Winners of the Borneo Bulletin Photography Contest were awarded prizes worth over BND16,000 during a ceremony at the Radisson Hotel in the capital yesterday.
The annual contest drew over 800 entries in five categories.
The top four entries as well as five consolation prize winners were named in each category.
The grand prize winners were Abdul Malik bin Haji Abdul Razak in the People and Culture category; Wong Kiong in the Fitness and Sports category; Liew Chee Shang in the Food and Lifestyle category; Bahrin Yusof in the Energy and Industry category and Law Hieng Hing in the Places and Landmarks category.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Culture) at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports Dr Siti Norkhalbi binti Haji Wahsalfelah, General Manager of Brunei Press Sdn Bhd Mohd Najmuddin bin Abdul Razak, as well as senior representatives from sponsor companies presented prizes to the winners.
The prizes included Canon EOS M200 cameras; BMW Cruise Bikes; Baiduri Bank savings accounts; imagine postpaid mobile plans; Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf coffee machines and vouchers; Intracorp vouchers; and McDonald’s vouchers sponsored by Interhouse Company, Baiduri Bank, QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, imagine Sdn Bhd, Makan Ceria Sdn Bhd, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and Intracorp Sdn Bhd.
Brunei Press, publisher of Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata, in a press release said the contest received an overwhelming response in online and hard copy submissions.
Photos were judged on quality, creativity, and effectiveness in conveying the beauty and uniqueness of thr Sultanate by representatives from the sponsors and Brunei Press. Top entries were displayed at Radisson Hotel during the prize presentation ceremony.
Mohd Najmuddin said the contest was first incepted in 2016 to provide a platform for shutterbugs in Brunei to express their creativity and skills. “This is one of the initiatives of Brunei Press, together with our sponsors, in recognising the many talents Brunei has to offer, as well as to entice young budding photographers,” he said.
Grand prize winner of the People and Culture category Abdul Malik said he wanted to portray Brunei’s customs and traditional wear, and it took him two hours to capture the movement and striking colours in the photo.
Grand prize winner of the Fitness and Sports category, Kiong, said his photo of a mountain bike rider at night in Kampong Sungai Liang, Belait District, was a rare capture as it only happens during Ramadhan when riders conduct their activities after the breaking of fast and Sunnat Tarawih prayers.
Food and Lifestyle category grand prize winner Shang spoke on the photo he took of Kampong Ayer residents boarding a water taxi carrying bags of food.
“It was taken during sunset before COVID-19 started… we had an outing with a group of photographers,” he said.
Grand prize winner of the Energy and Industry category Bahrin’s photo shows a parang maker using a grinder machine.
“Showing the sparks in using the grinder, while focussing on the job of making sure it is built to perfection shows the uniqueness of the photo,” he said.