Bangkok--25 Nov--Total Quality PR
Thailand has long been a hub for the best photographers in Southeast Asia. For the second year, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) will be recognizing that work through the FCCT’s annual Photojournalism Contest.
Amateur and professional photographers submitted thousands of images from across the region, depicting everything from the destruction of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar to the struggle for order and human rights in Afghanistan to the ongoing violence and chaos of Southern Thailand. Their work is a testament to the dedication and creativity of photojournalists working in Asia, including many who have endured harsh conditions in conflict zones or disaster areas.
Winners will be announced at a special Friday evening cocktail reception on Friday, Nov. 28 (7 p.m.), at the FCCT Clubhouse on the Penthouse Floor of Maneeya Center in central Bangkok. Many of the city’s top photographers and journalists will be on hand to celebrate the event, and guests will be given a special-edition copy of FCCT’s Dateline Magazine — with reproductions of all the winning photos — on a first-come, first-served basis.
The reception will be followed by a two-month exhibition of the photos — open to the public — at the FCCT Clubhouse in December and January.
Judges selected winners in four categories: Spot News, Feature Photography, Environmental Photography (including images related to the environment, climate change and natural resources) and Photo Essay. In addition, the judges selected one Photo of the Year which will receive special recognition. Although the names of the winners remain under wraps, the judges can reveal this: The top images came from just about everywhere, including Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and beyond.
The prizes — which include the latest in new camera equipment, vouchers for some of the region’s most luxurious hotels, air travel across Asia, and cash — come courtesy of FCCT’s generous sponsors. They include Canon Marketing (Thailand) Ltd., Toyota, Star Alliance, whose members include Thai Airways; Anantara Resorts; and the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok. Canon has further graciously agreed to print a large selection of winning photos for the December/January exhibition using its highest-quality photo printing equipment.
This year’s awards are also made possible by the acclaimed regional photographers who served as judges for the contest:
Philip Blenkinsop — one of Asia’s best-known photographers who has devoted much of his work to covering forgotten conflicts across the region.
Masaru Goto — a 20-year photography veteran who has examined social and human rights issues in South America and Asia and has won a number of awards.
Adrees Latif — a Bangkok-based regional photographer for Reuters who won the Pulitzer Prize for his pictures of a monk uprising in Myanmar in 2007.
Patrick de Noirmont — a veteran photographer based in Bangkok and Paris with more than 30 years experience with various wire services including AFP, Associated Press and Reuters.
Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event — the 2008 FCCT Photojournalism Contest!
IN BRIEF:
FCCT Photojournalism Contest Awards Reception
Date: Friday, Nov. 28
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: FCCT Clubhouse, Penthouse floor, Maneeya Center Building, 518/5 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330 (connected to the BTS Skytrain Chitlom station)
Tel: 02-652-0580-1
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: http://www.fccthai.com
FCCT Photo Contest Winners Exhibition
Dates: Nov. 28 — Jan. 30
Location: FCCT Clubhouse
Hours of operation: Open Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. Closed Saturday, Sunday, and holidays
Tel: 02-652-0580-1
Images of submissions to this year’s contest are available upon request and can be obtained by contacting FCCT board member Patrick Barta at [email protected] or 081-309-9109. Reprints of selected winning images will also be available for publication after the Nov. 2 awards ceremony.