The Independent Photographer, an international network of photography enthusiasts & photographers, has announced the winners of its Street Photography contest that took place in September 2020.
The photo contest aimed to celebrate and reward photographers for being best at observing and recording life on the streets.
Richard Kalvar, the judge of the competition, was born in 1944. He is an American photographer who has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1977. Kalvar’s photographs frequently play on the discrepancy between the banality of a real situation and the uncanny feeling that is produced by a particular choice of timing and framing. In 1972, Richard Kalvar helped found the Viva agency and in 1975, he became an associate member of Magnum Photos, and a full member two years later. He has subsequently served as vice president and president. Richard Kalvar has done extensive work in America, Asia, Europe, and notably in France, Italy, England, and the United States. A major retrospective of his work was shown at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in 2007, accompanied by his book “Earthlings.”
Whether the subject was your own urban environment or your experience exploring other territories and cultures: We were looking for those spontaneous and fleeting moments and it is our great pleasure to present the work of these incredibly talented artists!
Maude Bardet - 1st Prize
Image credits: Maude Bardet
“Goat auctions in Nizwa” – Oman.
Feedback from Richard Kalvar:
“A beautiful moment, with a complex structure. The photographer has succeeded in capturing a scene full of movement, with every element in place. The flow of men and animals creates a kind of dance. The dark background, aided by the shooting angle from below, makes the people stand out. And the photographer has managed to disappear, unnoticed by the participants.”
Prize received: $1000.
Mithail Afrige Chowdhury – 2nd Prize
Image credits: Mithail Afrige Chowdhury
“The Eyes” - Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Feedback from Richard Kalvar:
“A simple image, where all the lines and the reduced depth of field bring the viewer’s eye to that of the subject, the most important place in the picture. We’re in a mysterious scene. Why is this partly hidden man looking at us like that, with anger, or fear, or curiosity? And is his head turned to the left or to the right?”
Prize received: $600.
Francesco Gioia – 3rd Prize
Image credits: Francesco Gioia
“Red girl” - Oxford Street, London, UK.
Feedback from The Independent Photographer Editors:
“Gioia’s perfectly timed, color-punctuated shot resonates with palpable atmosphere and embodies the forthright, spontaneous approach made famous by some of the genre’s most renowned practitioners, namely Martin Parr, Bruce Gilden, and Tom Wood.”
Prize received: $400.
Alexandra Avlonitis – Finalist
Image credits: Alexandra Avlonitis
“Marchers, St. Patrick’s Day Parade” - New York City, USA.
Giuseppe Cirillo – Finalist
Image credits: Giuseppe Cirillo
“Untitled” - India.
Johnny Martinez – Finalist
Image credits: Johnny Martinez
“MIKE” - Shangai, China.
An older gentleman smoking, with a belt reading "MIKE".
Luning Cao – Finalist
Image credits: Luning Cao
“Egg Picker” - China.
A man is picking out duck eggs in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.
Paul Kessel – Finalist
Image credits: Paul Kessel
“Soho” - New York City, USA.
Stephen Taylor – Finalist
Image credits: Stephen Taylor
“Broken Home” - Barbados.
A man walks past an abandoned house in Bathsheba, Barbados.
Sujon Adhikary – Finalist
Image credits: Sujon Adhikary
“Shadow tells many tales” – Bangladesh.