Photo contest for all

The competition will see Zimbabweans from all walks of life being asked to submit photos on various themes. Each month Zimbabwean and Spanish photographers will select the top three photographs which will be awarded cash prizes of US$100, US$50 and US$25 respectively. At the end of the competition an overall winner will be selected for a grand prize of US$1 000.
Zimbo Jam editor and competition director, Fungai Tichawangana, said that this was an exciting development for the website and for photographers in Zimbabwe.
“Photography is one of the least appreciated art forms in the country and gets very little attention,” he said. “Also worrying is the fact that there is very little photographic documentation of Zimbabwean life from 1980 to date at the National Archives. In a time when digitalcameras are widely available and where photography is more affordable than ever we want to push to change this trend.”
The objectives of the competition are to encourage the development of photographic skills in Zimbabwe, to promote the documentation of daily life in Zimbabwe, to create links between Zimbabwean and Spanish photographers, to help develop an interest in photography as an art and to show the world Zimbabwe through the eyes of its people.
The competition is open to all Zimbabwean nationals, even the diasporans, but the photos must be taken in Zimbabwe. Photographers are required to take photos basing on any of the six themes set for the six months with January’s theme being Rebuilding our Country; February – Love; March – In the Eyes of a Child; April – Keep it Green; May – Albinos; and lastly June – Women by Women (open to women and girls only).
Photos for any of the themes can be submitted at any time during the competition and will be entered into the appropriate month for judging. Photographs for respective monthly themes will be submitted by the 20th day of the month in which that theme is judged. Photos are submitted either full colour or black and white by e-mail to pikicha@zimbojam.com. The photographs will be judged on the basis of impact, composition and suitability for the specific category entered.
Copies of all photos entered for the competition will be sumbitted to the National Archives of Zimbabwe and selected pictures will be published in the Zimbo Jam’s Pikicha section. — zimbojam-Jeff Warara.