A wonderful shot of a man reading a newspaper, seemingly unaware of the impending storm behind him, has taken the top prize in this year’s Urban Photo Awards. Now in its 11th year, the awards continue to focus on images that explore the fabric of urban life, with the main part of the competition is split between four straightforward categories: Streets, Spaces, People and Creative.
“At the heart of the contest is the City, the urban environment and the humanity living there: the everyday life of big cities and small towns, the contrasts and the contradictions between the city and the countryside, the aesthetic views, the architectural geometries, fragments of color breaking up the greyness of the city,” is how the guidelines describe the competition’s overall philosophy.
The overall photo of the year went to a gorgeously evocative shot by US-based photographer Harry Giglio. Jury member Alex Webb suggests this impressive image brings together several disparate elements to tell a compelling story with a single frame.
“What I like about this photograph is the sense of disconnection”, says Webb. “A man – perhaps a cobbler in front of his shop – calmly reads his newspaper on a quintessentially American street, while a shaft of lightning streaks across the sky in the background. One can’t help but think: How can this man be utterly unaware of the drama behind him?”
Despite the seemingly narrow focus of the contest, the winners and celebrated images reveal an incredibly diverse assortment of photographic subjects and styles. From compellingly strange compositions, such as Gil Ribeiro’s beautifully odd "Robot", to a familiar but still touching shot of a young girl offering a flower to a police officer, the 2020 entries present a rich portrait of urban life from a multitude of perspectives.
Take a look at our gallery of highlights from this year’s contest, and check out the best of the 2019 Awards here.
Source: Urban Photo Awards