Dubai announces most prosperous photography award HIPA at Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, 12 September 2014

To provide a unique platform for all the photography enthusiasts around the world and to demonstrate commitment to encourage and support art, culture and innovation, Dubai has come with one of the most prosperous and prestigious photography awards in the world. The Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (Abbreviated to HIPA) in its fourth season is inviting all photographers of Gujarat and India to take part.This is the richest award in the world with a grand prize of USD 120,000 (Approx. Rs. 72 Lacs) and an overall prize pool of USD 400,000 (Rs. 2.4 Crore).

HIPA was established in March 2011 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, with the presence and blessings of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as a way to support Dubai’s artistic strategy.A team from HIPA has participated in the three day long India Photo Video Trade Fair 2014 at Ahmedabad. Also an international photography workshop has been organized during this event. The workshop will be addressed by world renowned British photographer and lecturer Martin Graham-Dunn.

This season, HIPA’s main theme is ‘Life in Color’ with other categories such as, ‘Faces (Black and White)’, ‘General’ and ‘Night Photography’ also available for photographers to submit in. The deadline for submissions for the competition is at Midnight, 31st December 2014, UAE standard time.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Sahar Al Zarei, Assistant Secretary General of HIPAsaid, “HIPA is participating in theINDIA PHOTO VIDEO TRADE FAIR for the second year in succession as a result of the large number of Indian photographers who have entered the competition since its inception.Our appreciation for photographers here in India, and in Gujarat specifically, has driven us to present them with some world class workshops at this year’s INDIA PHOTO VIDEO TRADE FAIR.”. Commenting on the HIPA photography workshops which are being organized at the venue, Ms Al Zarei added, “These workshops, we hope, will help Indian and Gujarati photographers to improve their photography skills and at the same time assist and encourage them to participate with HIPA and hopefully become future winners!”

In the past, the majority of entries in HIPA have come from countries such as India (11.8%) and China (7.4%), but there are pictures finding their way into the competition from as far afield as Maldives and Cuba. The first season of the competition (Love of the Earth) attracted around 4000 participations, which had increased to an impressive number of around 19000 participations in the second seasons (Beauty of Light). The third season (Creating the Future) witnessed around 26000 participations. As a result, HIPA has attracted participants from 156 countries in its three year journey.

About the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA):

Established in 2011 by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, HIPA is an internationally renowned photography competition open to photographers of all abilities. HIPA is a key example of Dubai’s commitment to the encouragement and support of art, culture and innovation and has reached photographers from 156 different countries during its 3 years of operation.

Drawing on the inspirations of its founder, the Award set out on a journey to “build man” by developing and honing his skills and pushing his ambitions to new horizons where excellence and distinction in the field of photography have no limits – at a time when a photograph is the most credible witness to an incident or event, making the written or spoken word redundant.

Guided by this global scope, the Award’s Board of Trustees and work team endeavour to achieve good planning, quality execution and continuous development, day-in day-out, to see the Award achieving its goals and realising the vision of its founder in assisting a generation of photography talents turn their ambitions to realty – from this point our higher mission and greater challenge shall commence.

For more information on HIPA, visit www.hipa.ae