Nikon Photo Contest Winners 2022-2023
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Nikon recently announced the winners of its annual Nikon Photo Contest for 2022-2023. Running for over 50 years, the global photo contest sees entries from creators across the globe. In this year’s competition, Nikon received over 70,000 image submissions from more than 35,000 entrants from over 180 countries.
Photo entries are split into two primary categories: ‘Single Photo’ and a multi-image ‘Photo Story’ category. The overall Grand Prize winners were selected from among the Excellence Award winners. This year, Nikon also introduced a ‘General Public Award,’ with the winner selected through public voting.
DPReview has compiled a gallery of the winning photos along with statements from the artists behind the photographs. Visit the Nikon Photo Contest website for more information about this year’s photo category winners, as well as the winners of the Short Film, Super Short Film, and Grand Prize Winner in the video categories.
Grand Prize Winner
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Photo: ‘Tears in the rain’ by Austin Garcia, Philippines
Artist Statement: ‘During the well-known festival here in Angono called the ”Higantes Festival” I was drawn to this subject wherein a child was clinging tightly to his father, while around the child was chaos caused by the celebration of the festival. Water was splashing everywhere and in this particular scene you can see the amount of the water being thrown into the crowd.’
Excellence Award – Single Photo Category
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Photo: ‘She Remembers’ by Michael Snyder, USA
Artist Statement: ‘My wife’s mother touches her daughter’s face at the moment she recognized her. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, her memory had all but faded with our visits. On this night, as soon as my wife sat down next to her, she called out my wife’s name, then looked at me taking the photo, then forgot who my wife was. Her mother passed away this morning at 3 a.m., October 31, 2022.’
Special Encouragement Award – Single Photo Category
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Photo: ‘Hot Water’ by Ahmet Fatih Sönmez, Turkey
Artist Statement: ‘In eastern Turkey, the winter months are quite harsh. People living in villages come to the area where the hot water comes out to comfort their animals, clean and care for them. While doing this, they show their love for them.’
Special Encouragement Award – Single Photo Category
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Photo: ‘Transmigration of loved ones’ by Maruf Shimanto, Bangladesh
Artist Statement: ‘According to Bangladeshi culture, when a girl gets married, she has to leave her home. From this infinite love and affection of the father, she is transferred to her husband’s house. This migration of loved ones is a given in this culture.’
Special Encouragement Award – Single Photo Category
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Photo: ‘A Mother’s Journey’ by Fahim Mahmudur, Bangladesh
Artist Statement: ‘A mother and her son traveled on a train in Bangladesh, heading towards the city for the son’s medical treatment. The sound of his laughter, the feeling of his hugs and the memories of happier times flooded her mind. The reality of her son’s illness was too much to bear. She whispered prayers, hoping for a miracle. The train chugged on, but her heart felt heavy as she faced an uncertain future.’
Special Encouragement Award – Single Photo Category
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Photo: ‘FIDELITY’ by MERİÇ AKTAR, Turkey
Artist Statement: ‘In Hatay Province, Turkey, Uncle Mehmet is helping his wife called Fatma having her lunch who has trouble of walking and is bedridden for 5 years. At that time, two of their grandsons are playing on the sofa. The couple, being married for 48 years, helps each other at every stage of life. Fatma, whose hands are shaking due to her illness, is having lunch by the help of her husband every noon.
Excellence Award – Photo Story Category
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Photo: ‘A father trapped in time’ by Wang Chuan, China
Artist Statement: ‘Everyone can only walk with you for a while.’ The sudden death of my mother left my father somewhat at a loss. Since I have to work out of the town during the weekdays, leaving my father alone at a large and seemingly extraordinarily cold home. I sometimes take time to go home to accompany him and clearly feel my father’s strength as the head of family. I also understand my father’s loneliness behind his strength. In the daily routine of working, resting, eating, sleeping …… My father calmly accepted this cyclical journey of life.’
Note: This is one selection from the awarded Photo Story. Visit the story page to view all the images.
Excellence Award – Photo Story Category
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Photo: ‘My Beloved Teacher’ by SUMAN BALLAV, India
Artist Statement: ‘School teacher affected by Poliomyelitis disease continuing his duty and struggling with health issue. Because of disabilities students help him out to reach school. Students love him so much even they help to drink water to everything whatever he needs. Students make him happy and help to forget all his disabilities he had. It is the humanitarian bond between teacher and his beloved students.’
Note: This is one selection from the awarded Photo Story. Visit the story page to view all the images.
Special Encouragement Award – Photo Story Category
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Photo: ‘His Invisible Presence’ by Natcha Wongchanglaw, USA
Artist Statement: ‘Life is far too short. Until my father unexpectedly passed away, I never understood it. From the moment he fell ill until he passed away, I was present for the entire event and observed it take place. Using my personal experience to present how my late father has passed, yet his presence is still felt everywhere—I wish to investigate the subject of my loved one’s invisible presence in this work.’
Note: This is one selection from the awarded Photo Story. Visit the story page to view all the images.
Special Encouragement Award – Photo Story Category
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Photo: ‘The last portrait!’ by Mehrdad Vahed Yousefabad, Islamic Republic of Iran
Artist Statement: ‘Vadi-Rahmat cemetery of Tabriz, Blocks 65 and 57, mothers, fathers, husbands, wives and childrens are sleeping at here. They are the victims of the Covid-19 epidemic buried in these blocks. According to Iranian culture and customs, a portrait of the deceased is engraved on a tombstone. The last portrait of them … (The first and last picture are about my aunts who died by Covid-19).’
Note: This is one selection from the awarded Photo Story. Visit the story page to view all the images.
Special Encouragement Award – Photo Story Category
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Photo: ‘A love that doesn’t fit in bed’ by Tiago Magalhães, Brazil
Artist Statement: ‘Gabriel was born in November 2018 and, since then, I discovered a love that doesn’t fit in words. Maybe it fits partially in these 5 images. In the beginning, Gabriel used to sleep with me and my wife, in his baby crib; now he comes to our room when he has a nightmare or wakes up to piss. Result: I lost my place; the family album won a different way to register his growth.’
Note: This is one selection from the awarded Photo Story. Visit the story page to view all the images.
General Public Award Winner
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Photo: ‘Thirsty calf’ by Me Ko Lay, Myanmar
Artist Statement: ‘It is a picture of a child giving water to a thirsty calf in a hot, dry summer.’
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This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
