Photographers capture stunning images of Al Ain

Al Ain: Stunning images and videos on Tuesday won top prizes in different categories of the Al Ain Photographia 2014, an open contest aimed at capturing the city’s natural beauty, culture, and development from different angles.

The contest was organised by Al Ain Municipality with the cooperation of Shaikha Dr Shamma Bint Mohammad Bin Khalid Al Nahyan, a prominent figure who heads a number of cultural and educational platforms in Al Ain.

A panel of renowned professional artists adjudged Mario Cardenas’ picture, titled Discover, the winner of the first prize in the category of lifestyle, while Cárdenas Sarmiento’s Highway to Sustainability, and Anderamos Litrato’s Stones Talk to Me also won in their respective categories. The top prize in the video category of stories went to Louis de Mesa’s movie.

The winners from all the categories have been given cash prizes worth a total of Dh1 million amid applause from an audience of shutterbugs at the prize distribution ceremony held on Tuesday at Al Ain Municipality Auditorium. It was also attended by Mohammad Musabah Al Ketbi, Executive Director for Strategic Planning and Performance Management at Al Ain Municipality.

The objective of the competition is to establish a library encompassing a photographic timeline of Al Ain, said Mehra Saeed Al Muhairi, Director of Communications and Public Relations at Al Ain Municipality. The library has been given them name of Dar Al Zain (the home of grace), she said. “We always appreciate talent and creativity and photography is one of the best ways to demonstrate it,” she added.

Al Ain has a blend of modern and ancient features setting a unique and ideal environment for photography. The competition was open to everyone. A total of 3,700 entries, including 3,314 images and 440 videos were received by the organisers.

The professional and amateur participants of the contest captured Al Ain’s beauty from different angles. Several landmarks of the oasis city, including Jebel Hafeet, Jahili Fort, the little known Tilapia Lake, green areas, and sand dunes, were the prime objects, Mehra said.