That Perfect Picture

ON the evening of Friday, December 17, Indian journalism celebrated its most challenging, most biting, most excruciating art form 8212; new...

ON the evening of Friday, December 17, Indian journalism celebrated its most challenging, most biting, most excruciating art form 8212; news photography. The Ramnath Goenka India Press Photo Awards 2004 were presented in Mumbai, honouring the best and finest in Indian photojournalism.

Instituted by The Indian Express Group as part of the birth centenary celebrations of its founder, Ramnath Goenka, the India Press Photo Awards attracted 2,795 entries from across India, from regional newspapers and English-language national newsmagazines, from agency regulars, sports photographers, conflict-zone junkies. Contestants sent in their photographs from Meerut and Nagpur, Lucknow and Vishakapatnam.

Entries were invited in six categories 8212; Spot News, General News, Daily Life, People in the News, Arts and Entertainment, and Sports Action and Features. Four of these categories had prizes for best 8216;8216;single8217;8217; photograph as well as for the best photo 8216;8216;story8217;8217;, which meant awarding a series of related images that collectively and uniquely told a tale.

The single best photograph was honoured as the Ramnath Goenka Picture of the Year 2004. That ultimate prize went to Shailendra Kumar Pandey of Amar Ujala.


	Picture of the Year 2004

THE contest was open to news photographers based in India, irrespective of whether they were working for domestic-owned or international organisations. Photographers were allowed to enter pictures they had taken while on overseas assignment. This, combined with the range of categories, led to an enthralling sprawl of visuals.

The judges 8212; Pablo Bartholomew, Prashant Panjiar, Devika Daulat Singh and Swapan Parekh 8212; had to choose between shots from the Olympics at Athens and the urbanscape of Karachi, between the tense nights of Kashmir and the ecstasy of boat races in Kerala. Picking less than a dozen winners was not just difficult, it was almost unfair 8212; on the jury and, more so, on the talent of the participants.

The Ramnath Goenka India Press Photo Awards will be back in 2005. In the interim, savour the memories of this year8217;s camera brilliance.


Sports Action 038; Features
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General News
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Daily Life
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Arts 038; Entertainment
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