. Storytelling is central to travel and documentary photographer Jeffery Garriock’s work, which includes a series on the workers at the Chernobyl nuclear plant. The last staff photographer at LIFE magazine, Joe McNally has done it all and has been listed as one of the ‘100 Most Influential People in Photography’ by American Photo. Special correspondent for Getty Images, John Moore won the World Press Photo of the Year this year for his iconic image ‘Crying Girl on the Border’. Founder and Executive Director of the Miami Street Photography Festival, Juan Jose Reyes is an acclaimed ‘street’ photographer. Kathy Moran is National Geographic magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects and has edited over 300 stories for the magazine. Lars Boering is the Director of the World Press Photo foundation, as well as a photopreneur, advisor on photography, teacher, collector and consultant with decades of experience. Laurel Chor is a freelance photographer, writer, and filmmaker from Hong Kong, who is a National Geographic Explorer, currently focused on photo essays about how China is shaping the natural environment around the planet. Linus Escandor II is an independent photojournalist and documentary photographer who relates stories of the incredible travails of the Filipino community in his native country. Michael Christopher Brown is an American photographer known for his documentation of the 2011 Libyan Civil War, which resulted in the monograph, ‘Libyan Sugar’ (2016). Mike Browne is a commercial photographer who has a passion for training and educating, with clients worldwide and 260,000 followers on YouTube. Mobeen Ansari is a photographer, sculptor and filmmaker from Pakistan who narrates stories of his country’s rich history, highlighting the diversity of its people and places. Dakar-born Omar Victor’s body of work includes fine arts and fashion photography, and he enjoys dabbling in costume design, styling and creative writing. Paul Conroy is a photojournalist and documentary maker who began his career in the military and has worked in warzones all over the world, taking photographs and making films for the BBC, Sky TV and The Sunday Times, amongst others. Dr. Paul Funston has been involved in lion research and conservation for over 25 years and is world renowned for his knowledge and passion for lions across Africa. He is an accomplished photographer having published a photographic essay on the bush experience ‘Spirit on the Bush’ and many popular and scientific articles. Petros Giannakouris is an award-winning Associated Press staff photographer based in Athens. For several years, he has been documenting his county’s financial crisis, and among others, the refugee flow into Europe. Phillip Lee Harvey has spent the past 20 years travelling the world, taking photographs for advertising agencies and magazines which are acclaimed for their graphic quality, use of light and composition. A desire to immortalise every day of his daughter’s life led to his interest in photography, which soon became Rafal Makiela’s passion. Dubai-based Makiela specialises in underwater fashion photography and commercial advertising. A picture editor with many Fleet Street news agencies and magazines, Ray Wells has been with The Sunday Times for the last 25 years. New York City and Miami-based photographer Ron B. Wilson specialises in an award-winning documentary style of photography with an emphasis on environmental portraits. Richard Le Manz is a popular Spanish photographer whose work revolves around telling real and imaginary stories. Sajin Sasidharan is a multiple award-winning fine art photographer based in Dubai, who specialises in black and white, long exposure photography. Sankha Kar is Deputy Photo Editor at Gulf News, Dubai, who has covered several major events, including a tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones and elections in India, and has been in the thick of the action during the civil war in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Somi Nwandu is an award-winning photographer and exhibiting visual artist who works in various media and believes in the power of art to uplift, unify and inspire people. Steve Winter has been a photographer for National Geographic for over two decades and specialises in wildlife, particularly the big cats. He has been named BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and BBC Wildlife Photojournalist of the Year. Initially a photojournalist with The Sunday Times and The Independent, Timothy Allen later went on to photograph ‘Human Planet’ for BBC. He has received numerous commendations. Xavier Portela is a creative director and a self-taught photographer and videographer known for his visual onslaught of signs and neon lights series ‘Glow’, which has grown in popularity since its debut in 2016. Ziyad Al Arfraj tells stories through his camera, with his most famous series being ‘The Face’, which reflects the stories of Saudi Arabian women from every background, representing diversity and variety. A tribute to photographers Sir Don