An Iraqi photographer's picture of two boys wounded in US air
strikes was named 2004 Photo of the Year in the first Chinese
International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP).
Fares Al-Dlimi's shot of the two young victims, injured on
September 25, 2004, by US bombs aimed at suspected militant
hideouts in Falluja, was taken as the pair lay head to head inside
one of the besieged city's ambulances.
India's Prashant Panjiar, one of the competition's 15 judges
said, "The picture is so strong that it can affect viewers
emotionally, which truly reflects the cruelty of the war. At the
same time, it's beautifully composed."
Judge James Dooley, director of photography for US company
Newsday, said that the top three finalists' works all related to
the war in Iraq, but the judges felt that Al-Dlimi's image stood
apart.
"This one is unique. It shows the innocent victims of the war .
. . the blood of the boys reminds people of the horror of the war,"
he said.
The picture also accurately highlighted the theme of the
contest: Peace and development.
The Photojournalists Society of China, one of the event's
sponsors, said that the aim of the contest, the first of its kind
in the country, is to provide a platform for photojournalists and
photographers worldwide to exchange experiences and to exhibit
their best work.
The organizing committee received more than 21,000 entries from
1,765 photographers in 76 countries, including the United States,
the United Kingdom, France, Japan and India.
Entries were divided into seven categories: Economic, Scientific
and Technical News, Portraits, Daily Life, Arts and Entertainment
News, Sports and Nature and Environmental News.
Over the three-day judging process, the jury, which included
seven veteran photographers and photography editors from abroad and
eight from China, selected 225 award-winning pictures.
Besides the Photo of the Year, the organizing committee awarded
14 gold prizes, 28 silvers and 42 bronzes. The remaining 140
pictures received special recognition for excellence.
Commenting on his home country's performance, Xu said, "We can
see that although our Chinese photographers have made huge
progress, there is still a long way to go before we catch up with
our foreign peers."
(China Daily March 25, 2005)