When food photography is done right, just looking at an image can make you feel hungry and the best of the best photos have been recognised by the 2022 Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year contest.
The popular competition has been running since 2011 and has seen tens of thousands of entries from amateur and professional photographers with the contest supported by sponsors including Champagne Taittinger and Fujifilm.
2022’s title went to Indian photographer Debdatta Chakraborty for an intimate image full of warmth and humanity entitled; ‘Kebabiyana’. The photograph was taken on Khayyam Chowk, an ordinary Indian street in Srinagar by day that transforms into a buzzing food hub at night, as vendors fire up charcoal ovens and fill the air with the smoky aroma of grilled delights such as wazwan kebabs, the popular Kashmiri street food.
Another winner was this frame entitled ‘Movement of Noodles’, which was taken by Chang Jiangbin and took First Place in the ‘Bring Home The Harvest category. Chang Jiangbin. Noodles are a favorite food of people in Southern Fujian, China. The noodles are cooled and made with a unique process. Taken in Fuzhi County, Fujian Province, China.
First Place in the Food for Celebration category went to Chen Ying from China for an image entitled; ‘Traditional Skill’. Taken in a small farmhouse in Qianlian Village, Xiangyou County, Putian City, Fujian Province the image shows a family gathered around to make rice or mung bean filled dumplings. They use a wooden seal to stamp the word “fortune” or “happiness” into the red dough, and steam the dumplings in a large steamer. This tradition means that the New Year will be welcomed with reunion and the coming year will be prosperous.
Taking the First Place honour in the Wedding Food category was Isabelle Hattink from the Netherlands, who scooped the title for an image entitled; ‘Lemon Cake’. Isabelle commented; ‘The cake was cut and the lady didn’t like this shot. She told me, when I asked her if I could publish the picture, that somebody had stepped on her toes.’
The winner of the Food at the Table category was announced as UK-based photographer John Carey, who took the honour for an image entitled; ‘Putting On The Ritz’. The ‘Arts de la Table’ table-side theatre is a big part of The Ritz Restaurant experience.
Italian photographer Paolo Crocetta was named as First Place winner in the Food in the Field category for an image entitled; ‘Agricultural Art’. Paolo commented; ‘After a heavy snowfall I raised the drone to take some photos of my country covered by the whiteness of the white coat, after a few minutes of flight I noticed the particular shapes that the apple plots created in contrast with the snow on the ground.’
This special image from Bulgarian photographer Yuliy Vasilev took First Place in the Fujifilm Award for Innovation category. Entitled ‘Central Park’ Yuliy commented; ‘The image is part of my ongoing project called “Foodtopia”, a miniature world created with food items.’
The winner of the Food Stylist category was named as German photographer, Carolin Strothe. The photographer commented on this image, entitled ‘Pumpkin Buns’; ‘Soft pumpkin brioche buns, shaped like small pumpkins. To make the optical illusion perfect, they were photographed between real pumpkins.’
Lastly, Kasia Ciesielska-Faber was named as the First Place winner of the ‘On The Phone’ category. Kasia commented; ‘In Lofoten archipelago, stockfish racks have become part of the landscape. The cod is preserved by drying on large racks with no salt or smoke required as the temperatures are just below freezing. The climate is perfect for outdoor stockfish production.’
