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Tiger Camera Winner Diary - Exploring India with Fernando F. Paez

When Fernando F. Paez emailed us a few weeks ago we were excited to see what he had to say. Fernando was the Tiger Camera winner in 2014 and his winning photo was a beautiful image of family transcending generations and ages.

We knew his photos from India would be beautiful, and we weren’t disappointed. Here are his experiences in his own words...

“Just a week ago we arrived trip to India. I wanted to thank, once again, the grand prize of 2014 (Family) and I would like to mention to the most outstanding moments of this trip.

India is an amazing place in all senses and this term (senses) precisely defines this country. Smells, tastes, colors, noise, up a set of sensations that make it a unique place, a different place, in which live all caste, religions and people in a messy chaos and cordial coexistence with a large number of animals involved in everyday life. In certain places and at certain times you can not tell if you are immersed in the Middle Ages or in the distant future.

Photo credit: Fernando F. Paez

Anyone traveling to India, should be provided with plenty of film or memory cards. No doubt it will fall short.

The journey begins in the capital, New Delhi, visiting temples and fantastic strong example of Mughal architecture. The cultural heritage of this country is fantastic and plentiful

"Bound" to the most important architectural work in India, the Taj Mahal, a white marble building, to continue the Agra Fort and then to visit old Delhi where the bustle and excitement of all types of vehicles and animals circulate narrow, winding streets.

We visited the Keoladeo National Park in Barathpur, National Park Tiger Ranthanbore, Jodphur, Jaiphur, Agra, stopping at temples, forts, mosques and palaces representative of this tour.

Photo credit: Fernando F. Paez

Before returning to New Delhi, we visited and participated in the most impressive ceremonies and demonstrations in the Ganges River in impressive pilgrimage town of Varanasi.

Photo credit: Fernando F. Paez

I send a few photos from the trip that illustrate the different stages and different aspects of this trip and this country.”

Story behind the photo: Giuliana Carolina Perera

What do you do with your time?

I am 55 years old and working at an American multinational. I like taking pictures and knitting.

What made you take part in Tiger Camera?

I receive the newsletter by tiger. I love photography and I like to take part in competitions when I have a photo that corresponds to the subject.

What was the process and thinking behind the photo?

The photo was taken in Zanzibar. I loved the contrast you perceive on the beach where tourists are in swimsuit almost naked and these girls who are very covered.

What camera did you use?

Sony A200

The most photogenic cities around the world....

Here at Tiger Camera we love photography and we love to travel. We decided to ask our fans and followers which cities around the world they loved, and which they thought were the most photogenic.

Here are our top five results....

1. New York City

Of course, the city that never sleeps is at the top of the list! With its towering skyscrapers and iconic buildings, NYC is every photographers dream destination.

2. Hong Kong

It’s not hard to see why photographer love Hong Kong, this city has the perfect mixture of ancient culture and modern wonder.

3. Venice

Like something out of a fairytale, Venice has the beauty and elegance of Europe, mixed with the mystery of somewhere almost fictional.

4. Tokyo

Another bright, colourful and mesmerising city, this is where the winner from 2015 Tiger Camera competition got to jet off to.

5. Paris

Paris is the Jewel of Europe, and has some of the most recognisable buildings and structure in the whole world. No wonder you voted for this city!

Story behind the photo: Hendrik Braet

Hi Hendrik, what do you do with your time?

I'm working part-time for a cultural organisation where i am organising all kind of activities: exhibitions, meetings, lectures. I'm working also as a socially committed independent photographer. I spent a lot of time playing with my daughter Charlotte, age 3.

What made you want participate?

It's one of my first attempts to show my work worldwide.So to get more exposure.

What was the process or thinking behind your photo?

The subject 'Borders' has two connotations to me: restrictions and freedom. I show this two meanings in a pure graphic orgy of primitive forms and powerful colors.

Where was the photo taken?

Before the town hall of Antwerp. Antwerp is a big town in Belgium who takes itself very serious. The mayor is the most powerful politican who want to split Belgium and create an independent Flandres. A flower Carpet is a cheap way to attract tourists. On itself it's meaningless. Just for city marketing objectives.

Acknowledgement for Mathilde!

Mathilde, our Tiger Camera 2015 winner got a whole page feature in the local newspaper from Viborg, where she is from. We’re so happy to see her amazing work getting mentioned in newspapers around the world!

Here is Mathilde with the newspaper, and click here to read the piece in full!

Let’s dig a little deeper!

We’ve been asking all our 50 finalists for more information about themselves, the photo they took and how they stumbled into Tiger Camera. We’re so excited to share these amazing people with you - and their amazing photos too.

Here we ask Liviu Pirvan a few questions about her top 50 photograph...

What's your name?

I work together with my girlfriend as part of an up-and-coming artistic collaboration. The long-term plan is to get an exhibition at MoMA and eventually take over the world.

