PHOTOGRAPHY The 8th Season’s Theme Announced at the HIPA Press Conference

The Secretary General of HIPA, His Excellency Ali bin Thalith / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The Secretary General of HIPA, His Excellency Ali bin Thalith said, "In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council and Patron of HIPA, we continue our journey of visual education, as we shed the light on an array of topics that entice creative minds and ignite photographers’ motivation to achieve the impossible. We also celebrate the ongoing global recognition of HIPA which has reached 196 countries, exceeding the total of 300 thousand participation within the past 7 editions. As per the directives of HIPA’s patron to support humanitarian causes, we also launched the “Lakum” humanitarian initiative last November, to spread messages of love and giving to thousands of children around the world."

His Excellency Ali bin Thalith shared a special news for HIPA’s next season: "His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council and Patron of HIPA will personally choose three photographs next season which will be rewarded under HIPA’s Special Awards Categories, through a certain method that will be announced at a later stage."

HIPA is very strict when it comes to proving the authorship of the submitted photographs and photographers should pay attention to the legal terms of the competition, which could disqualify them from entering or at later stage continuing the HIPA competition.

The Secretary General of HIPA, His Excellency Ali bin Thalith and Henry Dalal, the member of HIPA Board of Trustees / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The press conference was packed with media and many questions were asked. One question was, if any new category is planned for the next season, like time-lapse was a new category for the 7th season. His Excellency Ali bin Thalith answered that time-lapse category was very exerting and if there will be any new categories we will be informed.

About the participation of Emirati photographers in HIPA competition, bin Thalith said that "the participation is around 11%, the photographs are getting more mature and I find it developing." Whether the time-lapse would ever exceed photography, bin Thalith explained that Time-lapse is a collection of photographs, it shows us how life is speeding, but he finds photography more powerful.

When asked about education, bin Thalith shared that HIPA had more than 20 lectures last year. HIPA is using every channel to spread the awareness about photography, including having an Instagram competition every month. Through honouring the art, photographers are documenting for the future. Instagram competition gives incentive, it creates a sort of activation and is very positive.

HIPA's 8th Season's Theme - HOPE

Henry Dalal, the member of HIPA Board of Trustees / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

To conclude the press conference Henry Dalal added that at HIPA all submitted photographs are being judged by judges that are also very accomplished photographers themselves and that should be an honour for all photographers that submit their photographs for the competition.

Media members and the guests at the HIPA press conference / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Media members and the guests at the HIPA press conference / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

When it comes to the theme 'Hope', we have to understand that definition of hope is universal. Hope for better future, hope for education, hope for love, hope for human dignity, hope for preserving life, hope for respect, hope to save homes, hope to be saved, hope to heal, hope to forgive and be forgiven, etc. When everything is lost, hope remains. That is the strongest gift that humanity possesses. It will be interesting to see how will the photographers, in the HIPA's 8th season, document hope in their photographs.