McCullin and David Burnett are two men who have seen history in the making through the lenses of their cameras. From the Vietnam War, to the fall of the Berlin wall and changing regimes in Iran, the two photojournalists have dedicated over sixty years of their lives documenting changes that have shifted the course of history and shaped society. Sir McCullin : “When we became photographers and communicators, we didn’t realise the psychological impact that seeing badly burnt children, dying communities, on a daily basis would have on us.” David Burnett :We are the eyes of the world, whether we like it or not. Visual communication remains one of the strongest and most effective ways of sharing information. I always try to be led by the story and not impose myself upon it. I am an onlooker and someone who garner a sense of what is happening. My desire as a photojournalist is to bring back the story for others to share. Essdras M. Suarez ,two-time Pulitzer prize winner: A photographer is someone who documents real life while being a witness to history in places where other people cannot be there. Look at those journalists who have been covering the Rohingya refugee’s crisis on the other side of the world. If that didn’t make it out into the world, the genocide would just disappear in silence. Photography allows us to see the human face of the world’s greatest leaders “We took about 10,000 pictures every week, through the 416-week Obama administration”, said Lawrence Jackson, the man behind the 4 million-plus White House photos that represent Obama’s two terms in the Oval Office during a presentation he made at Xposure 2018. “We called them ‘naturals’ in the world of photo journalism, which means that they would enter a room and totally ignore the camera; just go about their business”, he added as he a gallery of dozens of pictures of the Obamas at the Oval Office, travelling, making speeches, engaging with citizens, and sometimes, just having a laugh – several of which have never been showed to an audience before this Sharjah presentation he made. With a picture of Barack and Hollywood A-lister Meryl Streep on the Xposure display, Jackson really drove the point home that the world’s busiest politicians taking decisions that determine a nation’s future are, well, only human at the end of the day. “I don’t think they had met before. He was gushing on her like a fan boy. Michelle was just giggling standing behind”, he said. Thank you, Lawrence. Your pictures have allowed us to connect to a leader at a basic, human level. The photo helps us make sense of the technology revolution and its impact New Zealander Rob Taggart, one of Xposure’s guest photographers last year, began his photojournalism career in the 1970s. He’s faced every curveball rapid technological advancement has had on news photography, in the past forty years. Despite being at the centre of this technological revolution, the man was perplexed by the rate and magnitude of the digital evolution, which today is nothing like the what it was when he began his career as a lensman. “Back in the day, humankind used what is called pre-wire photo distribution - an early method of transmitting pictures. Bikes, trains and planes, would transmit hard copies of photos around the world. Sometimes it would take days.” The impact of technology on media and photography, Taggart explained through a personal experience as he compared the Reuters’ coverage of two royal weddings, one in 1981 and another in 2018. “In 1981, we sent the black and white frames first, as colour versions would take more time and we were trying to defeat competition. Today, the pictures take less than a split-second to be transmitted. The difference is like night and day.” These incredible transformations become clear to us, thanks to photographers like Taggart who dedicate over 40 years of their lives documenting evolution. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAST PAGE (This part will include different photo captions from different photos that will be exhibited at Xposure 2019. The photo captions will be inserted into empty frames ) Album… First picture: What a harsh life, when a child chips away at rocks hundreds of feet below the surface in order to survive. This picture by Spanish photographer Antonio Aragon Renuncion tells the suffering of children working the mines of Burkina Faso in search for gold. Second picture: “Enemy of the wildlife is now considered an enemy of the people.” ‘Sudan,’ the last white rhino that existed… this picture is a call to all people to take care of animals and its natural habitat. Mankind should be part of nature that is home to all living things. Third picture: This is a picture of an Iraqi child selling ice-cream close to Mosul church and in the ruins of old city of Mosul. Fourth picture: Fashion explorations under water Fifth Picture: Child crying on US-Mexico border Sixth Picture: The joy of children during Eid (Afghanistan) Seventh Picture: Cherry blossoms in Japan Eighth Picture: Massive flames burn thousands of hectares of the Amazon rainforest