What made you decide to participate?

While passing by our local Tiger store, we noticed the advert for this photo contest, and we thought it was a good opportunity to go to a different country for free. That dream got crushed, but we're nevertheless happy for being part of the 50 winners!

Please explain the process/thinking behind your photo. Why this photo?

We wanted to explore borders in a less obvious way avoiding the display of any physical borders -- our photo aims to portray invisible borders in an intimate context.

What camera did you use?

Ricoh GR.

Where was the photo taken?

Edinburgh, during a weekend trip.

Will you participate again in the 2016 competition?

Count us in!

A glimpse at the top 50 Tiger Camera photos!

As well as our fantastic winning photo, we’ve also got 50 amazing finalists who will all be published inside our Tiger Camera 2015 book. The book will be available from Tiger Stores next year - but for now take a closer look at some of the incredible entries that made it!

What do borders mean to you?

Challenging borders: the story of a winning photo

Dear Tigers,

You’ve asked us to tell you more about how we picked this year’s winning photograph ‘03:32 This is my Mom’ by 20-year-old Matilde Fogh from Denmark.

Practically speaking, the selection process went like this...

Between June 1 and July 1, you uploaded 10,000 photos to our website. From those 10,000 photos, each of our Tiger Camera jury members picked approximately 50 of their own favourite shots, and from those choices we created a long list of 219 pictures and hung them all up and invited the jury to come in and view them together.

In the course of one long, discussion-filled day, our experts narrowed down that long list – first to 100 fantastic photographs, then to 80, then 50, then 6 and finally to a single winning photo that both exemplifies and challenges the concept of “Borders.” But let’s let the jury tell you why.

In the words of the jury:

The winning photo takes its starting point in the classic theme of the reclining nude. There’s real beauty in the way the figure is laying on the bed and in the interaction between the fabric of the sheet and the bare skin. Yet the figure itself is anything but classic, it’s a real woman in all her magnificent perfection and imperfection.

The photo exists in a kind of borderland between the private and the intimate, the personal and the impersonal, the realistic and the symbolic. It’s also important to remember that borders place restraints on form and expression that are important to challenge and break down. ‘03:32 This is my Mom’ does that brilliantly, going beyond the conventional and demanding something of the viewer.

10 GIFs that will make you wish summer never ends.

There’s nothing better than summertime - so here are some pretty amazing GIFs to give you that summer feeling all year round.

Beautiful photos that will make you fall in love with India...

Every year when Tiger Camera launches, you submit beautiful photos from all over the world. Here are some beautiful images people posted from India this year... and oh boy, are they beautiful.

Photo by Sydney Hubbell

Photo by Kuntal Kumar Roy

Photo by Monica Forss

Photo by Clara Vives

Photo by Kunal Gupta

Photo by Neenad Arul

Photo by Daniel Ordóñez garcía

Photo by Michele Ferrari

Did you love our Tiger Camera photos? Head on over to the website to see more! www.tigercamera.com

Take the leap... Beautiful photos of people taking the leap!

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Luca Vasconi

This year the theme for Tiger Camera 2015 is the word ‘Borders’ - and for many people, the concept of a border is all about leaping over it. So whatever border is stopping you from entering, jump over it now!

Here are some amazing Tiger Camera entries, that will show you how to do it!

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Neenad Arul

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Pasquale Cuorvo

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Marlene Klausen

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Martin Gonzalez

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Sandra Martí alvarez

TIGER CAMERA ENTRY BY: Luca Vasconi

You can enter the Tiger Camera competition by clicking here.

Famous Borders from Around the World...

The theme this year for Tiger Camera is the word ‘Borders’ - now that could mean anything to anyone. But for many people, the immediate interpretation is that of psychical borders, such as walls, mountains and canyons.

To inspire you (remember there is still a week left to enter!) we’ve put together some images and GIFs of the most famous borders around the world...

Sometimes we knock the borders down...

Sometimes we build the borders ourselves...

Sometimes the borders are older than we are...

And sometimes all we can do is stop and stare...

9 things every photography-lover knows to be true.

1. You take your camera everywhere. It’s been to every place you have, and should probably have its own passport.

2. You’ll put up with just about anything to get the perfect photo....

3. And you just know the best photo will come from the most obscure spot....

4. There’s no better way to spend the weekend than wandering around a new city with your camera.

5. There will always be someone who’s not ready for the flash.

6. After an event or family gathering, people always message and email you asking to see the photos.

7. When you need to take a super-candid spontaneous photo, the lens cap will always be on. That’s just how it is.

8. You own about 5 cameras, but only ever use one.

9. You probably get WAY to enthusiastic about Instagram updates and VSCO filters.

It’s just Me and the Sea.

Photo by: Ariel Rivas

We all know the ocean is one of the biggest borders on the Earth. It spans countries and continents and is the biggest mystery we’ve yet to discover.

