Contests

Syngenta Launches International Photography Award: The Theme is “Rural-Urban”

This video presents “Syngenta Photography Award: Rural-Urban”:

  • The 2012/13 Syngenta Photography Award explores the relationship and tensions between rural and urban environments:
    • Over half of the world’s population now lives in urban areas.
    • Yet rural spaces provide the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat.
    • With competition for land, natural resources, and labor increasing, balancing these tensions is critical.
  • Syngenta invites you to be part of a creative dialogue about our changing planet.
    • The competition opens for entries on September 6, 2012 and closes on January 15, 2013.
    • The competition is free to enter.
    • All images must have been taken in the last 10 years.

Picture "rural / urban" theme (500 kb), copyright Marcus Lyon

Picture “rural / urban” theme (500 kb), copyright Marcus Lyon

Basel, Switzerland, September 6, 2012

Syngenta launches international photography award

  • Annual competition that provides an opportunity to explore global challenges through compelling images
  • Open to professional and amateur photographers around the world
  • US$65,000 in prizes and professional commission

The Syngenta Photography Award, a new international competition that aims to stimulate dialogue around key global challenges, was launched today. Open to professional and amateur photographers, the Award will explore a central theme each year. In its inaugural year, the theme is “rural-urban”, exploring the relationship and tensions between rural and urban environments.

“For the first time in history, over half of the world’s population lives in urban environments, which is increasing the competition for natural resources and labor,” commented Mike Mack, Syngenta CEO. “Finding a balance between these rural and urban tensions is critical. This new competition aims to establish an important platform to explore issues of global significance through photography.”

The competition will be judged by a distinguished international panel chaired by award-winning South African photojournalist Jodi Bieber. The other members of the panel are: Irina Chmyreva (Russia) curator and researcher of photography; Stephen Dunbar-Johnson (UK) publisher, International Herald Tribune; Milton Guran (Brazil) curator and photographer; Malu Halasa (Lebanon) writer and editor; Marcus Lyon (UK) photographer; Mike Mack (U.S.) Syngenta Chief Executive Officer; and Liu Heung Shing (China) photographer and photo editor.

The Syngenta Photography Award has two categories. The Open Competition welcomes photographers of all levels, from professional to amateur. In addition, professional photographers are invited to compete for a Professional Commission by submitting an original proposal that is related to this year’s rural-urban theme.

The winners of the Syngenta Photography Award will be announced at an exhibition in London in May 2013.

For full details of the Syngenta Photography Award, please visit www.syngentaphoto.com.

Syngenta is one of the world’s leading companies with more than 26,000 employees in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. Through world-class science, global reach and commitment to our customers we help to increase crop productivity, protect the environment and improve health and quality of life. For more information about us please go to www.syngenta.com.