15 Finalists From International Food Photography Competition

15 Finalists From International Food Photography Competition

“Walk on the mallow side” by Jacki Gordon (United Kingdom). Production Paradise Previously Published, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“During the COVID pandemic lockdown, I started photographing tiny railway model figures (just three quarters of an inch high) positioned with everyday items – usually food – in order to entertain my family and friends on social media. By the time the pandemic passed, I had developed an insatiable appetite for creating these little scenes.
The idea for this image came from me taking a bite out of a tea cake and being presented with its inner snow-like mallow – the perfect terrain for my tiny Nordic walkers to feel at home.”

Now in its 13th edition, the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year is once again proving that photography can be both artistic and appetizing. The recently revealed shortlist of the 2024 competition highlights a plethora of food-related imagery from around the world. Selected from thousands of images from 65 countries that entered this year’s contest, the photos take us from a biker’s fast-food burger to the inner workings of a Michelin-starred restaurant.

The contest’s 17 categories offer ample scope for creative food photographers. Whether highlighting single ingredients or the bonds between people, the photographs remind us of the important role that food plays in our lives. A global judging panel will now have the difficult task of whittling down the list and selecting the winners, who will be announced at an awards ceremony in London in early June.

All of the finalists will see their work on display at The Malls Gallery in London as part of the Plate! St. James festival celebrating food, drink, and photography. Scroll down to see some of our favorite finalists and view the full shortlist on the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year website.

Here are some of our favorite finalists from the 2024 Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year competition.

Pirate holding his catch in CubaPirate holding his catch in Cuba

“The Pirates Catch – The Last Few” by Sarah Louise Ramsay (United Kingdom). Shortlist, Production Paradise Previously Published,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“The Pirates Catch is from a series called, ‘The Last Few’ created in Havana, Cuba in 2023. By law, the bulk of fish caught in Cuban waters must be handed to the state for distribution amongst the people. However, some of the poorest in Havana are brave enough to provide for their families by venturing out to sea using nothing more than inner tubes from trucks and tractors as makeshift fishing rafts. As darkness falls, the Pirate heads home, to feed his waiting family and friends. There used to be many. Now there are just a few.”

Woman feeding her pet cats in BangladeshWoman feeding her pet cats in Bangladesh

“Love” by Mohammad Fayzul Mowla (Bangladesh). Shortlist, World Food Programme Food for Life,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“I took this photograph in Chittagong, Bangladesh. A woman is feeding her pet cats. She is called Minnie’s mother by all the locals, as she calls all her pets ‘Minnie’. This woman has many pets. She spends half of the money she earns daily to feed these animals. She earns money by working in other people’s homes.”

Peter enjoying his Scotch Broth by the fire with his dog, Seoras by Susie LowePeter enjoying his Scotch Broth by the fire with his dog, Seoras by Susie Lowe

“Peter enjoying his Scotch Broth by the fire with his dog, Seoras” by Susie Lowe (United Kingdom). Food for the Family, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“The image of Peter MacQueen enjoying his Scotch broth by the fire with his West Highland Terrier, Seòras at his feet, was shot at Guardswell Farm in Perthshire, Scotland. It was photographed while shooting the Hebridean Baker at Home cookbook by Coinneach MacLeod. Peter is Coinneach’s partner and official recipe tester! Scotch broth is a traditional Scottish recipe that has been handed down through many generations. It’s warming on a cold day, comforting, nourishing and makes use of locally produced ingredients.”

Bike filled with produce in HanoiBike filled with produce in Hanoi

“Side Street Hanoi” by David Cotsworth (United Kingdom). Shortlist, unearthed® Food for Sale,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“This photo was taken in Hanoi, Vietnam. I was on a family holiday, and we were just wandering through the many narrow side streets in the city, and I came across this old bicycle full of fruit; the colors against the dark background and rusty old bike made it really stand out.”

Artistic image of an Italian Oyster MushroomArtistic image of an Italian Oyster Mushroom

“Italian Oyster Mushroom” by Lynn Karlin (United States). Shortlist, Hotel Art Group Cream of the Crop, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“This Italian Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus pulmonarius) was locally grown indoors on straw at Bramble Hill Farm in Unity, Maine. It has an earthy, mild flavor. The texture of the large fluted light brown cap and white gills is accentuated by the soft natural side light.”

A rice cracker eclipse by Julien MazilleA rice cracker eclipse by Julien Mazille

“A rice cracker eclipse” by Julien Mazille (France). Shortlist, MPB Award for Innovation, a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“I always strive to create visuals that say a little more than what they appear to say. I’m sure you have already read books and taken great pleasure in the intertextuality, seen movies where the implicit elevated certain scenes, admired a painting for its multiple layers of meaning. There’s a lot of that in photography too. We can try to give the viewer a spectacle that isn’t just aesthetic. Even in food photography.”

