2016 International Photo Contest Tournament: Round 1

It’s time once again for the SDSU International Photo contest, featuring student-submitted photos from around the world. This year we’re choosing our People’s Choice Award through a 32-photo tournament, with winners decided by online voting right here on the Be International blog. Voting is now open for Round 1 below, so pick your favorites! EDITOR’S NOTE: VOTING IS NOW CLOSED.

The theme of this year’s contest is “Experience Movement:  Images capturing movement within everyday life of your host culture, in work, play, ceremony, and surroundings; either subtle or dynamic.” For more information on the International Photo Contest and to view last year’s winners visit this website. You will vote on images head-to-head, with the winners of each vote advancing on to the next round. Voting in each round will be open for one day. Click on each photo to see the full-sized image.

And now, the voting:

Sapling vs. Progression in Pragadise

Sapling
Location: Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica
Narrative: Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Cicadas buzzing, trees rustling, streams murmuring. The forest is lush and alive. In the perfect mix of temperature, water and rich soil with volcanic ash, nature does not simply grow—it flourishes. Life is continuously shifting and cycling. Even from a fallen tree, a sapling emerges.

Progression in Pragadise
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Narrative: Unveiled through the greenery is the hidden gem of Prague. Located in the heart of Central Europe, this lively picturesque city possesses a preserved historic feel with Charles Bridge while also transitioning to modernism with a boat maneuvering through the tranquil Vltava River.

The Daily Commute vs. A City In Spring

The Daily Commute
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Narrative: Bridges and bikes are one of the many reasons why Rotterdam is so unique. Being a port city, such sights may be the norm for locals, but I was amazed every time I saw the Erasmus Bridge rise. Bike traffic has to be by far the best traffic to exist.

A City In Spring
Location: Sinchon, South Korea
Narrative: South Korea is a world of motion and color. The light-pink cherry blossom trees are blooming, green and blue buses are circling around the city, and the vibrant signs are competing against one another. It’s a street I walked through every day, but it’s still a sight to behold.

 

Toffler vs. Night Fountains

Toffler
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Narrative: Toffler music festival embodies Dutch culture and creates different forms of movement. It physically moves people with the same interests together and encourages them to enjoy this passion together. It mentally and emotionally moves people by inspiring creativity and art expression. Music creates movement.

Night Fountains
Location: Dengkou, China
Narrative: This photo was taken on my last night in the city of Dengkou and holds a lot of meaning to me because that night we said goodbye to our students. The fountain has no barrier so children can run freely through it.

 

Don’t Blink vs. Taking A Walk In Another’s Shoes

Don’t Blink
Location: Capri, Italy
Narrative: In a world of constant change, all we can do is savor a moment. On a speeding boat ride through the Amalfi Coast, with waves crashing below me and clouds swirling above me, I was able to capture this moment in time, and relive this experience over and over.

Taking A Walk In Another’s Shoes
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Narrative: BANG! On a walkway bordering the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary, Jewish individuals were lined up, stripped of their clothes and shoes,and shot. This shoe is one of many spread along the Danube to remind us that no one should experience discrimination that took place in this WWII movement.

 

Beast of the Dance vs. Another Day in the Neighborhood

Beast of the Dance Be Free, Muddy and Happy
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Narrative: A street performer practices his craft on a rooftop in Lisbon’s Alfama neighborhood. This image captures the movement, energy and dedication of a talented dancer sharing his passion with whoever may walk past. Dancing holds a large role in Latin culture and helps spread multiculturalism.

Another Day in the Neighborhood
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
Narrative: Your typical day in Southeast Asia will consist of temple views, scooter crews and monks wandering freely. This photo is special to me because it reminds me of how vibrant and diverse Laos is. This was the day that I realized how lucky I was to call these sightings “normal.”

Another Day in the Neighborhood wins by disqualification.

 

Be Free, Muddy and Happy vs. Heartbeat of Paris

Be Free, Muddy and Happy
Location: Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Narrative: In Southeast Asia, elephants are brutally abused for the purpose of tourism. Many locals have noticed this problem and begun volunteer tourism to help keep elephants out of danger. Watching these magnificent mammals play in the mud made my heart smile as I witnessed their different personalities come to light.

Heartbeat of Paris
Location: Paris, France
Narrative: The pulse and energy of Paris is beautifully embodied by the traffic in the roundabout at the base of the Arc de Triumph. The constant flow is like a dance with vehicles entering and exiting in a beautiful rhythm.

 

Paris Through the Lens of Time vs. We, Vagabonds

Paris Through the Lens of Time
Location: Paris, France
Narrative: The view of Paris through the clock face of the Musée d’Orsay reflects the city’s growth and movement through time. In one city block you can see buildings from the Middle Ages next to others from the 17th and 19th centuries in a beautiful temporal tapestry.

We, Vagabonds
Location: Laos
Narrative: A fermata in the grand symphony of life: The world freezes as the traveler pauses before mounting a crowded car for places unknown. The chaotic morning traffic relents just long enough for me to realize that the driver is on a journey as significant as that of those he drives.

 

Recess vs. Moving Views

Recess
Location: Chichicastenango, Guatemala
Narrative: This photo attempts to capture the unadulterated bliss (and chaos) that was the recess break in the school I volunteered for in Guatemala. The center child is relishing in some of the toys we brought for the students to enjoy.

