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Nine budding Bahrain-based photographers have picked up prizes in the ‘Reflection of the Two Seas’ competition hosted by the General Organisation of Sea Ports (GOP) as part of the Bahrain Maritime Festival 2011.
The competition, which was launched last month, received strong response from enthusiasts who were tasked with capturing aspects of Bahrain’s maritime life, industry or landscape.
In a contest that drew in a large number of qualifying entries across three categories, selecting the images was the role of three of Bahrain’s most prominent professional photographers – Khalifa Shaheen, Ali Riffai and Loredana Montello.
For each category, the judging panel selected three winners, in addition to short-listing images which they considered to be highly commendable and merited for showcasing in an exhibition held at Seef Mall last week.
Winners in the first category (10-16 years) were Divya Damodaran, Jyotisman Das and Ahmed Al Rawi, in first, second and third place respectively.
In the second category (16+ years), winners were Ferdi Arkiferdz, Chantal Willers and Hussain Alkumaish.
The final category (exclusively for GOP and sponsors’ team members and their families) included Sayed Isa Ebrahim who took first place, Christopher Posadas who came second and Aqeela Nasser Abdulaziz who took third spot.
All first place prize winners won a BD500 voucher from Sharaf DG, second place entries won an iPad 2 and those who came third won professional photography lessons.
Five hundred photographs were submitted and the judges narrowed these down to around 100 entries which met the competition criteria, and in addition to the top nine images, a further 29 were selected for the mall exhibition.
Hassan Ali Al Majed, director general of GOP, said: “We were very pleased by the response that we got from the public for this competition. As an island, Bahrain’s rich maritime landscape provides endless scenes for the competition subject, and judging by the outstanding work we have seen in the entries, this landscape serves as inspiration for citizens and residents alike. The showcased images are truly exceptional, but all of the entries that met the criteria deserve a mention and GOP will endeavour to promote this work as best as we can.”
The photography competition was part of Bahrain’s annual week-long celebrations to mark World Maritime Day. Each year, the International Maritime Organisation observes World Maritime Day and focuses on a particular theme to highlight the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and protecting the marine environment.
Given Bahrain’s long-standing sea-based legacy and rich maritime tradition, the GOP hosts a unique week-long event that aims to spread awareness about Bahrain’s role in the maritime industry and help position the kingdom as an important player on the global scene. Last year, the GOP held a photography exhibition of vintage pearling and marine-related images from KSDI, GulfWeekly’s ‘Bygone Bahrain’ contributor.
Ferdi Raymundo, 31, an architect from the Philippines, currently working as a project designer at Pico International Bahrain:
Photography is one of my ways of expressing myself. My photos usually reflect what, or how, I felt the moment I took it. This photograph shows serenity and peace. The sea makes me feel so calm and free and it is the message that I’m trying to convey through this image.
I’ve been involved in photography since 2008. I am a member of the Gulf Photographers’ Network, a group consisting mostly of Filipino photo enthusiasts here in Bahrain. What I love about photography is the power to freeze and capture great moments. It can give deeper meaning to lifeless objects, put emotions to impassive faces and give great emphasis to small things.
Divya Damodaran, 13, a 9th grade student from The Indian School Bahrain, Um Al Hassam:
I have been taking all sorts of pictures since the age of 10 when my father gave me a Sony digicam and I really enjoyed it as a hobby. This particular picture was taken at the Amwaj Marina last month on a visit with my parents. I really liked the lighting effect being created and so clicked some pictures. I heard about the competition from my father and decided to participate.
Sayed Isa Ebrahim Hashim, 39, a marine engineer working as a department head in Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Co:
When I arrived for work I was fascinated by the view – the sun was just starting to wake up while all of the structures around it appeared to be still dozing. By a stroke of luck I had my camera with me. At that time I thought I would snap the view and enjoy it with others as well.
For the past 20 years, I have enjoyed photography as a hobby only and, by chance, our marketing manager distributed the contest forms via email, so I thought I would try my luck. After all those years it was the first time that I had entered any kind of contest. And, to my surprise, I won!
