The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) has concluded the May 2021 edition of the Instagram Photo Contest, Day Light. Seven winners were announced for the competition, which received submissions under the hashtag #HIPAContest_daylight. The contest winners hailed from; Ukraine, Oman, Indonesia, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

HIPA Secretary General, Ali bin Thalith said, “Dealing with different lighting conditions is at the heart of photography. We often see unassuming photos, transformed through the genius of lighting. Our choice of ‘Daylight’ for this month’s competition was to test the skills and artistic visions of photographers in embracing natural light to produce photographic inspirations; and we were not disappointed with the level of participation. We congratulate the winners and wish all participants the best in upcoming editions. We encourage everyone to keep participating and to continue nurturing your craft.”

Our winner from Oman MAHMOOD MOHAMMED  ALJABRI @mm_aljabri said, “The photo was taken in Manah in the Al Dakhiliyah Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman, where a group of young people perform the ‘Al Razha’ dance, which is a popular folk art on religious and national occasions and weddings. I have achieved many international achievements, but winning the Hamdan bin Mohammed International Photography Award is completely different; as the competition has artistic value and a great global standing.

Winning such a competition is a great personal achievement. Winning photography competitions on Instagram provides great marketing for  a photographer’s business. My ambition in photography has no limits. I aspire to win the annual competition of HIPA as well as learn from their photography experts and photography workshops led by international photographers.”

Frans Eddy Bungaran Siregar @franzire99, our winner from Indonesia said, “The photo was taken on Sunday, June 14, 2019 in a suburb of Jakarta, I was with my colleagues on a short trip to take pictures with a focus on people. The idea of ​​children playing with kites and bamboo blocks evoked the memory of childhood joy for me, as it is for most Indonesians, where the feeling of innocence and freedom is a beautiful human feeling. I focused on identifying the best angle taking into consideration the lighting conditions from the sun and the shade of the bamboo. The result  was a happy child-like shot.

I am an officer in the Indonesian Air Force, and this is my first win in an online photo competition. Being able to win the HIPA competition was a prestigious experience for me. I felt encouraged, supported and confident to continue taking photos. Personally, I think that different people have a different way of looking at something or a moment. Photography is one of the best mediums for describing visions and the aesthetics of life. I always aspire to use my lens to share meaningful shots, which is what inspires me in my photography business. The win will help me promote the other side of military life, to show that we have an artistic sense for humanity too.”

Yevhen Samuchenko @qn_travel, our winner from Ukraine said, “The photo was taken in Odessa - Ukraine. I chose the best time so that shadows were as long as possible and perpendicular to the wave line. With the drone, I started looking for an interesting shot and was lucky to fly over these people with the dogs and take photos.

My career is full of wins, but winning HIPA is a great and special honour for me. This is my fifth win with HIPA and I aspire to win many more. I congratulate HIPA for the work they do to develop the art of photography in the world.”