Open Call Award August 2021
Theme: Open Call / Competition Judge: Magnum Photos’ Education Director Shannon Ghannam.
With no explicit lead, the Open Call competition is designed to invite photographers of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences to share with us their best images.
Join us over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter where we’ll be sharing all our favorite images from the competition. Congratulations to all the talented photographers who made it to the final!
Finalists
Jury's Feedback
1ST PRIZE: Dom Marker
“I think clearly my choices for first and second prize in this competition speak more to my state of mind as we all start to slowly emerge from a global COVID-19 crisis, numerous lockdowns, and loss of connection with our loved ones. I find this image by Dom Marker so joyful and a perfect moment of celebration, play, and intimacy at Pride in New York. All things that speak to my heart in this moment and I love that photography is able to do that.” — Shannon Ghannam
2ND PRIZE: Vicens Forns
“I could not get past this image by Vicens Forns. It is a fascinating example of the way photography functions. At first glance, this is a news image, a time capsule of the past year where we struggled to find ways to make our new normal a little more bearable. The printed faces of the loved ones who should have been at the COVID-impacted wedding beam out from the pews, still managing to support a young couple and witness their marriage. On second glance you see it is actually a truly remarkable wedding picture, an incredible moment in the life of this couple, full of love, humor, and resilience. A powerful image on many levels.” — Shannon Ghannam
3RD PRIZE: Jack Sorokin
“Profoundly arresting and intriguing, Jack Sorokin’s poignant image is characterized by subtle colors and a mastery of light that endows it with wonderful painting-like quality. It exemplifies how a single image can simultaneously capture the essence of a moment and eloquently communicate a story, thus displaying both Sorokin’s prodigious artistry and the immense power of the photographic medium.” – The Independent Photographer Editors
- © Shannon Ghannam
Judge: Shannon Ghannam
Shannon Ghannam is the Global Education Director at Magnum Photos, responsible for the celebrated agency’s educational programming globally, including the recently launched online learning platform Magnum Learn.
She has worked in various roles during a 20-year career including Screen Labs, Night Contact photography, and multimedia festivals. Shannon has collaborated on numerous photographic books, international exhibitions, and multimedia projects including the Emmy award-winning photojournalism app Reuters The Wider Image.
In addition to the usual prizes and exposure, we’re delighted to announce that 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winners will also receive an individual 1-hour portfolio review with Shannon, offering practical tips and advice on how to develop their practice.
