The advent of smartphones has made it so much easier for us to take photos of beautiful landscapes, tantalising food and the joy of our loved ones. It has allowed us to be creative with how we shoot what we see and edit it to suit our tastes.
In order to celebrate the power of the human imagination and encourage people to push the boundaries of creativity with their mobile devices, global smartphone maker vivo is calling for photographers all over India to participate in the second edition of their vivo Imagine Smartphone Photography Awards.
Competing in six distinct categories—nature and wildlife, architecture, portraits, night and light, motion, and street photography—photographers will put forward their best images for the chance to win a grand prize of INR 5 lakhs. Once general entries close on September 8, a top level jury will announce 30 finalists on September 13, all of whom will have the opportunity to submit their work for a final evaluation. The finalists will also attend photography masterclasses led by renowned photographers and jury members Vineet Vohra, Rakesh Pulapa and Aamir Wani to further refine their photography skills.
Led by award-winning writer and filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, the jury will then narrow down the pool to six finalists who will be invited to the Grand Finale event in Mumbai on September 23. While the grand jury prize winner will receive INR 5 lakhs, all of the six category winners will each receive a vivo X100 Pro at the event.
Akhtar said that the vivo Imagine Smartphone Photography Awards offers photographers across India the opportunity to capture moments of joy that transcend time and imagination. “India is teeming with extraordinary talent, and my journey in creative and visual storytelling has underscored the power of visual narratives. This initiative seeks to discover and celebrate unique storytellers, affirming vivo’s dedication to nurturing creativity and pushing artistic boundaries,” she said.
For Geetaj Channana, the head of corporate strategy at vivo India, this year’s theme of the “Joy of Imagination” captures the essence of creativity through the liberating medium of photography. “At vivo, we are committed to blending cutting-edge technology with artistic brilliance, empowering photography enthusiasts to bring their imagination to life. These awards not only provide a platform for recognition but also offer opportunities to refine skills and push the boundaries of creativity, all while reinforcing vivo’s leadership in smartphone photography,” he said.
If you’re interested in winning the grand prize and letting your creativity run riot, here’s what you should do. First, log onto the official vivo Imagine website (vivoimagine.com). Second, provide your details and select the category you will be competing in. Finally, upload your photographs—each participant is allowed five unique entries but remember, all images should be taken with a vivo smartphone only. Participants can submit multiple photographs under the same theme or different themes but only in-camera original or mobile phone photos will be considered. Good luck!