Alliance Francaise Award Photo Competition Prizes

MPHO TLALE
Staff Writer | Monday March 18, 2013 00:00

 

Ryan Jansssens' black and white photographs emerged the winners of the competition. The two photographs commanded attention with their beautiful composition that was easy on the eye and released the soul of images more than the colour photographs.  Unfortunately, Janssens was not present at the ceremony to receive his prize because he was traveling out of Botswana.

Speaking at the prize giving ceremony, the competition's coordinator Ulf Nermark explained the judging procedure leading up to the selection of the winner. He said Janssens' first photo of a fisherman dragging two fish defied the normal rules of photography commanding one to look at a picture starting from left to the right. Nermark explained how the photo instead had its concentration point beginning at the bottom right of the photo and went across to the left. In the second photograph, Janssens was commended on his use of light in the photo of a man working on a surfing board.

The other two winners were Thapelo Mpotokwane and Ungwang Boiteto who won second and third prize respectively. Nermark commended Mpotokwane's  two photographs for the use of colour and the creative way it showed people at work.

Explaining the inspiration for his photos, Mpotokwane said he was aiming at capturing the everyday struggle of people who work but don't wear ties and suits.

He said: 'Everyday we appreciate people in suits and ties but not those who work hard with their hands for the better of the country.'

Boiteto's photography which won  third position submitted one colour and one black & white photograph. The colour photo showed a herd of cattle with a herdboy standing in between them, while  the black and white picture depicted a man carrying joint planks with a shadow reflecting on the ground.

Commenting about the photos, Nermark said the picture with the herdsman and his cattle is relevant to Botswana where rearing cattle is part of the culture. He added the second picture depicts the day to day hustle of people at work using their hands.