Travel Photographer of the Year to Visit Sintra

There is no better place to view travel pictures than a world-famous tourist destination; this is the TPOTY, in Sintra.

 

For the first time, Portugal the will receive the photographic exhibition of the international Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) competition. At Picadeiro, Parque da Pena, and sponsored by Parques de Sintra, the contest have a Portuguese winner: Ana Abrão won the best individual portfolio image in the "Celebration of Humanity" category, with a portrait of a woman holding a snapshot from another portrait of itself.

 

 

This year's TPOTY winner, by Belgian Alain Schroeder/www.tpoty.com, picruring the Kushti, a traditional Indian wrestling. Opening this article, the work by photographer Trevor Cole / www.tpoty.com, on "Celebration of Humanity" category."

 

This is the 15th edition of TPOTY, the main competition on world travel photography exhibition, created in England in 2003. This edition received more than 20 thousand images, from 129 different countries, celebrating humanity, landscape, the environment and wildlife on the planet. From June 2^nd  to August 26, thirty nine of the winning photographs, including Ana Abrão's, can be seen outdoors in the romantic and mysterious scenery of Parque da Pena, Sintra.

 

 

 

 

Picture by Portuguese Joel Santos/www.tpoty.com, on "Earth" theme.

 

In addition to Ana Abrão, two other Portuguese were distinguished in this contest. Joel Santos, who won the International Travel Photographer of the Year award in 2016, now has two special mentions in the category of "Climate and Planet", while a photograph of Enrico Villa achieved an honourable mention in the category "Primary Colors" . The awarded images were known in December 2017 and will be exhibited during the year 2018 in some international exhibitions. 

 

 

The photo by Portuguese artist Ana Abrão/www.tpoty.com, winner of the Best Individual Image in "Celebration of Humanity” category."

 

At age 52, Luso-Brazilian Ana Abrão always had a special appetite for travel and photography, ingredients that earned her this distinction in the TPOTY. "I left Portugal with a one-way ticket to India, with no plans or program defined, and with complete freedom to let the flow of events dictate the script. And then I fell in love with Asia and what it was like to be a trip around the world, it turned out to be a return to Asia ", says the Portuguese photographer, born Brazilian. For a year, a month, and a week, Ana roamed nine countries - India, Nepal, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - and two Asian regions - Borneo and Sulawesi - but it was at a quite isolated place near the Pakistani border, in the north of the state of Gujarat, that managed to capture the winning image. Through her lens, she told a little about the history of Patel women. "This lady saw me pass the door of her house and invited me in. I was struck by the fact that she wore the traditional Patel full outfit, in addition to the bracelets around her arm. She told me that she received them from her husband 50 years ago as a wedding gift. They are permanent bracelets, welded after they are placed on the arm. It also uses custom made and also permanent silver anklets offered along with the bracelets. Together they weigh a pound and a half. For Indian culture, these are symbols of resignation and respect.   

 

 

Photo by Jianhui Liao/tpoty.com, winner of Food category.

 

Ana titled this image of "The weight of tradition", telling about feeling the human warmth of a genuine Asia, outside the tourist itineraries, where she probably saw those that will be the last cultural vestiges of various ethnic minorities. "For example, Patel women change their array from the moment they marry. Some garment parts or accessories that they use have specific meanings. Apparently, they wear red dresses after 50 years. Before that, they wear black dresses. The lady portrayed is the last of the family to keep the Patel clothing. Next generations are no longer interested, they prefer Western style."

 

The photo of Ana Abrão, winner of the Best Individual Image Award in the category "Celebration of Humanity", joins 38 more images captured in a travel context during the year 2017. Belgian Alain Schroeder was the winner of the international prize Travel Photographer of the Year, distinguished by photographic reporting on kushti, the traditional Indian wrestling, and rituals associated with death in Toraja, Indonesia, with a portfolio of eight photographs in total.

 

 

 

 Picture by Portuguese Enrico Villa/tpoty.com, honourable mention on Primary Colors category.

 

At Picadeiro, on Parque da Pena , award-winning images in the categories "Climate and Planet", "Adventure Stories", "Flavors of the World", "Smart Shot / iTravelled" and "Primary Colors" will also be on display. Entries for the 16th edition of TPOTY are already open (www.tpoty.com).

 

More info on location, directions and ticket office here.

 

Images provided by the international organization.