Close Up Photo of Cooked BaconClose Up Photo of Cooked Bacon

“Hot & Spicy Honey Bacon” by Jackie Alpers (United States). Shortlist, Marks & Spencer Food Portraiture,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“Hot Honey Bacon is a recipe illustration from the culinary arts book, The Unofficial Yellowstone Cookbook, which was written and photographed by food photographer Jackie Alpers. The cookbook illustrates Western Americana recipes inspired by the Dutton family’s Montana ranch and the relationship the ranchers have with food and the land on the dramatic and sometimes violent Yellowstone television series. The images reflect regional culinary influences while exploring food history, symbolism, and cultural significance.”

Cake topped with sweet figs against a white backgroundCake topped with sweet figs against a white background

“Figgy Sweet Cake Temptation” by Seersa Abaza (Jordan). Shortlist, Tiptree Cake Award,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“‘Figgy Sweet Cake Temptation’ captures the irresistible allure of a delicious cake topped with fresh figs and drizzled with syrup, all set against a clean white background. The image invites viewers to indulge in the rich flavors and textures of this mouthwatering dessert, showcasing the artistry of culinary delights.”

The winners will be announced in early June at an awards ceremony in London.

Split shot of front and back of house at a Michelin restaurantSplit shot of front and back of house at a Michelin restaurant

“Back to front (of house) in one shot” by John Carey (United Kingdom). Shortlist, Philip Harben Award for Food in Action,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“I have always been fascinated by the two contrasting worlds of the dining room and the kitchen, the front and back of house. When photographing at Adam Byatt’s Michelin-starred Trinity Restaurant in Clapham, I noticed there was just a thin wall separating the two contrasting environments. This was shot just before evening service. I wanted to portray the calm, warm, welcoming ambience in the dining room, juxtaposed with the busy, buzzy, chefs in the kitchen. The differences are what makes this shot for me.”

Couple at a caffe in Vienna sharing a strudelCouple at a caffe in Vienna sharing a strudel

“First date in Vienna” by Guido Caltabiano (Italy). Shortlist, Food at the Table,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“I took this image during a trip to Vienna. It was a gloomy and freezing day. Stopping in the Café Museum for a quick coffee, I noticed this couple sharing an apple strudel. The café was packed with people, but they didn’t care. Coincidentally, a void had been created around them. The lines converged on them. With those pastel colors and the shelves full of books it seemed as if the scene was suspended in time. I liked the idea of it being their first date. I turned on the camera and shot.”

Pilgrims attending the Kumbh Mela Hindu festival in HaridwarPilgrims attending the Kumbh Mela Hindu festival in Haridwar

“Lunchtime at the Ashram” by Sue O’Connell (United Kingdom). Shortlist, Food for the Family,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“These gentlemen are pilgrims attending the mighty Kumbh Mela Hindu festival, reputed to be the largest gathering of humanity on earth. The venue is the northern Indian city of Haridwar on the banks of the Ganges. All pilgrims are offered food, usually dhal and rice, by local ashrams, and I was struck by the patience and discipline involved. Once the gates opened, a hundred or more men walked calmly and silently into the building and took up their places, waiting to be served. The meal over, they rose as one man and left as silently as they had entered.”

Open cans of tomatos on a tableOpen cans of tomatos on a table

“Tomato Cans” by Alana Dimou (Australia). Shortlist, Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“My Egyptian mother once told me, ” My mum used to say you’ll never go hungry if you have a tin of tomatoes in the pantry.” The beauty of tinned foods is often revered for its package and label design. In this case, I wanted to give prominence to the textures and abundance of tomatoes in a familiar setting, lauding this essential ingredient in Egyptian cooking.

Burger resting on a motorcycleBurger resting on a motorcycle

“Biker Stop 2” by Harry Williams (United Kingdom). Shortlist, On the Phone,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“This image was shot on my iPhone at a roadside meeting place popular with bikers in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. I had arranged to meet a good friend, who is an avid biker, for a catch-up in the fresh air amongst the hills. I treated him to a burger on the condition that I could use it, and his bike, for the shot (no expense spared!).”

Cave fishing in ThailandCave fishing in Thailand

“Cave Fishing” by Natnattcha Chaturapitamorn (Thailand). Shortlist, Tenderstem® Bring Home the Harvest,  a category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2024.
“A father and son catching fish by using bamboo basket trap inside a karst cave in South Vietnam during the monsoon season. Cave fishing can only be done in the monsoon season when the cave chamber is flooded by rainwater.”

Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year: Website | Instagram | Facebook

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year.

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AV Indian Museum to Feature Native American Artists

AV Indian Museum to Feature Native American Artists
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Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park will feature two guest artists, Cecelia Begay and Michael Chas Williams, in April to share their Native culture with museum visitors. The guest artists will have their art for sale.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Cecelia Begay (Diné Navajo) on April 13 and 14. Begay was born and raised in Castle Butte, Arizona, on the Navajo Reservation, but has lived in the Antelope Valley for over 30 years. She is known for jewelry she creates using beads, juniper seeds, pine nuts and shells.

On Saturday, April 20, the museum will showcase the art of Michael Chas Williams, a member of the Wichita Tribe of Anadarko, Oklahoma. Williams works with pastels, pencils, and pen and ink to create portraits of contemporary and historical Native American people. He also creates traditional Tribal necklaces with lapis, corals, turquoise, shells, and trade beads, in addition to leather work items and Plains dreamcatchers. Williams studied architecture and design at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Event: Visiting Native American Artists

Time and Dates: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 13, 14, and 20, 2024

Admission: $3 for adults. Children 12 and under are free.

Note: As a California State Parks Adventure Pass Park, 4th Graders and their families may enter for free!

Location: Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP, 15701 East Avenue M, Lancaster, CA 93535

Directions: From State Route 14 in Lancaster, go east on Avenue K to 150th Street East. Turn right and go south for two miles to Avenue M. Turn left and go east on Avenue M for one mile to the museum.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum SHP exhibits over 4,000 objects created by the Native American peoples of southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Visitors also enjoy the museum’s nature trail, gift shop, and picnic area.

Pets are not allowed. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks’ Service Animals Policy.

For more information, please call the museum at (661) 946-3055 (711 TTY relay service) or visit the museum’s website at avim.parks.ca.gov. Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/AVIndianMuseum.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.

Photography workshop moves from Acadia to the classroom

Photography workshop moves from Acadia to the classroom

SOUTHWEST HARBOR — Professional photographer J.K. Putnam offers a full-day workshop through the Wendell Gilley Museum on Thursday, April 25, from 4:30 a.m. to approximately 7:30 p.m. It is designed to maximize learning opportunities and provide guidance on actively designing and creating images.

From sunrise to sunset, participants will alternate between traveling around Acadia National Park taking photos and classroom time at the Museum where students will discuss a range of topics that lead to successful, self-expressive image-making. There will also be individual instruction based on each students’ goals and questions for the instructor.

Stunning Portraits and Landscapes Emerge from ‘Scarred’ Canvases in Awodiya Toluwani’s Paintings

Stunning Portraits and Landscapes Emerge from ‘Scarred’ Canvases in Awodiya Toluwani’s Paintings

“Miss. Omowunmi” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 37 x 30 x 1 inches. All images © Awodiya Toluwani, courtesy of Zidoun-Bossoyt Gallery, shared with permission

Whether portraying a quiet domestic scene or a sweeping landscape, Awodiya Toluwani’s striking paintings are connected through a unique surface. As much a subject of the work as his portraits, each canvas is covered in relief marks that imitate scars, or tribal marks, historically common to several indigenous cultures in Africa. When European colonial governments began to condemn and criminalize the practice, it declined or disappeared altogether. But for some, continuing the tradition meant performing an act of resistance.

Toluwani’s paintings are created on this textured “skin,” layering empowered portraits and atmospheric scenes over the dark legacy of colonialism and human enslavement. The artist considers both the physical scars of slavery—inflicted by whips and cane lashes—and the trauma it wrought on communities throughout Africa, highlighting a complex history. “History is a very essential part of human existence,” Toluwani says in a statement. “It gives us a better understanding of lives lived in the past, better ways to live in the present, and what legacy to leave for the future generations.”

Figures play a central role in Toluwani’s works, whether evocative of Dutch Golden Age paintings, such as Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid (c.1660), or laboring within a broader landscape in a cotton field or a fishing boat. The artist has recently been drawn to compositions redolent of Lagos, Nigeria, especially an inner-city slum known as Makoko Village, in which residents build stilt houses over a lagoon. The scarred textures are always present, ranging from recognizable images of spiders, feet, or hearts, to abstract glyphs and geometric shapes.

Learn more about the artist on Zidoun-Bossoyt Gallery’s website.

