Focus…shoot for these global photo awards

Focus…shoot for these global photo awards

January 30, 2022 By The Connect

Mobile photography is also welcome at International Photographer of the Year Awards

HYDERABAD, Jan 29 (The CONNECT) - Hyderabad is chosen as the host city for the maiden International Photographer of the Year Awards (IPOY 2022).

The Awards will be presented in September in Hyderabad. More than 5000 photographers from 65 countries are expected to compete for the awards to be given out in eight different categories. All the award-winning photographers will be flown to Hyderabad.

This will help position Hyderabad, its brand, culture and identity. Hyderabad is already a global city. The contest allows us to showcase the city, its culture, uniqueness to the community of global photographers and others, said BM Santhosh, MD - Hyderabad Growth Corridor Limited (HGCL) and Secretary the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).

Addressing media, Santhosh said though HMDA is an urban planning agency of Hyderabad in Telangana is equally responsible not just to plan but also to showcase its infrastructure, promote the city, art and culture.

The Indian Photo Festival (IPF), he said, has been exposed to more than four million audience and its website is visited from 140 countries. Seven editions are held so far.   This augurs well for us. Though Hyderabad is well known globally, we will still improve its stature.

The entries will be called in eight categories such as Photo Journalism, Documentary, Travel and Nature, Wildlife, Street, Portrait, Wedding and Mobiles. We have democratized participation by adding ‘Mobiles’ as a category. So that people need not worry that this competition is only meant for professionals. Today, with a mobile phone in hand, everyone is a photographer and videographer, said Aquin Mathews, Founder and the Festival Director of IPF.

Entries can be submitted here

Photography can change the world. It has been a great educator. It has the power to change your perspective on life. It is a universal language. It records history, flashes it back to the bygone era. It preserves beautiful memories. It has the power to stop time for a moment. Now it will add its power to promote Hyderabad globally, Mathews said. 

A pool of $ 25000 worth of cash and camera gear are to be won by the winners. It will open for accepting entries from photographers from around the world from March 21st. And the last date will be June 21st. Shortlisted winners will be announced on August 15. The awards will be presented on September 10, 2022, in Hyderabad. All the award-winning photographs will be showcased at the IPF exhibition to be held in Hyderabad from September 11 to October 12th, Mathews said.    

P. Ramakrishna Rao, President of CREDAI Hyderabad said the 400-plus-year-old city of Hyderabad has many monuments, rocks, landscapes and attractions, which can be showcased well to an international audience.  IPOY 2022 helps promote Hyderabad and attract more visitors to the city. He also advised the organizers to incorporate the category, “Host City Award” 

Indian Photo Festival (IPF) is a Hyderabad based, not-for-profit initiative of Light Craft Foundation, which is India's longest-running international photography festival showcasing a wide range of photography from India and around the globe with a series of events to promote the art of photography and at the same time addresses social issues through the medium of photography.