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 March 2021!
Street/People Category
Street/People Category March 2021 Winner, taken in Luang Prabang, Laos by Chen Chit Chuang, captioned, “Cherish”.
Street/People Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Jodhpur, India by Grace Ho Pui Wan, captioned, “An Ordinary Day”.
Street/People Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Vanarasi, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned, “Life in Varanasi”.
Street/People Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Vanarasi, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned, “Roadside saloon”.
Street/People Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Vanarasi, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned, “Living Lanes of Varanasi”.
Black and White Category
Black and White Category March 2021 Winner, taken in Myanmar by Chen Chit Chuang, captioned “Good Morning Myanmar”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Kolkata, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “City of Joy”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Mongolia by Yoshi Shimizu, titled “Nomad herder”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Pangkor Island, Malaysia by Chen Chit Chuang, captioned “Old Man In The Mirror”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Kathmandu, Nepal by Chen Chit Chuang, captioned “The Sacred Moment”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Raub Pahang, Malaysia by Mohd Samsi Sumairi, captioned “Barn swallow resting on electric cable. The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is the most widespread species. This is a species that has greatly benefited historically from forest clearance, which has created the open habitats it prefers, and from human habitation, which have given it an abundance of safe man-made nest sites.”
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Johor, Malaysia by Ivan Lim Yu Meng, captioned “Fully Loaded.”
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Varanasi, India by Lim Swee Hoe, captioned “Let’s Play”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Hangzhou, China by Ho Sinsee, captioned “Tranquility “.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Province of Bulacan, Philippines by Froilan Robas, titled “Joyful Reflection”.
Black and White Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates by Emmanuel Fajutag, captioned “A Geometric Shapes of Structures in the historical and a cultural site known as Qsar Al Hosn located in the city of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates”.
Landscape Category
Landscape Category March 2021 Winner, taken in Mongolia by Yoshi Shimizu, captioned “Horses at Sunrise”.
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Empty Quarter, Western Region of the United Arab Emirates by Emmanuel Fajutag, captioned “This photo was taken in the Western Region of United Arab Emirates called LIWA or Empty Quarter. This place is known for its great sand dunes and ride through those hilly dunes.”
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Johor, Malaysia by Nadzli Bin Azlan, captioned “Mangrove Reflections“
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Kuala Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia by Muhammas Asyraf, captioned “boat at the base“
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Perhentian Island, Malaysia by Lim Swee Hoe, captioned “Charming Blue“
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Mui Dinh, Vietnam by Ho Sinsee, captioned “Natural Beauty“
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Kyoto, Japan by Yoshi Shimizu, captioned “Koi fish on the pond at Byo-do In, Kyoto.“
Landscape Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh by Yoshi Shimizu, captioned “Children play on the beach during sunset at Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.”.
Wildlife Category
Wildlife Category March 2021 Winner, taken at Liwa Western Region, United Arab Emirates by Emmanuel Fajutag, captioned : “This wild camels photo with a stunning hills of sand dunes was taken in Liwa Western Region of United Arab Emirates, a 223km travel from Abu Dhabi City, this place known for its sand dunes, and famous for dune bashing and sand boarding.”
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Muar, Johor, Malaysia by Ivan Lim Yu Meng, captioned “The Lesser Adjutant Stork”.
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Bhitarkanika National Park, Orissa, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “Take off”.
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Taiping lake garden raintree walk, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia by Winnie Ooi, captioned “Crested Goshawk and its prey”.
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Taiping lake garden raintree walk, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia by Winnie Ooi, captioned “Long-tailed Parakeet “.
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Windsor Nature Park, Singapore by Nicholas Ng, captioned “Ant Mimicking Spider”.
Wildlife Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Windsor Nature Park, Singapore by Nicholas Ng, captioned “Leaf Beetle Shining”.
Food Category
Food Category March 2021 Winner, taken in Digha, West Bengal by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “A woman busy with drying fish“.
Food Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Jodhpur, India by Grace Ho, captioned “My Bread and Butter”.
Food Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Varanasi, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “Milk suitable for the preparation of sweet”.
Food Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Shipur, West Bengal, India by Sirsendu Gayen, captioned “Street food”.
Photojournalism Category
Photojournalism Category March 2021 Finalist, taken in Sempurna Sabah, Malaysia by Grace Ho Pui Wan, captioned “The Sea Bajau at Sempurna”.
As told by Grace – “As nomadic seafarers, the Bajau Laut have been born and raised on boats at sea and it is the only life they know. Before any Bajau’s kids learn how to walk, they already learn how to swim in the sea. This sea normad roam the waters between Malaysia and the Philippines, unperturbed by official boundaries.
I have visited Maiga island near Semporna and witness the lifestyle of these Bajau peoples who stay in the boat or simple stilt wooden houses in the middle of the sea. They have no electricity and water supply; there are no televisions, mobile phones, or clocks, which a modern household may consider as necessities. And the Bajau here doesn’t seem to need all of these things, they live with the sea and get the living from the sea.
Most of the peoples here have never heard about the school, much less received any form of education and welfare from any government. They know neither the calendar year nor their age, even the time; The parents of Bajau have no idea how education can benefit their children, all they need to know is how to and get a living from the ocean.
They are the group of people who have been neglected as they are stateless. A stateless person is “a person who is not considered as a national by any state under the operation of its law,” according to the United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons. In other words, such persons are not protected by the state and do not possess basic rights that any citizen should have. Therefore, these Bajau people can’t go to school, see the doctor, work legally, or even the right to seek help when experiencing injustice.
Lately, with the pollution and “fish Bomb” activities, these nomadic people getting more difficult to get living from the sea compared with last time. Some of the social organizations are trying to help them to go to main society to start their new life, some of them started to adapt living on land but most of them still prefer staying with theirlifestyle.
I am hoping these Bajau people able to sustain their world and hoping the ever-changing development of the world not excluded them at the same time“.
Congratulations once again to Chen Chit Chuang, Sirsendu Gayen, Yoshi Shimizu and Emmanuel Fajutag for being the Images of Asia (IOA) Monthly Winners for March 2021! You can check out Chit Chuang’s Instagram here, Sirsendu’s Instagram here and Yoshi’s Instagram here and Emmanuel’s Instagram here!
And congratulations to the Images of Asia (IOA) Monthly Finalists for March 2021! You can check out Samsi’s Instagram here, Ivan’s Instagram here, Swee hoe’s Instagram, Sinsee’s Instagram here, Froilan’s Instagram here, Grace’s Instagram here, Nadzli’s Instagram here, Nicholas’ Instagram here and Winnie’s Instagram here!
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