Moving Views
Location: Heidelberg, Germany
Narrative: We often forget to stop and appreciate our surroundings. After trekking up a staircase that seemed to go on forever, I came across one of the most phenomenal views I’ve ever experienced. Sometimes we don’t need to constantly be moving, but instead we should let life move us.

 

Moved to Tears vs. An Afternoon at El Retiro

Moved to Tears
Location: Pompeii, Italy
Narrative: Here stands a man, once great, frozen in time as a reminder of those who passed many years ago in Pompeii. Stopped in motion, he is left to watch over the new city below for all eternity. Though there is no physical movement, his sentiment is extremely moving.

An Afternoon at El Retiro
Location: Madrid, Spain
Narrative: Seen here is the relaxed ‘motion’ of a typical afternoon in Madrid’s Buen Retiro Park. The older man, mid-paddle in a serene row with his wife, as well as the way the clouds gently sail by above represent the tranquility of the park in the midst of hectic city life.

Ocupado vs. Fruits of Labor

Ocupado
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Narrative: Here, a number of elements relate to the theme of motion. Taken from the passenger seat of a taxi en route to Park Güell, the contrast between the vintage yellow car and the construction on the left shows motion in terms of Spain’s modernization with a hint of years past.

Fruits of Labor
Location: Ratchaburi, Thailand
Narrative: With boats perfectly balanced, paddles outstretched with goods to serve customers and the gentle smiles of Thai merchants, it’s easy to fall in love with the colorful hustle of the floating Thai markets

 

One Step at a Time vs. Reflected Movement

One Step at a Time
Location: Nihn Binh, Vietnam
Narrative: This photo depicts just how small and determined a movement can be. The tiny Vietnamese man slowly hobbled down the street, smiling an innocent toothless smile, and continued on his way through the maze of barren streets.

Reflected Movement
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Narrative: Being a part of the movement in Tokyo’s daily hustle and bustle was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my time abroad in Asia. This photo encompasses Tokyo’s fast-paced lifestyle while exhibiting its mesmerizing modern architecture.

The Crowd vs. Masada

The Crowd
Location: Mong Kok, Hong Kong
Narrative: A culture of constant movement can never be still. 7.2 million bodies in Hong Kong erase the notion of personal space. These bodies move in the masses even in quiet days. It wasn’t until my last day in Hong Kong that I realized that quiet days do not exist.

Masada
Location: Southern District, Israel
Narrative: Masada is a place of adventure but also vast history. This picture communicates how as a civilization, Jews of Israel have moved all around the world (including myself), while also representing movement, specifically in the Sun and the silhouettes.

 

Tower Bridge vs. On the Hunt

Tower Bridge
Location: London, United Kingdom
Narrative: Tower Bridge, one of London’s most famous landmarks, lifts open to allow ships to pass by multiple times each day. Here, the bridge is currently opening for a vessel to pass through upstream. Traffic on the bridge comes to a standstill as the bridge opens and the vessel moves through.

On the Hunt
Location: Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, South Africa
Narrative: Shaggy, an African wild dog, darts through the bush and races to catch up with his pack. The hunt is on! One of the most endangered predators in Africa, less than 5,000 wild dogs remain. Countless hours of daily tracking and monitoring is a required to ensure their survival.

 

Berber Path vs. Homer

Berber Path
Location: Sahara, Morocco 
Narrative: This photograph captures movement from foreign to familiar as two Berbers leave the camel-backed, wide-eyed travelers to climb the sand dune and disappear to their home camp in the Sahara.

Homer
Location: Santiago De Chile, Chile
Narrative: A street performer imitating a popular American TV show character to make money, typical in Latin America yet also innovative, while the statue of someone who undoubtedly helped liberate the nation looks on, with the formidable Cordillera as a backdrop. QUE VIVA LA AMERICA!

 

Driven in Color vs. Sunday at the Red Square

Driven in Color
Location: Tarragona , Spain
Narrative: Through this photograph one sees the historical and cultural movement stemming in the city of Tarragona, Spain. The movement is seen through the placement of either the Spanish or the Catalonia flag on each balcony, speaking the thoughts of the residents within.

Sunday at the Red Square
Location: Moscow, Russia
Narrative: This photo not only embodies movement, but shows how landmarks bring people together. The Kremlin and St. Basil’s Cathedral in heart of Moscow attract visitors from all over the world. The Red Square has movement of the people, beauty in the sights and a community of historical appreciation.

 

In Between the Blue Flags vs. Every Culture is Different

In Between the Blue Flags
Location: Hossegor, France
Narrative: All of France flocks to the beaches for holiday. This photo embodies that you can still find that one wave of solace, solitude and perfection moving across the beach amongst a summertime culture of such chaos and capacity overload. Forbidden to surf, this wave rolls through the swim zone unridden.

Every Culture is Different
Location: Zhouzhuang, China
Narrative: This photo is taken at Zhouzhuang, a water town in China. It shows how people enjoy riding their boats and singing, while walking through the paths of their ancestors.

 

Thanks for voting – check back tomorrow for results and to vote in the next round!