PSA GOLD MEDAL in section WATER with photography HIGHLAND
Jury member VINKO ŠEBREK wrote about photography:
Mr. Mamdooh Alsaleh’s photography has high documentary as well as aesthetic values, and was appropriately awarded with high grades and the PSA GOLD medal. The photograph’s artistic structure and content entirely fit the given theme and the terms of the competition. It’s exceptional, extraordinary, unusual and different, which is exactly why it stands out from all the other arrived photographs.
Regarding the aesthetic value of the photograph, I would especially like to emphasize the author’s technique and his creativity with the elaboration of the motive. The documentary value is even more accentuated with the author’s description of meeting an Etiopian family and their search for the so precious water. With that I mean the psychology of his perception and his deliberated procedures – from recognising the value of the motive itself, the artistic segment and elements in the shot, to the wise wait for the motive to recur and then advantageously using it in the sense of preparing all the creative processes as a precondition for a good photography.
Under the set of circumstances, right timing and the excellent interaction between the author and the outside reality, this fantastic photography was born, and it deserves a sincere congratulation from the jury!
Mamdooh told us interesting story behind this photo:
As I was crossing through a small bridge on dry river, I saw two ladies from Hamar tribe digging for water, I asked the driver to stop and went to take some photos for minutes. We left, when I started to check out the photos after 15 minutes from driving away, sure I did not like the photos, so I asked the driver to get back but the group were tired and need to have break. Right after break, they asked me if I still want to go back, “sure yes”, was my reply. than we drove back to the same location. It was almost two hours since we left, and it took us 25 minutes and unfortunately no one was there. And the well was covered with sand. When the driver said:” no one is here so let’s go somewhere else”. I refused and said: “I came to Ethiopia to shoot this image, and I will not move until someone come to dig again for water”. Everyone was unhappy for waiting, specially after an hour. They started nagging on me asking to move somewhere else. While i was insisting to wait. Three hours later, a family of Hamar tribe came , and the guide asked their permission to shoot them, but they should not look at me, they didn’t mind. I kept taking photos until I got it ” Highland”.
Also Mamdooh told us a few words about himself:
I began my journey with art in 1993 when I stepped my on theatre of college as an actor. And since then moved from section to another in art such as acting, production, designing, lighting, photojournalism photography and directing. I started my photography studio in 2002 with two employees and now, in 2015, I have sixty employees.
In end of 2013 I started to search for my soul of photography and I found it in the travel and documentary. In one year I got 175 international awards with 7 times blue badge of best author.
My Distinctions A FIAP and UPI crown 4 aslo a member in PSA and Bahrain photo Club.
In love with Africa and believe you can see the Black and white life but in colors.
In the gallery below you can see more Mamdooh’s photos:
