Sony World Photography Awards

Longboard surfer at the nose of his board at Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali March 2022

Yes, I’ve entered another photography contest

Longboard surfer at the nose of his board at Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali March 2022
Longboard surfer at the nose of his board at Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali March 2022

I’ve submitted some of my favourite photos from my four months in Bali last spring to Sony World Photography Awards. It’s not just because it’s nice to get noticed or to have my work on display at an exhibition, it’s also a good opportunity for me as a photographer to have a chance to look back at what I’ve done this last year. What worked when photographing? What do I need to improve and keep in mind when out taking pictures? Personally I thinks it’s almost impossible to compete in photography, unless it’s an exceptional photograph which usually happens unexpected. I know a photographer in New York who got a Pulitzer Prize for a photograph of the plane flying into one of the World Trade Towers in New York on September 11th 2001. But she wasn’t there to take that photograph, she just happened to see what was going to happen and had her camera ready. And it was an extraordinary photo of a most horrible and unusual event. Which, as sad as the attack was, the photo deserves to be awarded. And the attack and its effect on humans, and their lives, has to be documented.

Anyhow, the photos I submitted from my stay in Bali are the same as I’ve submitted before. Which comes natural since I like them, and some of them got noticed at the International Photography Awards so I decided to give them one more chance. Also, I shouldn’t admit this, but since I’m doing so many things, one of them is shovelling snow up here in the north of Sweden and I’ve also properly gotten back to my ashtanga yoga practice, I didn’t have enough time to look through all the photos I took during my trip. But I’m working my way through them, and planning more blog posts about my travels, posts that are a bit more informative about the destinations. So, I took the easy option and sent in these photos.

Galungan morning in Amed, East Bali 2022, girl praying next to the sea.
Galugan morning in Amed, East Bali 2022
Fish eating from a coral in the reefs outside Lipah Beach, Amed East Bali, June 2022
Fish eating from a coral in the reefs outside Lipah Beach, Amed East Bali, June 2022
Fish and corals in the sea at Amed, East Bali, June 2022
Fish and corals in the sea at Amed, East Bali, June 2022
Fisherman in traditional balinese clothing in his boat on Galugan morning in Amed, East Bali 2022
I loved seeing and photographing this fisherman heading to shore while I was in the sea on Galugan morning.
Fishing boats at sea on Galugan morning in Amed, East Bali 2022
It’s always boats against the horizon for me. Yes, the view I like the most.
Surfing in Canggu close to a temple, Bali 2022
This is so much Bali to me, temples and water everywhere.
Temple, waves and surfers in Jl Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali 2022
The soft and the hard, the sea and the rocks.
I love this photo of the baby puffer fish. It’s like we’re making eye contact.
This is one of the most photogenic fishes I’ve met. It’s like it wants me to take its photo.
I just love being underwater with the fishes and my camera.
Female surfer stretching before she heads out into the surf at Batu Bolong, Canggu, Bali, April 2022
Stretching and warmup.
Mosaic
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66 responses to “Sony World Photography Awards”

  2. Lovely 👏😆. I wish you well in this as always 🥰🥰

    I agree with what you were saying about it being impossible to compete in Photography and about how it’s usually an exceptional photo that typically wins. I think the issue that is at play most of the time, is that it’s impossible to have any good idea of what photos will be ideal in competitions like this since there is no set theme that is broken down into different individual categories that you can actively work or focus on. For example: the theme is BMW cars and they will mark you with 3 points for being able to see most of the detail on the car due to the lighting, how crisp the photo is etc — they will make you more if the car/BMW has pin-stripes and you get 1 point for the pin-striping (base on how well it’s done and how it complements the car and looks in teh photo) etc etc.

    In this case, with the kind of competition that you have entered, it’s just a competition where you submit what you want and then the photos are judged based on the “general looks”, and as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder 😆😆

    Reply

    • Yes, exactly. There are no set rules in photo contests. Also, there’s a lot of trends in photography. And my style, with a lot of colours, haven’t been what has been awarded 😉 oh, had a great time taking them anyway.

      Reply

      • True 😄🙌🙌; there are so many trends in photography that it reminds me of fashion and how the two actually go hand in hand lol. I think your style is awesome and I am glad that you had fun 👍😆. As you said, this is also about learning and sharpening your skills as a photographer 🙏✌️🙂.

      • Hahaa, good to hear that. It’s pretty cool that you are noticing some things already 👏💙😆🙂

  5. Looks very much like you understand the environment that is the ocean, it’s inclusions and it’s activities. Fabulous captures. The snow environment should be a fantastic subject to capture too. Good fortune with your competition entries. All the best.

    Reply

    • Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I understand and love water. And, I understand and love snow too. It’s just that I spend most of my time with snow nowadays shovelling it so it leaves me completely exhausted. Maybe when it stops snowing for a while I actually get to enjoy it. Started cross country skiing when I was 2,5 years old.

      Reply

      • The snow is a fantastic subject. In my black and white film enthusiasm attempts it is difficult to get the highlight white of snow against the detailed darker backgrounds to balance though. Snow can get to be of a greyer tone. All the best with your captures.

      • Yes, snow is an interesting subject. I like photographing snow on clear sunny days, then the snow reflects the colours of the sky. Just like water 😉

  7. Beautiful pictures ! Thank you so much Helena! Happy New Year and above all good health to you and to all those who are dear to you. Friendly kisses from Auvergne (France).

