Photographer from Gaza Strip amongst winners at prime images award in UAE

Fatima Alzahra Shbair gained the primary prize within the class of “portfolio story telling” for chronicling the Gaza Strip underneath Israeli assault throughout the first 190 days of the battle. Picture: hipa.ae

Sending a message to the conflict-hit West Asian area, the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday (November 12, 2024) gave its prime images award to Fatima Alzahra Shbair, a Palestinian photographer from the Gaza Strip.

With greater than $200,000 prize cash, the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Worldwide Images Award (HIPA) is the richest images competitors on this planet that has recognised prime skills from the sphere of images for practically one and half many years.

Chatting with The Hindu, Ms. Shbair mentioned she was born and grew up in Gaza’s Jabaliya metropolis and began images after being impressed by her grandmother who used to have cameras of her personal.

“I don’t have the time to really feel unhappy for any of the issues that I’ve misplaced — like my dwelling, kin, recollections, mates; and actually my father handed away throughout this time as effectively. He was ailing for 15 years however during the last 12 months we couldn’t get the medicines that have been crucial for him and he died in the identical hospital whereas I used to be taking images of the individuals who have been injured,” Ms. Shbair mentioned after receiving the award for photographs that depicted the bombed out stays of the Gaza Strip.

The 27-year outdated gained the primary prize within the class of “portfolio story telling” for chronicling the Gaza Strip underneath Israeli assault throughout the first 190 days of the battle.

“For 190 days, they fought towards sickness, concern, and deprivation. But by means of telling the tales of others, the story teller realized they have been additionally sharing their very own – an intertwined account of survival and collective struggling,” the HIPA declared in recognition of Ms. Shbair’s work, who labored within the Gaza Strip as a photographer for the information company Related Press.

Ms. Shbair, who was evacuated to Cairo final summer season, mentioned, “Most of my household, brothers and others are in Gaza and it’s a day by day battle to keep in touch with them.”

Among the gut-wrenching photos by Ms. Shbair depicted bombings by Israeli plane, mass casualty incidents, and circumstances of meals shortage brought on by the battle.  

Abdulrahman Zaqout, a Palestinian photographer from the Gaza Strip, gained a advantage medal for his work to report the famine in Gaza.

Sami Al Olaibi, a Syria-born civil engineer-turned-photographer, acquired the ‘HIPA Photographer of The 12 months” award for his photos that spotlight the potential of astrophotography in West Asia and particularly the Gulf area.

Chatting with The Hindu, Mr. Al Olaibi mentioned the pictures of pure fantastic thing about the area present another solution to view the area.

This 12 months, the HIPA gave its Grand Prize to China’s Liping Cao for his {photograph} of windmills towering over a dry riverbed, reminding the world concerning the pressing requirement for sustainable improvement.

Rahul Vishwanath Sachdev from Pune acquired the primary prize within the common color class and Ateeb Hussain from Kolkata acquired the third prize within the common black and white class.

Sri Lanka’s Hikkaduwa Liyanage Prasantha Vinod acquired the overall award in the identical class.

(The correspondent is a visitor on the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Worldwide Images Award)