We received a variety of great submissions for our first ever Photo Contest! Out of roughly 150 entries, an OIA committee pre-selected a number of photographs. These were uploaded to our Facebook page for popular vote, and the ten finalists that emerged from this process were up for a vote at our Welcome Party. The winners were announced at our Ice Cream Social. Congratulations to the winner, Ruchir Agarwal, and to everyone who submitted their work!
List of Finalists:
1st Place: Ruchir Agarwal, "I Have Miles To Go Before I Sleep"
"Location: Road to Milford Sound on South Island, New Zealand Story: The winding road determinantly cutting through the dense forest and snow-covered mountains inspires me for my challenging yet tranformational upcoming journey at the University of Chicago."
2nd Place: Natalia San Roman, "Yuli"
"Yuli belongs to the tribe community Yahuas. This tribe lives in the Peruvian jungle on the outskirts of the city of Iquitos. To reach the town of Yahuas you have to go by boat from Iquitos crossing the Amazon River for an hour and a half, and then enter the river Yanayacu finally to reach the town. They are a native tribe who live on the fruits offered by the Amazon jungle and resources derived from tourists. The whole tribe is very hospitable and offers tourists a show which consists of a traditional dance, and the demonstration of the shot with the "Blowgun". Not all speak Spanish, but if you know some palbras Yuli and failed to show an interest and fascination with photography. Also the marks on her face represent her marital status."
3rd Place: Meher Kairon, "Nubra Valley"
"This photo was taken in Nubra Valley, in the remote Indian province of Ladakh, in the Himalayas. At the end of last summer, my cousins and I visited Ladakh, a region up in the Indian Himalayas close to the border with China. Ladakh has a stark yet stunning landscape, as is evident in the picture. The Nubra Valley is inhabited by Double Hump Backed Central Asian Camels; natives living in these remote parts domesticate (for lack of a more appropriate word) these camels and charge visitors Rs. 150 ($3) for a ride around the valley. I couldn't bring myself to go near the camels myself, but I took this picture as my cousins set off into the valley on theirs."
Honorable Mention: Raghav Verma, "Minaret"
"This photo was taken after climbing up the narrow and seemingly endless staircase to reach the top of the east wing minaret of the Jama Masjid. In it are revealed the wonders of Old Delhi. The photo captures a swarm of residents amidst a colorful sprawl of houses, visible through the awe-inspiring architecture of this age-old mosque. At the same time, this picture also highlights an unfortunate contrast that exists in Old Delhi: hardship within beauty. Close inspection of the photo reveals massive trash mounds and slum dwellings. This photo, in its entirety, reveals the serene order that can exist within chaos in Delhi."
Director's Pick: Perle Liebmann, "Hello India"
See OIA Director Tamara Felden's blog entry on this photo here.
Finalist: Gevorg Beknazar-Yuzbashev, "Focus on the Knowledge"
Finalist: Josefina Garat, "Moving Forward"
Finalist: Harini Kumar, "Street Vendor at Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai"
Finalist: Liqun Mao, "Canyonlands"
Finalist: Natalia San Roman, "Yeims"
Finalist: Ilya Shtraikher, "The Deluge"