MOBILE 2021: TOP 20
WINNER, MOBILE CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
TONY LAW, 'MAN IN THE DESERT WITH A FALCON'
Sydney photographer Tony Law’s Mobile Category winning photo was taken in the desert near Sharjah, UAE at the end of 2019.
“I had always wanted to take photos of the Arabian desert landscape, so I contacted two other photographer friends to join me on a shoot,” he explained.
“The original plan was to take a desert camel ride, but instead we took a falconer with his bird to the red desert dunes. This is a heroic portrait taken with a Huawei mobile phone during outdoor shooting. Nowadays, mobile photography is becoming increasingly powerful, with the potential to shoot incredible photos with a small and accessible device.” For our judges, the perfect lighting and intriguing subject matter made it a clear winner this year.
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Tim Levy: I hate to use the French phrase ‘je ne sais quoi’ (or in Kentucky speak - special sauce) but this, and many great photos have it. A desert landscape sprawling out into infinity, a warm light wrapping around the subject, the strange comedy of the bird, the pensive look on the person's face. It all seems part of a larger story.
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RUNNER UP, MOBILE CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
SARA BARRITT, 'JUST LOOKING'
Raised in rural New Zealand, Sara Barritt says she has always felt close to nature. “I remember as a little girl using my dad's camera and attempting to take photos of all my pet sheep, rabbits and horses. I still like to incorporate nature into my shots and being in Tasmania gives me that opportunity,” she said.
“My photography is now largely of children of which I have three of my own. I take my opportunities with some of my shots and with my phone there is an improved chance of catching that moment when the light, colour and content collide.”
Her image was created as she traversed the Launceston Cataract Gorge on a chairlift.
“The Gorge had recently flooded, and the deluge of water had created a bubbling froth that made interesting swirling patterns on top of the water,” she said. “Having fellow day trippers in the shot added some perspective. I considered it fortunate that they were passing at that time and looking in the right direction.
I was holding onto one of my children while taking the photo which may have added a degree of difficulty but was just part of the day out!”
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
Tim Levy: The texture, the colours, the chaotic patterns, the slightly meandering path, the cartoonish people, the composition, people vs nature - all great. Zooming in at first, the people are not super detailed, but the lack of detail (it is a phone camera after all) leads the people to look perfectly generic which is totally apt for this image.
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TOP 20 FINISHERS, MOBILE CATEGORY, PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2021
3. Photo © Margot Hughes. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
4. Photo © Cameron Meacham. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
5. Photo © Luke Farzekas. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
6. Photo © Glenn Homann. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
7. Photo © David Sov. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
8. Photo © Sophie Argiriou. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
8. Photo © Don Saunderson. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
10. Photo © Amanda Clarke. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
11. Photo © Christian Horgan. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
11. Photo © Cameron Meacham. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
13. Photo © Bianca Briggs. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
14. Photo © Elisa Bond. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
14. Photo © Stella Scarfo. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
15. Photo © Nadja Arold. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
16. Photo © Stella Scarfo. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
18. Photo © Amanda Richards. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
18. Photo © Martin Pippen. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.
20. Photo © Pei Fong. Mobile Category, Photographer of the Year 2021.