The irony is not lost on Amr Mohamed Bakry that the camera with which he won the regional photography competition, Seeing Jiangsu from a Different Angle, and with it a handy 9,000 yuan ($1304) in prize money, was originally intended to take photos of the experiments he conducts as part of his PhD program at Jiangnan University.
Sat next to friend and fellow prizewinner Ishtiaq Ahmed in a room now quiet, following the exodus of a gaggle of eager local journalists, a toothy grin rarely leaves Bakry's face as he reflects on the surreal experience of the past week in which he has been thrust repeatedly onto the other side of the camera.
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Amr Mohamed Bakry's winning photograph of Dangkou's ancient town impresses judges of Seeing Jiangsu from a Different Angle, a photography competition for foreigners living in the East China competition. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
"I went to Nanjing [to receive the prize] and there were so many announcers, media and many photos. I felt like a famous person, a celebrity, with so many fans and [people] took my signature. I felt like a famous artist."
The annual photo competition invites foreigners living throughout East China's Jiangsu province to submit their photographs depicting the region from their own perspective. The event received the submissions of around 300 entrants and there is certainly a sense of redemption and closure for Bakry, who, midway through his fourth and final year of a doctorate degree in Food and Science Technology, had entered the competition three times previously without claiming the top prize. The Egypt native jokingly recalls the fact that last year he only took home 100 yuan.
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Views across Turtle Head Isle are iconic for many Wuxi residents and the scene is beautifully captured by Amr Mohamed Bakry’s photograph of mist rolling into the area in the early morning. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Bakry won three of the four top prizes (Ahmed taking the other) with photos depicting a wintery street scene of Dangkou's ancient town, a serene shot of mist lingering above the surface of Taihu Lake, and a crisp scene of cherry trees in Turtle Head Park.
