Sensational shutterbugs

A collection of stunning images captured by keen photographers in the kingdom were recently placed on display and can now be shared by GulfWeekly readers.

These were the winning photographs in telecom provider Batelco’s first photographic competition, entitled Bahrain Eye, which attracted more than 800 entries.

The photographs were reviewed and judged by four professional Bahraini photographers – Ali Al Refaei, Ali Al Marzooq, Jaan Al Balooshi and Ahmed Zaman – who praised ‘the excellent quality and creativity’ of the work submitted.

They were first put on display during a two-day exhibition, amongst 200 selected for display at Bahrain Art Gallery, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture.

Photographs were entered into five categories: Places in Bahrain, People in Bahrain, Nature and Wildlife in Bahrain, Tawasel (Communication) and Mobile photography. Over 200 images were selected for display at the exhibition.

The first-placed photographers in each category walked away with cash prizes of BD200 from Batelco plus a BD40 voucher from Ahmed Zaman Studios.

Abdullhay Almadani, 15, from Jidhafs, was the youngest winner taking the nature category by storm with his sensational image of an Arabian stallion galloping in its stables.

He has been taking photographs for the past two years under the tutelage of retired geography teacher and acclaimed photographer Faisal Khalaf. He recently came third in a photographic competition run by a supermarket and picked up a BD20 voucher prize.

Bahraini Abdullhay, who has 10 siblings and attends Al Naim Secondary School for Boys, said: “This is the first time I really think I captured ‘the moment’. The horse was beautiful and I managed to take the photograph just before the sun was setting which gave it such a dramatic effect.

“This is my favourite picture and I am so proud to have won and it has given me the confidence to continue with my photography.”

Graphic artist Michael Ryan, 31, a Filipino expat, was overwhelmed by the late-afternoon sunset he enjoyed from his office window in Muharraq and snapped his award-winning image using his mobile phone. “It was just the perfect sunset,” he said. “I would wait every afternoon so that I could take pictures of it.”

Bahraini Abdulla Faqihi, 17, took first prize in the People in Bahrain category. The Al Iman School student lives in Manama and captured the image of a friend during a trip to Muharraq. “It’s amazing to have won,” he said.

Glenn Wesley Dulay, 33, a Filipino workshop supervisor who lives in Seef, managed to capture his moody dock of the bay image by weathering a storm. “It was a rainy, cloudy day and I pushed myself to go outside and take some photographs.”

His efforts were rewarded with a stunning image taken at Busaiteen, using a long exposure camera setting for his Places in Bahrain winning entry.

Pakistani Sanaullah Mohammed Ali, 22, who works for a media company, patiently photographed water dripping, after extensive research over the internet to uncover the correct technique necessary to capture such an amazing image.
“I watched a lot of youtube tutorials and practiced many times before perfecting my entry.”

He took the prize-winning snap in his home in Isa Town and said; “I am so proud to have won my category.”

A number of sponsors supported the event including the ministry, Zaman Studios, Fatima Photography, Reflector Media, Gajria, Bahrain DSLR and the Centre of Culture and Research.