By Heidi Trautmann

I would not have missed this year’s event for anything, although I could not be there for the opening and meeting of the winning photographers because I was in Oman at that time, but I went as soon as I came back. The one reason for my deep interest is, that I do appreciate the supporting and furthering of art photography in North Cyprus as such and the enormous and precise work by Buket Özatay and her brother who have now for nine years succeeded in presenting a praiseworthy institution on the basis of their foundation in remembrance of their father; the other reason is the good quality of the artists’ works. 

I would not have thought it possible that the quality could even get better when I saw last year’s exhibition.  This year there a total of 2,255 photos were sent in by 123 participants; in the open colour category 118 participants with 845 photos; in the open black and white category 109 participants with753 photos and in the nature category 101 participants with 657 photos. A total of 148 photos by 61 participants were accepted in the exhibition. Three jurors undertook the hard work to make the selection: Leyla Emektar, EFIAP from Turkey; Mustafa Eser, EFIAP from Turkey and Nilgün Güney, artist, from Cyprus.

I personally was happy to see that there were many more works in the architecture section where the graphic elements were highlighted; also the landscape photos not only showed the beauty but concentrated on clear composition and graphic elements, especially in the black and white category.  In many photos I found stories told however not in the journalistic way but in a way that made you think deeper; others were really poetic and even historic.

I want to give my readers an idea of the quality of the exhibition, I cannot show all photos  although they are well worth it. I hope many had the chance to visit the exhibition while it was on.