PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD HIPA Winners of ‘Geometry’ and ‘Then and Now’ Instagram Photo Contests

HIPA announced Ten winners for both contests, under the hashtag #HIPAContest_Geometry for the August edition and #HIPAContest_ThenandNow for the September edition. The contest winners hailed from; Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Australia, Turkey, Ukraine, India and Bangladesh.

HIPA Secretary General Ali bin Thalith said, "Geometry requires a unique perspective by the photographer to share with us what they may see that we don't. Geometry has its secrets and stories to tell, be it subtle, bold or simply exquisite. Bin Thalith added, "One of the most prominent rhetorical abilities of the photo is also its ability to visually compare between times. We chose this topic to give photographers the opportunity to explore every changing face of time over the years through structures.

Congratulations to all our winners, and we commend all our participants who continue to persevere and are dedicated to the continued development of their craft. We congratulate the Egyptian photographer Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban for his second successive win, a true reflection of his hard work and photographic versatility."

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban @ahmedhamid77 said, "The photo was taken in Doha, the capital of Qatar last March. This building, designed by the famous architect I. M. Pei, always inspires me. Perhaps my architectural experience is the reason for my great interest in symmetrical forms."

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban also said, "I was invited by a friend to take some morning photos from the rooftop of a high-rise building in Doha. It was a good opportunity to photograph this antique hotel, and as soon as I knew about the contest, I decided to use the photo. I have previously won many competitions, but winning in HIPA is a constant goal that I strive for. Winning here gives me even greater credibility as a photographer, promoting both my work and I. As for how he felt about winning two consecutive competitions, he said, "It is a great honour to win two competitions in a row with two different themes. It has inspired me to aim even higher and chase the grand prize for the Nature Season."

Moneer Mohammad Alhammad @moneer_alhammad, our 'Geometry' winner from Saudi Arabia, expressed, "The photo was taken outside an IKEA store. I was going to take the photo to highlight the contrast of yellow and blue next to the shopping carts. However, I heard the sound of a quarrel between the workers and their supervisors, and suddenly an angry worker passed by the shopping carts. This unexpected moment became the focus of the photo. This is my first win and came as a great surprise. Winning has given me the courage to develop my photography skills and develop it as fine art."

Khaled Suleyman @khaled_suleyman, our 'Then and Now' winner from Egypt, said, "I took the photo in front of the Qasr El-Nil Bridge in Cairo during sunset on November 24, 2017, and was the first time I was experimenting with long exposure. I have previously won many competitions locally and internationally, but winning the HIPA competition made me especially proud, as the Award has a great reputation in the photography community. I am grateful to the team at HIPA for nurturing such a wonderful platform for us photographers."

Winners of 'Geometry' competition

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban, Egypt

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban, Egypt, @ahmedhamid77 / Courtesy of HIPA

Moneer Mohammad Alhammad, Saudi Arabia

Moneer Mohammad Alhammad, Saudi Arabia, @moneer_alhammad / Courtesy of HIPA

Hassan Thabet Sadek, Palestine

Hassan Thabet Sadek, Palestine, @hth_surreal_photographer / Courtesy of HIPA

Shyjith Onden Cheriyath, India, @shyjith_kannur

Shyjith Onden Cheriyath, India, @shyjith_kannur / Courtesy of HIPA

Mohammad Akib Amjad, Bangladesh

Mohammad Akib Amjad, Bangladesh, @el.magnific0 / Courtesy of HIPA

Winners of the 'Then and Now' competition

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban, Egypt

Ahmed Abdel Hamid Shaaban, Egypt, @ahmedhamid77 / Courtesy of HIPA

Khaled Suleyman, Egypt

Khaled Suleyman, Egypt, @khaled_suleyman / Courtesy of HIPA

Carole Mills Noronha, Australia

Carole Mills Noronha, Australia, @carolemillsnoronha / Courtesy of HIPA

Erdal Turkoglu, Turkey

Erdal Turkoglu, Turkey, @erdalturkoglu_ / Courtesy of HIPA

Yevhen Samuchenko, Ukraine

Yevhen Samuchenko, Ukraine, @qn_travel / Courtesy of HIPA