 

a painted portrait on a geometrically textured canvas of a Black woman pouring liquid into a jug, dressed in clothing reminiscent of figures in Johannes Vermeer paintings

“The Milkmaid” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 61.81 x 48.82 inches

a horizontal painting on a geometrically textured canvas of a field with numerous Black people working to collect the cotton

“Sweat and Blood” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 59.84 x 77.95 inches

a painting of a pregnant Black woman wearing 17th century Dutch-style garments, holding up a garment she is making out of lace

“Mother’s Instinct” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 61.81 x 48.82 inches

a horizontal painting on geometrically textured canvas depicting a dramatic sunrise with a boat in the foreground and mountains the background. a figure works near the boar and various objects sit around it, halfway in the water

“Dawn Set” (2023), acrylic on textured canvas. 48 x 72.25 inches

a painting of a misty harbor with a single figure in one of the boats and a cityscape in the background

“Minding One’s Business” (2024), acrylic on textured canvas, 59.5 x 78 inches

a portrait of a woman sitting in a chair by a window with large drapery. she holds a cat in her lap and wears a blue skirt and white top

“Queen Yelena” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 48.82 x 61.02 inches

a portrait of a regal Black woman with a fanned hairstyle, sitting at a three-quarter angle and wearing a teal blue gown

“Wife of Akenge” (2022), acrylic on textured canvas, 36.02 x 29.92 inches

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Stunning Portraits and Landscapes Emerge from ‘Scarred’ Canvases in Awodiya Toluwani’s Paintings appeared first on Colossal.

Josef Koudelka Industry Bedazzles Photographers at Pace Gallery

Josef Koudelka Industry Bedazzles Photographers at Pace Gallery
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Exiting the elevator on the 7th floor of Pace Gallery thrusts a person right into the latest solo exhibition of the incredible Josef Koudelka. But it doesn’t prepare you for what you’re about to experience. It feels almost like you understand a secret language only true artists and photographers speak. Specifically, one must also understand the Koudlekan dialect — which should be a romance language in which one must forget all they know about landscapes and documentary photography. One can stare at Josef’s images the way one stares at the stars at night in amazement and wonder.

Josef Koudelka Industry can be seen at Pace Gallery in NYC until April 27th, 2024.

Josef Koudelka: His Importance

“Photography is big,” Koudleka is quoted saying in a 2015 article we wrote. “There’s room for everyone.” That’s part of what’s so incredible about his work. His images take the panoramic format, mix in black and white, and add abstractions to the many landscapes he photographs. There’s a genre of photographers who wouldn’t call what he does landscape photography, but it is a completely different type. Josef documents slices of life without humans that tell many stories in single frames. His work is brilliant because Josef doesn’t only look, but he sees. More specifically, he sees and understands what the human eye and a camera can’t see — then he makes his images.

Josef is arguably one of the most important Magnum Photographers alive today — and I’d argue that he will be one of the most important even when he passes. To this day, no one has made work like him. He’s known for his panoramic work, though he’s also done a lot of other documentary-style images. We called his book Chaos the greatest black-and-white photography book ever made. And he also rated Exiles as a book that would inspire you.

Solo exhibits of Koudelka’s are fairly rare — a notable one was at the Leitz Museum a few years ago.

A New Yorker article relates that Josef once had his belongings stolen from him and hints that lost images of his might be out there still.

The Photos of a Quiet Genius at Pace Gallery

The room at Pace Gallery has only a few massive prints on the wall hanging in a frame. When you look at the images, you see one world — and when you turn around, you see the buildings of NYC. In this one room, you’re absolutely, fully surrounded by Industry — which is what this series is about. That means the prints have reflections, but they pretty much disappear at the right viewing distance. However, that doesn’t fight the urge to get close to the prints and observe their little details.

Along another wall, you’ll find loads of small prints that look almost like a stack your grandfather would pull out of his wallet. These require you to get up close — and they’ll all transport you to a place you wouldn’t have thought existed. In this way, you realize the true power of print’s ability to be able to captivate someone even at a small size. Of course, it helps that the work is great and matters how it was done.

But one of the best parts is the display of Josef’s books. Books often go mostly untouched in most exhibits and galleries because of the understanding that you’re in a museum exhibit. However, you’re really encouraged to go through the books here. Joel Meyerowitz, another Magnum photographer, teaches an important lesson of engaging the senses- perhaps the biggest thing here. As video engages the eyes and ears, the print engages the eyes and hands. Touch and sight are where some photographers might get the best experience coupled with the subtle northern light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. That light provides a soft glow to the images in the book, making them radiate a beauty akin to a family wearing their Sunday best to church.

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