The annual photo competition "Abu Dhabi Through Your Eyes" is now accepting submissions from both amateurs and professionals of images that "capture the spirit and essence of Abu Dhabi".
Exactly what that means is open to the interpretation of the six judges, who are asked to consider the technique, composition, quality and relevance of each entry. "It's not just about the technicalities, because many of the photos that are perfect in some ways can lack a certain spirit," said Sabah al Abbasi, a judge of last year's competition and the executive director of Shawati' magazine, which is funded by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.
"I hope to see something that is not of the desert or falcons, but a new vision that is outside of the box," she said. The deadline for entries to the competition, held by the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi, is December 31. The winners will be announced in February and their photographs exhibited throughout the year. About 30 submitted images are also compiled in a book distributed by the office.
A photo of the Al Maqta Bridge at sunset by Omar al Zaabi, a professional photographer, won first place in the competition two years ago. Mr al Zaabi says his photographs are now recognised by more people, raising his work to a higher standard. "It has helped to develop my skills because people now expect me to produce an image that is at least to the same level as the winning picture," he said. He chose the picture because the bridge is seen in many old photographs of the city. "Although Abu Dhabi is rapidly developing, we still remember our past, which is represented in Al Maqta Fort and Al Maqta Bridge," he said.
The winning entry last year was a photo of a fisherman pulling a net out of the water, taken by the British photographer Rodney Shane Greene. The judges voted unanimously for that photo "just because of the way it captured commercial fishing, something that is almost bygone now", said Ms al Abbasi. Submissions that make a statement tend to gain favour with the judges, said Saoud al Mulla, the chairman of applied media studies at the Higher Colleges of Technology, who was on the panel last year. He would like to see photos portraying the juxtaposition of indulgence and tradition in the emirate.
He suggested contrasts of old neighbourhoods with distant modern buildings peeking up behind them, Ramadan tents in front of opulent homes or a Rolls-Royce in the desert. "Shots of the big mosque or of the city's skyline alone, that is just cement and glass and does not interest me," he said. "The people and the local content in the modern city, examples of how the city has transformed, this is what I want to see - not camels."
Up to four unpublished photographs can be submitted online on the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi's site, brand.abudhabi.ae, or with a completed entry form at one of 40 drop boxes. The winner takes home Dh30,000, while 14 others receive awards between Dh25,000, and Dh10,000. The winning photographs from previous years will be exhibited at Al Wahda Mall on October 13-22.