The administration of the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Photography Award announced the winners of the 13th annual contest dedicated to the theme of sustainable development. The winner in the category "Photo of the Year by HIPA" is the Syrian astrophotographer Sami Al-Albai. This category, which comes with a prize of $80,000, was introduced for the first time among special awards, alongside the categories "People's Choice Award" and "Honorable Mention," amounting to $50,000 and $100,000 respectively.
It should be noted that the winners of all nominations will be honored during the closing ceremony on December 12 at the "Museum of the Future." The "Photo of the Year by HIPA" category was created to reward outstanding photographs demonstrating creative achievements, collected over the course of the past 12 consecutive months, and aims to highlight exceptional projects that enrich the world of photography.
The Minister of Health and Community Protection, the President of the Honorary Council of the Award, Abdulrahman bin Mohammed bin Maktoum Al-Awareness, expressed delight at the presence of talents from Arab countries, such as Sami Al-Albai, emphasizing that astrophotography fosters creative photographic projects based on long exposures and long-term visions.
Al-Awareness underscored the importance of attracting attention to this refined art form, stimulating talented individuals to conduct research. The Secretary-General of the award, Ali Khalifa bin Thani, endorsed the satisfaction with the winning special awards, which should present significant and contemporary photographic input, addressing international current issues.
Winner Sami Al-Albai referred to his award as "more importantly for the photographer-enthusiast of astrophotography and landscapes," considering it an inspiration after long nights spent under the stars searching for magical moments. He expressed hope that this award highlights other assessments of celestial and earthly nature.
Sami Al-Albai is considered one of the leading photographers in astronomy and nature in the Middle East, known for his projects focusing on capturing stars from dark places in the Arabian Peninsula. His works have been published in 80 local and international publications. He combines abstraction, detail, and astronomical photography, using advanced techniques of long focusing, exposure, and star tracking, creating remarkable images.
In the past four years, Al-Albai has been working on a project for capturing the entire night sky of the Arabian Peninsula, which will conclude in another four years to become an artistic and cultural heritage for future generations. On December 12, the awards ceremony for the winners of the 13th cycle of the award will take place at the "Museum of the Future."
