First Prize: Navkiran Natt

Reclaiming the nights and their rights

© Navkiran Natt

Author Name: Navkiran Natt

Author Location: Delhi, India

Author Background: Navkiran Natt is a student-youth activist and researcher who works between Punjab and Delhi. She is trained as a dentist and later completed her Masters in Film Studies from Ambedkar University, Delhi. She works on transnational Punjabi migration and its reflections in Punjabi popular culture. She also did a podcast series on the health implications of the Green revolution in Punjab. She loves to capture some moments in time and is an inspiring documentary filmmaker. Currently, she is an editorial team member of Trolley Times, a newsletter which started from within the farmers' movement.

The women protestors sitting in a Trolley, parked on the national highway approaching Delhi, during the on-going Farmers' movement in India. It was December, 2020 when the temperature in this region falls down up to Zero degree Celsius at night. Indian farmers are resisting the three anti-farmer laws passed by the Indian government in 2020 and the women protesters became the backbone of this movement. Thousands of farmers are sitting on the national highways approaching Delhi from last more than 9 months now.

Submission Statement: The ongoing farmers’ protest in India is being hailed as ‘the biggest ever people’s protest in the history of the country. The protest has created a worldwide audience and rekindled the hope for a mass movement to bring about progressive change in India. In the last decade, we have witnessed many mass movements across the country, but none of this scale and none on the issue of land. The farmers' strike began on November 26, 2020, with farmers marching towards the national capital of Delhi. They were met with brute force at the borders of Delhi but they stayed firm in their determination to peacefully protest and blocked the national highways that surround the city. This strike has seen the participation of 250 million people. These numbers tell the story of the deep crisis and mass rage reaching boiling point in India. There has been much written about the movement from various perspectives. But through my work, I want to highlight the gender aspect of this mass movement led by farmers. The sheer number of women protestors and the way they led this movement and made it stronger make us believe that definitely the Women Build a Better World.

Comments from the Judges:

Karen Dias: “This image invokes a sense of solidarity and camaraderie with the women huddled together in the tent. The lighting and the nighttime setting add a sense of warmth and community.”

Katie Jett Walls: “Excellent framing and rich colors draw the viewer into the clear visual details that convey exactly what we need to understand. Excellent caption compliments and deepens the viewing of the image. Well done.”

Molly Roberts: “The composition and the colors in addition to the content make this image intriguing and add to the impact of this photograph.”

Second Prize: Daniela Gómez

8M

© Daniela Gómez

Author Name: Daniela Gómez Oroza

Author Location: Perú

Author Background: Being a 22 years old communications student at first I started in photography as a hobby, but with time I realized that I could tell more with my pictures, not only by showing the beauty that surrounds me but also by telling stories of the people and the places that I found, pictures that can resonate with others and let them identify themselves with the moments I'm capturing. I'm still on my journey as a photographer, trying to show the world the way I see it.

Girls screaming in 8M march in Bogotá, Colombia: Revindicating women's rights

Submission Statement: One of the most exciting and revealing moments of my life was when I attended for the first time an 8M march. I went angry and tired with the harsh reality, how every day girls and women get kidnapped, missing or raped, and there I realize how strong we are together, how many voices are out there fighting and screaming for a change, trusting and working towards building a better future.

Comments from the Judges:

Karen Dias: “This photograph gives me a sense of being amidst the action of the protest. The body language, the faces, the colors; all add to the sense of strength and resilience.”

Katie Jett Walls: “Strong and symbolic color instantly places this photo into its time and place, powerful emotion present in subject. Strong composition as well.”

Third Prize: Aung Chan Thar

Women

© Aung Chan Thar

Author Name: Aung Chan Thar

Author Location: Hpa-An, Myanmar

Author Background: Aung Chan Thar is a young photographer from Myanmar. He loves travelling and taking photographs of landscapes, festivals, lifestyle of people and of course their portraits as well.

Submission Statement: Women are the best cooking people. They are agricultural people, business people and so on. They took the responsibility to make the world better.

Comments from the judges:

Karen Dias: “Classically, this image is on point with its colors, composition, light and mood. It's a lovely moment that makes me feels a sense of joy.”

