Dubai: Brand Dubai, a subsidiary of the Dubai Media Office, has organised a ceremony to honour the winners of the photography competition held during the Dubai Canvas Festival. Held at the Dubai Media Office, the ceremony also honoured Dubai Canvas’s cultural partner, the Cultural Office of Shaikha Manal Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the local artists who participated in the festival and the winners of the photography competition.

Mona Al Merri, Director-General of the Dubai Media Office, honoured Mona Bin Kalli, Director of the Cultural Office of Shaikha Manal, and winners of the competition — Majid Abdul Rahman Al Ali, Zarebove Nodreen, and Renaldo Fernandez, in first, second and third place respectively. Mona also honoured the local artists and photographers for the best 16 photos.

The competition that was launched through Brand Dubai’s Instagram account (@branddubai) received 4,500 entries. The selection committee chose the best 16 photos and posted them online for a public vote. The winning photo collected 11,638 likes, the second winner received 9,703 likes and the third received 6,325 likes.

The first place winner walked away with Dh20,000, the second place winner received Dh15,000, and the third place winner received Dh10,000.

Shaima Al Suwaidi, from Brand Dubai, said: “First I would like to thank all the participants. The three winning photos made use of 3D visual effects and could capture the beauty of the artworks.”

First-place winner Al Ali said: “Selecting 3D art was a success. It quite an interesting form of art. When I visited Dubai Canvas I found a rainbow of selective artworks. I decided to take part in the competition. Choosing the right angle was quite a challenge.”

Second-place winner Nodreen said: “I was surprised when I visited Dubai Canvas. The world-class artists gave variety to the festival and all visitors enjoyed the show. I participated in the competition with many photos, and it was not difficult to choose the correct artwork.”

Fernandez, who came in third place, expressed his happiness at winning and thanked the organisers of Dubai Canvas for the rich experience.

The first session of Dubai Canvas Festival was held from March 1-7 and Brand Dubai selected 3D art as the session’s theme. The event attracted some of the most important 3D artists. The festival offered several events including workshops, training sessions and musical shows.