In a world where the edited image is king, an outlier competition focuses on the great and good of traditional photography. Aiming to “preserve traditional aesthetics,” the NTD International Photography Competition (NIPC) focuses on luminous, naturalistic images that depict beauty and kindness.
Cherishing the Craft
The competition reaffirms the inherent craft and beauty of traditional photography—something the competition’s head judge, Bing Dai, is passionate about. He was ranked among China’s top 25 photographers, while he lived in the country. As a veteran photographer of over 40 years, Dai has seen industry standards drop worldwide. In top photography competitions, he’s viewed odd, abstract images. “Some of the pieces they called photography were literally piles of trash or just a bathroom. I was shocked. I thought ‘Is this really art?’” he said to NTD.Awarding Great Photography
Regardless of the type of photography, whether sports, portrait, or wildlife, the judges first assess an image for a clear theme. “The theme is the soul of a photograph—you must have one,” Dai said. After assessing the theme, the judges focus on the photographer’s skills by studying the image’s composition, clarity, and resolution, to name a few. Dai said:“Take the [famous] photograph of Trump’s presidential campaign. The moment when his ear was grazed by a bullet—that picture would certainly win an award. Why? Because it captures every essential element of [photojournalism]: a drop of blood on his ear, his raised fist, and the American flag behind him. It contains everything a real news image should express.”
The competition judges will award winners from a total prize fund of $38,000, including two $5,000 gold awards and three $2,000 special awards, or the equivalent value in photography products and equipment.
Judges will evaluate images in two main categories. The first is Social Relations and Humanity, which includes themes such as culture, the natural world, and traditional values. The second competition category is Nature and Landscape.
In addition, this year the fifth NIPC will present awards to winners in three special categories: Best Chinese Photographer, Best Sports Photography, and Best Work Commemorating the 250th Anniversary of American Independence.
Selected Works from the Finalist Exhibition
