By
Heidi Trautmann
I
would not have missed this year’s event for anything, although I could not be
there for the opening and meeting of the winning photographers because I was in
Oman at that time, but I went as soon as I came back. The one reason for my
deep interest is, that I do appreciate the supporting and furthering of art
photography in North Cyprus as such and the enormous and precise work by Buket
Özatay and her brother who have now for nine years succeeded in presenting a
praiseworthy institution on the basis of their foundation in remembrance of
their father; the other reason is the good quality of the artists’ works.
I
would not have thought it possible that the quality could even get better when
I saw last year’s exhibition. This year
there a total of 2,255 photos were sent in by 123 participants; in the open
colour category 118 participants with 845 photos; in the open black and white
category 109 participants with753 photos and in the nature category 101
participants with 657 photos. A total of 148 photos by 61 participants were
accepted in the exhibition. Three jurors undertook the hard work to make the
selection: Leyla Emektar, EFIAP from Turkey; Mustafa Eser, EFIAP from Turkey
and Nilgün Güney, artist, from Cyprus.
I
personally was happy to see that there were many more works in the architecture
section where the graphic elements were highlighted; also the landscape photos
not only showed the beauty but concentrated on clear composition and graphic elements,
especially in the black and white category.
In many photos I found stories told however not in the journalistic way
but in a way that made you think deeper; others were really poetic and even
historic.
I
want to give my readers an idea of the quality of the exhibition, I cannot show
all photos although they are well worth
it. I hope many had the chance to visit the exhibition while it was on.