Katie Jeff Walls: “This vibrant photograph fills the frame with pattern and color, makes use of all the tools of good composition and exquisite lighting to give us a glimpse into the lives of women's daily contribution to the most important parts of life.”

Molly Roberts: “The colors of the clothing and vegetables and the captured gesture of the women in the foreground make a grand metaphorical statement about the power of women when they work together.”

Honorable Mention: Amy Moyi

Women empowering women

© Amy Moyi

Author Name: Amy Moyi

Author Location: Nairobi , Kenya

Submission Statement: Female adult education teacher impacting women with education- The photograph depicts women achieving, or striving to achieve, through realization of their goals or empowering other women through education. It shows adult women attending classes implying it's never too late to learn or make a difference.

Comments from the judges:

Karen Dias: “This image takes me back to being in school, surrounded by my friends and classmates with a teacher that I loved. I can almost hear the bustle of the classroom in this photograph.”

Katie Jett Walls: “Loved the richly textured and very graphic background of this photo with the foreground filled with students and the teacher standing tall in the center of her classroom. Good lines throughout make a strong photograph.”

Honorable Mention: Prashant Kapoor

Entrepreneurs

© Prashant Kapoor

Author Name: Prashant Kapoor

Author Location: Singapore, Singapore

Submission Title: Burmese boat kitchen for laborers

Submission Statement: During hundreds of missions to some of the most beautiful countries in the world, some of the most difficult photos to take are that of women. There is always a reluctance to invade their space and privacy. This series is about micro- entrepreneurs. Women often take on these small scale efforts to supplement their income and sometimes are the key to reducing food poverty for their children.

This Burmese woman runs her own food business serving hot food to the daily wage laborers who mine sand for a living. Her face is covered with a home-made sunscreen.

Comments from the judges:

Karen Dias: “This photograph invokes a sense of curiosity in me, I want to know more about the woman cooking, the boat, the child in the background, the setting in the image. It's a lovely slice of life image.”

Katie Jett Walls: “A dynamic composition elevates a mundane moment, and I'm very drawn to the earthy colors of the outer edges of frame encircling the colorful elements inside the boat.”

Honorable Mention: Taiwo Aina

Celebrating Women

© Taiwo Aina

Author Name: Taiwo Aina

Author Location: Ilorin, Nigeria

Author Background: Taiwo Aina is a visual storyteller and filmmaker who specializes in documentary stories and creative portraiture. Taiwo currently creates works around daily life experiences, religion, agriculture, entrepreneurship. Taiwo is interested in capturing beautiful moments. She loves to travel and discover new cultures while interacting with people, and broadening her knowledge.

Submission Statement: This is an image from a series that interrogates how emerging, and established women in Africa whose choice of work is changing occupational stereotypes by getting involved in 'male professions' and also identity function in the profession. Traditionally, women are excused from certain occupations. However, in contemporary times, women are reengineering our society to witness a shift. It is no news that females in our society are forging new, fresh paths, on several fronts ranging from primary jobs to politics and on to leadership. Now, we have a lot of women pushing the scope of impediments to establish themselves in professions inherently set aside for men. Most take it up, not because of the monetary compensations, but for passion, without giving much consideration to the clog of stress I bomber. In my part of the world, photography was majorly practiced by men, and taking on the profession, I get queries from different people, some strangers, about the motive behind my choice of career. Some ask why I do not consider more 'feminine vocations'. At work, people often refer to me as a tomboy, a language that I dislike. Using the portraits of the females dressed in their bespoke outfit to debunk the fact that we are tom-boys. I aim to spotlight and celebrate young women like myself who have braved lesser-traveled paths and have managed to remain on track. Furthermore, I hope this body of work challenges other women shackled by societal limitations to move in the way of their hearts.

Comments from the judges:

Katie Jett Walls": “Graphically rich and contemporary, this portrait packs a punch in color and rewards a closer look with great lines and details. As a fan of abstract painting, this photograph delivers what I love artistically and serves its goals of showing how pushing boundaries enriches both the economy and art/photography.”