76-year-old wins Photographer of the Year award for second time with amazing intimate image

February 4, 2020 by Ole Henrik Skjelstad 16 Comments

Image credit: Dr Fong Chan Onn

Dr Fong Chan Onn from Malaysia has won the prestigious Photographer of the Year 2019 by The Societies. The 76 year old photographer also won the title last year.

The judges remarked, “This image and its huge impact held the judge’s attention for a long time. You can almost smell the smoke in the room. A travel image that will stand the test of time.”

I would add that the image exudes mood and atmosphere where colors, light and framing add to the narrative. There is an intimacy to this scene I find very compelling. The image tells a story which is both exotic and out of the extraordinary for those of us who live the industrialized world. Perhaps it can serve as a reminder about under which conditons out forebears most likely lived. We take our luxuries for granted, so this is also a good reminder that these things we enjoy in western societies are transitient. Not every corner of the planet share our values or lifestyle.

The image portrays a family from Yuanyang, China. Dr Fong Chan Onn captured the scene during a travel last year. He comments on the award, “I am greatly humbled to have won the trust of the judges.” Dr Fong further explains, “I have learnt a great deal from the judges’ decisions. What makes a good photo and what transforms it into a great photo. This award will further inspire me to work even harder”.

Dr Fong is a former cabinet minister in Malaysia. After he retired from the corporate world he took up photography as a hobby. In his college days he also enjoyed photography, but life became too busy and the camera was put on a shelf. Advised by some friends Fong attended photography classes to hone his skills. This has indeed payed off owing to the fact that he has landed several photography awards.

“2019 has been another incredible year for The Societies of Photographers’ Monthly Image Competition, with 11,320 images entered throughout the year.”, The Societies states.

[via The Societies / Image shared with permission]

About Ole Henrik Skjelstad

Norwegian math teacher and landscape photographer who fell in love with photography after receiving his first camera as a birthday present in 2013. You can follow his work on 500px, IG and Flickr.

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Franco Kailsan

If u had my family, you will not think having a family is a beautiful thing..
Tudor Pantelimonescu

Nice, but i`m sure is staged.
- Safidy Andrian
  
  Tudor Pantelimonescu and so ?
Levi

I understand the need for validation in some photographers work but basing a “photographer of the year” on a single image is just silly. albeit a truly beautiful captivating image yes photog of the year no.
Cade Crippin

Check out my work http://www.photographybycade.com maybe I can win too.
Rupali Renjen

Absolutely fantastic image by Dr Fong Chan Onn. The mood and storytelling this image depicts is very compelling. Thanks for sharing Ole!
- Ole Henrik Skjelstad
  
  Thanks for your generous and kind feedback. Rupali!
David Alves

Terrible, can photographers try something new instead of the same old bullshit, there’s nothing interesting or storytelling about taking pictures of poor people in other countries, maybe at one point in time there was but now it’s just poverty porn and it’s very hacky
- ZorroRules
  
  Didn’t notice poverty at all, I just saw a nicely lit shot of people in a moment that won’t return. I can see why you may consider it to be a somewhat repetitive genre, something National Geographic-like, so, in that sense perhaps one may be tired of the subject, but it is very nicely done, and lit. I don’t see it as poverty porn at all, just people, and from his experience and environment. Best wishes!
  - David Alves
    
    I agree the photo is nice my point wasnt to say the photo is bad but this whole genre is very tired and hacky and the fact that people makes whole trips to travel to these places just to get shots of tired old villagers is so stupid. Photographers need to do better than this
- Nathan Harris
  
  Pretty sure you see what you want to see in the image, as you are making plenty of assumptions in that comment.
  - David Alves
    
    yeah you are probably right they arent in poverty at all and the photographer probably wasnt walking around the village exploiting the poverty at all to get a cool image, my mistake
    - Mark L Edwards
      
      You seem to speak with anger which will remove your good sense and logic. You have made many assumptions for which you would have no knowledge. There have been in the past many situations where photography has been used as a very powerful tool for good. I have been involved in two such projects so speak with some experience. I don’t know but would assume from your comments above you have not used photography in such a way. To accuse this photographer of a form of exploitation based upon so little knowledge would be like me accusing you of being a lousy and jealous photographer with no real talent. I don’t have enough evidence.
      - David Alves
        
        Its called a personal opinion, apparently you dont understand what that is. Just because you voice your opinion on something doesnt make it jealousy. BTW it 100% in my opinion is exploitation and manipulation, and going around taking photos of poverty doesnt help anything if you really wanted to help put the camera down and do something otherwise it is exploitation.
Ji Ea

I agree with the other comment that choosing a “Photographer of the Year” based on a single image is silly to the point of being ridiculous. Instead, let’s call it “Picture of the Year.” Using that rubric, the choice is still a failure in my view. The picture is nice but, to me, a “Picture of the Year” should depict a fleeting moment, captured exquisitely. Such an image demonstrates the artist’s ability to see the moment and also the artist’s command of his tools such that the moment can be captured.

While Dr. Fong’s picture is beautifully composed and lit, it by no means represents a fleeting moment.
The positions of the four people are easily staged and in fact appear posed. The setup of the image is easily repeated for as many takes as required. The contrast offered by the colors of the children’s clothing is what a good family portrait photographer would choose, In some ways, the clothing including the hats looks like the family’s “Sunday best”, reinforcing the notion that the picture is staged. The only things “fleeting” in that picture are the exact patterns of the smoke and the flames. Everything else is just a set for a family portrait. Is that really what the Societies believe makes for the best picture of the year?
Alfonso Mercado

Beautiful picture!