    Reply

  11. “Oh, I notice them immediately 😉 but sometimes imperfections are good!”
    —–

    Hahaha, kudos to you. You have exceptional vision 👏👏😃; cameras are actually no match for your precious eyes 😁☺️. I am #impressed 😂

    What you said about imperfections sometimes being good is very very true as strange as it may seem 👍😅

    Reply

    • Thanks again! Yes, the odd foot sticking out from the water in a surf photo is a bit of fun. Usually I’m disappointed by the performance of my cameras since I see the world much more beautiful than they can capture 😉

      Reply

      • True, that is pretty fun even though it’s not that would be considered perfection and you are welcome 👍😆🙂.

        I totally know what you mean; we may see or envision things a certain way but then the situation becomes extreme buzz-kill when what we thought was a key asset actually does not perform or help in the way that we hoped 👎😃😅

      • Wow you are quite the traveler 👍😄. New York and Iceland are two great places, and I am glad you made it back safely 🤗. I just stopped by today to see what’s up; thanks for your patience 😆✌️✌️.

      • Thanks for stopping by! And, I hope I get some new blog posts up soon. Have many half finished and I’m planning to change my site too … but it’s quite difficult to find the right theme for what I’ve got in mind for my site 🤔

      • You are welcome it’s always my pleasure 👍☺️

        Yes, finding the right theme can turn out to be a rather interesting process haha. There are so many prebuilt options, both free and paid, and you can modify them further and implement extra features by using plug-ins.

        It would be helpful if you can talk to someone (or people) who know how to build sites and see what they could recommend for you specifically.

        But hopefully you will be able to find a template that’s compatible with your ideas so that you can move ahead with the plans for your site 🤞🙂.

      • I know … I should talk to somebody, on the other hand, I think that’s so much fun to learn new things too 😉 and I’m not sure just yet about what more I should put up on my site. It’s the webshop thing …

  13. “I know … I should talk to somebody, on the other hand, I think that’s so much fun to learn new things too 😉 and I’m not sure just yet about what more I should put up on my site. It’s the webshop thing …”
    ———

    Agree 100%. Learning new things and building up your skills and confidence is great 💙💙. You never know what you will find; there is alot of fun in “doing it yourself” 💯👍😂. Good thing is, in this case, I think whichever route you choose, it definitely will be a learning process.

    I see what you mean about the Webshop. That is certainly worth some time to think about 💡😆.

    Reply

    • I know, have to do lots of thinking and then some action 😹 I’ve probably have work to keep 5 people busy for a couple of months, but doing it all by myself 🙄😸

      Reply

      • Exactly 😂, you do not want to start doing things impulsively and blindly since this is about your livelihood as much as it is about your passion.

        It does seem like alot of work, in fact most jobs are, but don’t worry too much. The main thing is to just not set unrealistic deadlines or goals for yourself and this is why it’s important to think things through lol

        I do wish I could help other than give advice but you are all over there and I am all over here 🙄🤣

      • I know, had to stop myself for signing up for another super interesting course today 🙄 doing clothes for movies, which is one subject that I’m passionate about. But. Have enough on my plate right now. And, while doing other things I’ve figured out what I’ll do with the shop at least. And, I’ll get up another blog post soon too 🤞

      • Wow doing clothes for movies is a pretty awesome course and can turn out to be quite the career 🙏👌😄. I love that you can pursue that and I encourage you to do it if that’s what you really want.

        If you think that you can manage it plus the other things you are trying to sort out even though it may be a little challenging, then go for it. But if your gut is telling you that it may be a little too much too soon, then stick with your gut because chances are you are right 👍🙂🙂.

        I did in fact see your other new post 😍😍. I need to read it through more but i am happy about that hahaha

      • 😉 of course it would be too much for me! Finally have sorted out some kind of time plan for my work and life for the coming months sooo … there’s no room for much else right now. But, thanks for the encouraging words 🙏

  14. 😉 of course it would be too much for me! Finally have sorted out some kind of time plan for my work and life for the coming months sooo … there’s no room for much else right now. But, thanks for the encouraging words 🙏
    ————–

    Hahaha right; got it 🙌💯😆. You’d probably just stick with sorting out your immediate life priorities and brand for now, and “save the best for last” with regard to the super cool movie clothing course 😁😂💙💙.

    You are welcome; I hope you have a great day and get to enjoy the weekend 👍😄

    Reply

      • Sweet! 👌😆. It sounds like a picturesque day although it’s still pretty cold even when the sun is out 🥶🤣.

        Thank you so much. All is well and I am enjoying the day 🙌🙌😂. It’s mostly tropical in my neck of the woods and it’s the latter part of the evening so the sun soon sets 🌇☺️😁

      • Awww 💙💙. Yesterday was definitely great ✌️✌️😄. It was enjoyable for me and I am glad that your day was magical for you and it’s clear that you liked it alot despite how cold it was 👍😄

    • Actually, so do I 😉 hope I get there soon even if I enjoy the winter here. And, there will be more posts here with photos from countries with warmer weather too!

      Reply

  16. “Loved it! Such a beautiful day.”

    😍😍 Sweet. I hope you experience more days like it 😆🙌

    Reply

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