TransAfrica Contest 2007

First edition

The winners

Here are the names of the winners of TransAfrica Contest 2007, First Edition, concernig photos and texts about Western Africa

Texts and photos have been selected by an unappealable Jury composed by: Alberto Nicheli and Roberto Cerea of TransAfrica; Augusto Panini, traveller, author of "Middle Eastern and Venetian Glass Beads" published by Electa; Bruno Zanzottera, photoreporter; Alessandra Callegari, journalist; Maurizio Bossi, traveller and Africa expert.


PHOTOS

First award – Saison of Cristina Catacchio
A scene of daily life, in which the author has been able to fix a beautiful movement of the main character – the old man coming in the hut – and the dynamic of the children’s eyes, excited not only by him but also by the camera. An interesting composition in which the light and shade effects between outside and inside melts with the coloured spots of children dresses and the glance in their eyes.

Second award – Vudu of Gianluigi Pregnolato
A beautiful portrait in which the choice of spaces – with a wide empty area in the room, attracting the eye of the observer – enhances the protagonist, an interesting character in his sitting and dressing. In the evocative shot also the dark shadow on the left is meaningful, defining the scene.

Third award – Fulani of Angela Montiroli
An original portrait of a Fulani, in which is appreciable the shot with the line effects between dress and umbrella, but above all the set of colours with the unusual blue predominant and the yellow points of light.

Twenty more photos have been selected by the Jury.

TEXTS

First award - Tubabu by Claudio Bianchi
A novel set in Burkina Faso, which describes perfectly the playful atmosphere of a group of African boys – we can find them in every trip in the continent – and their relationship with the traveller, and sketches with friendly irony the character of the missionary and the guide, typical of the region. The author has caught an episode, a football match between children and adult white people, the Tubabus, making a tender and relaxed shot, very enjoyable.

Second award - A Day in the Sahara by Gina Kokes
A Saharan experience: a traveller decides not to go with the group on a excursion in 4WD but to spend the day by herself. The author has been able to create an interesting atmosphere, and we feel the sounds, the smells, the emotions. Well written, terse, with the right choice of pauses.

Third award – Sugar and black goat by Silvano Galli
From the surreal report of the possible tuberculosis infections – given by a traditional chief in Togo – comes a novel which invites the reader to observe the scene without any judgement: the fanciful world that the real event implies is in fact a breeding ground very rich, in which there is also the possibility of a goat’s fateful influence… Africa in its actual reality of bridge between tradition and new knowledge..

First prize for both categories - texts and photos – is a voucher of 1.000 euro to be used for anyTransafrica travel, departing within December 31st 2009

Second prize for both categories is the book “African Ceremonies” by Angela Fisher and Carol Beckwith.

Third prize for both categories is an year subscription to teh monthly magazine National Geographic.