The ASIAN Geographic’s Images of Asia (IOA) 2021 photography competition, exhibits the work of photographers from all across Asia. We have received stunning photos across the various categories, and here are the winners and finalists for May 2021!
Street/People Category
Street/People Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Purulia, West Bengal by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “Tribal Home”
Street/People Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Pattaya, Thailand by Mangalika Ghost, captioned “Daily Trade in a Thai Floating Market”
Street/People Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in India by EE Lin, captioned “Love is in the Air”
Street/People Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Varanasi, India by Chong Keng Loy, captioned “The Life of Sadhu”
Street/People Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Sibu, Sarawak (Malaysia) by Desmond Ngu, captioned “The Barber Under the Shade”
Landscape Category
Landscape Category May 2021 Winner, taken in Sibu, Sarawak (Malaysia) by Desmond Ngu, captioned, “Fishing with a View”
Landscape Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Gangtok, Sikkim by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “Night in Gangtok”
Wildlife Category
Wildlife Category May 2021 Winner, taken in Windsor Park, Singapore by Nicholas Ng, captioned, “Ant versus Flies”
Wildlife Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Taiping Lake Garden, Perak (Malaysia) by Winnie Ooi, captioned, “Male Eurasian Hoopoe Passing Food to the Female”
Wildlife Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Pangkor Island, Perak (Malaysia) by Chen Chit Huang, captioned, “GOTCHA!”
Wildlife Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in Whampoa Drive, Singapore by Nicholas Ng, captioned, “Telemonia Dimidata on Leaf”
Food Category
Food Category May 2021 Finalist, taken in India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned,
“Food Fest on the Go”
Photojournalism Category
Photojournalism May 2021 Finalist, taken in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned, “The Sleeping Baby”
Cambodia shares its eastern border with Vietnam and most of its history. Periods of wars and immigration between the two countries have resulted in a large ethnic Vietnamese community living in Cambodia today. During the French Protectorate (1863-1953) most of the ethnic Vietnamese arrived in Cambodia to serve in administrative positions and in the countryside. According to a 2014 study on the living conditions of Vietnamese in Cambodia, it is estimated that nine out of ten ethnic Vietnamese in Cambodia are undocumented. The Cambodian government attributes this number of illegal immigration and the Vietnamese of ethnic origin have become stateless. Without papers, ethnic Vietnamese cannot buy land and most of them live in floating villages in Tonle Sap, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, located deep inside Cambodia. The houses owned by the ethnic Vietnamese are distinctive in both their design and their lack of permanent attachment to the land. During the monsoon season, the water level of the Tonlé Sap reaches its peak. Many who live in floating houses are at the mercy of rising and dropping water levels; it’s very fitting that the stateless Vietnamese’s floating homes are as temporary as their citizenship status. The sleeping baby in the temporary swing on the boat was born three months ago in a floating house, where her mother only had the assistance of a local midwife during delivery. This is her second child, and their family condition is so miserable that she is forced to move out with her baby to earn some money from the visiting tourist.
Photojournalism May 2021 Finalist, taken in the City of Agats, District of Asmat (Papua) by Aulia Erlangga, captioned, “Men of Wood”
For Sale – Asmat Carving. During the Asmat Culture Festival, hundreds of Asmat sculptors passed by in Agats City bringing their carvings to be registered in a carving competition organized by the Asmat Museum. The carvings that win the competition will be officially auctioned off by the festival committee to the public. Meanwhile, carvings that are not selected as winners are free to be sold to the public by the carvers themselves.
Photojournalism May 2021 Finalist, taken in Pasir Gudang, Johor (Malaysia) by An Nursyahir Syahmi, captioned, “Kampung Orang Asli Kuala Masai“
The story of the indigenous people of Seletar who were marginalised and oppressed by the capitalists about the land, about their rights as villagers. Since the MCO (movement control order) because of Covid19, they have a very difficult life. Children who go to school must study online which is very inconvenient for residents due to lack of technology and no internet supply (not everyone can afford a smartphone and laptop for online studying.
Photojournalism May 2021 Finalist, taken in Varanasi, India by Mark Frederick Jereos, captioned, “Reincarnate”
Taken during one of the cremations along the Ganges River. It has been a long tradition that they cremate their loved ones and spread their ashes in the Ganges River and part of the process of reincarnation.
Congratulations once again to Desmond Ngu, Chong Keng Loy and Nicholas Ng for being the Images of Asia (IOA) Monthly Winners for May 2021! You can check out Desmond Ngu Instagram here, Chong Keng Loy Instagram here and Nicholas Ng Instagram here!
And congratulations to the Images of Asia (IOA) Monthly Finalists for March 2021! You can check out Sirsendu Instagram here, EE Lin Instagram here, Lee Shing Yaw Instagram here, Nicholas Instagram here, Winnie Instagram here and An Nursyahir Syahmi Instagram here!
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Love shooting photos of the vast and beautiful Asia? Submit your entries today! More details of Images of Asia Monthly here.
