Women are encouraged to participate in this competition that has a wide category
GOSEGO MOTSUMI
In a historic turn of events, local photography outfit Treveron Media will stage Botswana’s first photography awards on 12th December 2020, Time Out has established.
Styled BW Photographers Awards, the initiative is an effort that seeks to recognise and reward the best imagery and the people behind it in Botswana. The award ceremony is set to be a red carpet and star-studded affair that will provide insights into the contemporary work of both established and emerging artists.
“We have been able to see the world through the lens of photographers and they are not appreciated, especially here,” said co-owner of Treveron Media, Tshephang Mmoko, in an interview. “We saw fit to celebrate their talent. Photographers have also been severely affected as a result of COVID-19 and this event is set to bring back their morale so they take their craft to the next level.”
With the power to re-start and shape careers, the award ceremony will also focus on building client-based relationships with photographers and business partners in Botswana to advance the arts industry. The event will be preceded by a photo contest where photographers will submit their best works in categories of fine art portrait photography, street photography, landscape photography, wildlife photography, architectural photography and food and beverages photography.
Female photographers are encouraged to participate, especially in the fine art portrait photography and street photography categories.
Said Mmoko: “Photographers have been able to transport us to destinations that we have only heard of. This includes how some people know what the Okavango Delta looks like when they have never been there. Because photography documents and freezes moments,it allows us to make sense of our surroundings. I look forward to the creative snaps that the entrants will submit.”
A panel of four experienced photographers, Letso Leipego of Let’z Photography, wildlife photographer Karabo LebronPeter, Cape Town-based photographer and founder of Flash Poets Photography Greg Liss and Enzo The Photographer will judge the submitted works. This jury will select three best photos for each category and the public will then vote for the best photo in each category using local networks. The winning photos will be announced at the awards ceremony. The photographer with the most votes from all categories will ultimately be crowned Photographer of the Year.
Competing photographs should be submitted through the BW Photographers Awards website and only Batswana are eligible to participate. A single photograph can be submitted for each category and the participant should be the sole owner of the copyright of all submitted works. Submitted files should also be less than 2MB, not edited, and shot with a DSLR camera.
The competition will start on 15 July 2020 and end on 4 October 2020 while the judging of the photos will be on 6 to 15 October 2020. Announcement of nominees be follow on 16 October 2020 and voting by the public on 17 October to 6 December 2020.
BW Photographers Awards have partnered with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Culture at the ministry’s Kanye Office and Kanye Bulletin.
“This is a chance for everyone who is passionate about photography,” Mmoko concluded. “This will be an annual event and a lot of photographers have embraced this new concept that is set to take the industry to dizzying heights.” she concluded.