An international panel of photography and publishing experts including National Geographic International Experts selected the winners for cash prizes and a photo exhibition for the first annual Malta International Photo Award. The panel judged thousands of entries from over 60 countries that included Malta, Palestine, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Italy, the United States and many more. Professor Arne Hodalič, Photographer and Photo Editor of the National Geographic Slovene Magazine, and head of Malta International Photo Award jury panel of experts, commented on the high quality of the work received this year, saying: “even the larger selection of photos that we have received could get published in the National Geographic Magazine”.
The annual Malta International Photo Award (MIPA) connects diverse cultures through photography. It is the goal of MIPA to provide professional and aspiring photographers worldwide with a platform to share their passion with a broad audience. Each MIPA competition will offer different categories for photo submissions, with this edition focusing on: Cities, Nature, People, Abstract and Storytelling. The next Malta International Photo Award is scheduled to open during the first week of April 2019. For more details go to the MIPA website www.maltaphotoaward.com
The first international photo exhibition by MIPA will open its doors to the public on the 16th February 2019 at the Malta Postal Museum in Valletta, Malta. Antoine Borg Micallef, Managing Director at the Malta International Photo Award, is finalizing the first photography exhibition in Malta, which will showcase the Top 15 entries from each of the five categories.
“Our first exhibition brings together a wide variety of photographers, each with their own unique style and level of expertise. The photos that will be displayed to the public cover a wide range of topical issues, including immigration, urbanisation, ecology, and abstract art. It is an exquisite collection of key moments from different parts of the world, that will surely strike a chord with our audience”.
First place winners in each of the five categories are:
Category: People — Mustafa Hassona, (Palestine), Nation Resistance
Category: Nature — Fredrick Muscat, (Malta), The Whale’s Mouth Cloud
Category: Cities — Pedro Luis Ajuriaguerra Saiz (Spain), Twist over the Guggenheim
Category: Abstract — Hardijanto Budiman (Indonesia), Red Soul
Category: Storytelling — Matjaž Krivic, (Slovenia), Lithium: The Driving Force of the 21st Century
About the Winners:
Mustafa Hassona: A photographer and photojournalist from Gaza Strip, Palestine who now works with Anadolu Agency AA. Since starting in 2007, he has worked as freelancer for AFP and RETURES. winner of Picture of the Year International 37th prize in 2015, and selected by the Guardian for the best photographer for 2014.
Fredrick Muscat: Fredrick is an outdoor photographer and digital image developer, based on the island of Malta. With over 20 years of experienced, he considers himself as being ‘the most experienced storm chaser in Malta’. Over time he also took up professional training, investing in numerous international courses and practicing outdoor photography in landscapes and nightscapes.
Pedro Luis Ajuriguerra Saiz: a self-taught photographer, began his career back in 2010 and is a Member of the Photographic Association Zuri-Beltza (Bilbao) and the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP). Currently working part time as an independent photographer, making collaborations with magazines such as the BAO Bilbao Magazine, and for different sports promoters such as MGZ Promotions and Euskobox. Has received numerous recognitions including Sport Photographer of the Year 2017– Spain, and has had 2 photos Commended at Sony World Photography awards 2017.
Matjaž Krivic: Matjaž Krivic is a documentary photographer capturing stories of people and places. For 25 years he has covered the face of the earth in his intense, personal and aesthetically moving style that has won him several prestigious awards, including a World Press Photo award in 2016.
Hardijanto Budiman: Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Hardijanto Budiman is a self-taught photographer who is interested in all types of photography especially surreal subjects.