Here are some beautiful Tiger Camera 2015 entries, all with one common theme....

It’s just me and the sea.

Remember, if you want to enter Tiger Camera yourself - just visit the Tiger Camera 2015 website and click participate. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Photo by: Juan Echague walters

Photo by: Charlotte Hooij

Photo by: Maki Nakauchi

Photo by: Adriana Oberto

Photo by: Elisabetta Vigoli

Photo by: Kostis Bakopoulos

Photo by: Els Schevenels

Photo by: Sonny Dimaculangan

15 GIFs that will make you fall in love with Japan

The prize for Tiger Camera 2015 is a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan, one of the most beautiful and incredible countries in the world.

Here are 15 GIFs to inspire you to win that amazing prize!

An interview with Tiger Camera Jury member (and Instagram super-star!) Matt Scutt

Matt Scutt, the iconic London photographer and Instagram super-star, is one of the jury members on Tiger Camera 2015. Here we learn a bit more about him, his style of photography and his tips for people wanting to enter.

So Matt, what are your photography tips?

More often than not, the photos you look at are taken while standing and at head height. You see what the photographer sees in the same way as everyone else does. Change your perspective. Try different heights. Try tilting it. Try looking up or looking down. See the world differently.

How would you describe yourself?

I am a creative director of an agency near Tower Bridge, London. What’s a creative director, you ask? Well, I direct creatively. I have designers, writers, developers, photographers and illustrators in my team and I come up with concepts and manage the process through the team. That being said, I am hands on, being skilled in all of those areas and others such as music composition and painting.

Why have you decided to be a jury member for Tiger Camera?

Someone mentioned free wine.

Can you send us a photo that best sums up your work?

My photo of the Eiffel Tower at sunrise. I try and capture shots no-one else has, whether that requires staying up all night to get a clean shot (no tourists!) or simply getting a new angle.

How do you personally spot a great photo?

I started my career as a technical artists, realising architectural drawings and turning them into paintings. So, I can visualise angles and views without having to physically see them. Which saves lots of time and means I can spot an angle from a distance!

What is your favourite photo from your portfolio?

It’s a photo from Tower Bridge. I was attending an event and I crept away from the crowd and climbed into the roof space above the walkways. It’s not meant to be accessed by the public, but the temptation was too much and I captured some amazing views.

Which photographers do you admire?

I really like Eddy Joaquim and Iwan Baan – their architectural work is simply divine. On Instagram, my key influences are @saaggo and @byrnephotography – not only are they out-of-this-world photographers, but their altruistic nature is a massive inspiration to me.

Is there a style of photography you love more than others?

Architectural photography. I have loved architecture for as long as I can remember.

Do you remember the first photo you took? Or the first camera you owned?

Tricky - long time taking photos. I remember the first one I sold - a shot of a Touring Car hitting the gravel at Brand Hatch in the 90s. That was taking on a 35mm Canon SLR film camera.

When did you realise you loved photography enough to make a career from it?

I didn’t - I would get bored doing just one thing, which I why I pushed myself to get into a career which allows me to be creative across multiple medias - photography is a very small part of my career.

If you were entering the competition - what photo would you enter?

My windmill shot. Why? I love the contrast of the yellow of the rapeseed against the clear blue sky, the depth of field (focussing on the bee in the middle ground, foreground flowers and the windmill blurred in the background) and the ‘rule of thirds’ balance is perfect in this shot.

Do you want to enter Tiger Camera 2015? Visit the participate page by clicking here.

Top tips for promoting your Tiger Camera entry

If you’ve entered Tiger Camera 2015, the next step to being chosen as our winner, is to promote and share your entry as much as possible! Here we’ve put together some quick tips on how you can do that and how you can get your entry seen by as many people as possible.

Tip 1: Share your photo with us on Social Media

Once you’ve entered, be sure to share your photo with as on social media, especially Twitter. You can find our twitter profile here: https://twitter.com/Tiger_Camera

We are checking the social media daily for our favourite entries, and re-sharing them across our channels so more people can see them. If you tweet us, it’s a great way of saying “I’d love you to share my image!” and it makes us pay attention!

Check out the great image below that we re-shared yesterday!

Tip 2: Get your friends and family to share your images

The next best thing to sharing the images yourself, is getting friends and family to share them. Drop your friends a Facebook message with a link to your profile and ask them to start sharing it with everyone they know.

This will help your profile be more popular and hopefully then grab our attention. You may even be featured as image of the day!

Tip 3: Tell people about your entry at school or work

Spread the word far and wide and let your classmates or colleagues know about the competition too. It’s a great chance to get lots of social shares all in one go!

Tip 4: Tell your local newspaper

If your local newspaper has an arts or culture section, why not drop them an email and tell them about your entry? It’s a great way to get the local community behind you, and encourage other people to enter too.

If you have any more tips, leave them in the comments below - we’d love to hear them!

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