Discover the results of The Independent Photographer's photo contest, that took place in October 2019, and that was organized around the theme ‘People’. From all the corners of the world, across all cultures and borders: the People Photography Award aimed to discover and celebrate the diversity of the human race.
Competition Judge was Magdalena Herrera. Born in Havana to a family of artists, Magdalena Herrera studied fine art and art history at the Sorbonne in Paris before starting her career as a photographer and art director.
She has worked in books, print, and magazines, spending ten years as Art Director and head of the photo department at National Geographic before joining Geo France as Director of Photography.
Her experience and her eye for photography mean that she is regularly solicited as a jury member at international photography competitions.
Discover the images of 10 visual artists whose work shows an exceptional level of talent. Congratulations to the winners and finalists!
#1 Hugo Santarem Rodrigues - 3rd Prize
"Nagnabakoro Bibime" - a portrait of an Ethiopian woman from the Mursi tribe.
From series ‘Interior’ - “In 2016, I took a global ancestry DNA test to discover my origins. From the result, I decided to travel to the interior of the countries where my ancestors came from.
The Project started in 2015 and brought me to Ethiopia and Kenya and is still in progress. Deep down, the base of the project is to respect differences, and learn to see people the same way as you see yourself.”
From series ‘Interior’ - “In 2016, I took a global ancestry DNA test to discover my origins. From the result, I decided to travel to the interior of the countries where my ancestors came from.
The Project started in 2015 and brought me to Ethiopia and Kenya and is still in progress. Deep down, the base of the project is to respect differences, and learn to see people the same way as you see yourself.”
Report
40points
#3 Joshua Sneade
“Nomads #3” from an upcoming series documenting Nomads in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.
Report
33points
#4 Mauro De Bettio
“Chasing Spirits”, Comanesti, Romania.
The Bear festival is an annual tradition taking place every winter when New Year is approaching. Men and women of all ages dress in bear skins and dance to the rhythm of flutes and percussion to drive away evil spirits and welcome the New Year. The show is called “Ursul, The Bear Dance Festival”, and is a ritual that symbolizes the death and rebirth of time. A tradition preserved since ancient times that is still lives today.
The Bear festival is an annual tradition taking place every winter when New Year is approaching. Men and women of all ages dress in bear skins and dance to the rhythm of flutes and percussion to drive away evil spirits and welcome the New Year. The show is called “Ursul, The Bear Dance Festival”, and is a ritual that symbolizes the death and rebirth of time. A tradition preserved since ancient times that is still lives today.
Report
32points
#6 Angelika Kollin - 1st Prize
Portrait of a domestic worker Monica in a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.
Report
28points
#7 Fatima Mian
“Staff Room”, Pakistan. "From Pakistan" - a collection of travel images including a landscape of Hunza, the Himalayan and portraits of the population.
Report
23points
#8 Elisha Donkin
“Priest in Lalibela” - a portrait of a priest inside a rock-hewn church in Lalibela, Ethiopia.
Report
22points
#9 Alexander Niklass
“Annual Wakhi migration”, Afghanistan.
From the series “Wild Wild Wakhan".
From the series “Wild Wild Wakhan".
Report
16points
