Movie-like photo of a buffalo shepherd wins ColorPro’s 2023 “RISE” contest

ColorPro has announced the winners of its 2023 contest titled RISE. This year, the overall winner is Meriç Aktar from Turkey with his photo of a buffalo shepherd riding into the sunset. It’s like a movie scene, but it’s just one of the top ten marvelous photos of the competition. So, let’s dive right in and enjoy them together.

For this year’s contest, artists from 107 countries submitted 10,925 images and videos covering the theme “RISE.” This theme emphasizes the strength of human resilience and the journey through adversity. People’s creativity flourished: the photos span genres such as natural landscapes, social culture, street photography, portraiture, and more.

This overall winner, Meriç Aktar, shares a story of a buffalo shepherd in Dokuzpınar Village of Kayseri province, Turkey. The buffalo shepherd is on his way home with his herd of about 500 buffalos. Every sunset is the beginning of a new adventure for the buffalo shepherd. His journey begins in the early morning in the Hürmetçi Grasslands and ends near the bank of a creek while his herd crosses the dusty path under the sunset light. The shepherd sometimes rears up his horse, and his dog bites the ankles of slow buffaloes to fasten the crossing. This journey offers a visual feast every day of the summer months.

Take a look at the remaining of the top ten images, and the top ten videos below. ViewSonic will also host physical exhibitions to showcase the shortlisted artworks. It starts in late November in the UK and in December in Vietnam and Taiwan. You’ll find more information and images on the contest website.

More from ColorPro Award

• Striking street shot from Iran wins top prize of 2022 ColorPro Award
• Movie-like photo of a buffalo shepherd wins ColorPro’s 2023 “RISE” contest
• Awe-inspiring “fish wormhole” wins ColorPro Awards 2024

Winning images

Winning videos of the ColorPro 2023 contest

1st Place: RISE by Lucy Galliford, United Kingdom

2nd Place: Jordan – Collect memories, not things by Maor Benezri, Israel

3rd Place: Why I Travel The World Alone by Bashir Abu Shakra, Germany

4th Place: Beyond the Flames by Kingsley Ndukwe, Finland

5th Place: Riding to Ascendance by Michael Li, Taiwan

6th Place: T2KO – Make a Difference. by Brody Searle, Australia

7th Place: Travel Showreel by Łukasz Jaros, Poland

8th Place: Kogei by Jason Macalpine, Australia

9th Place: R I S E to Rejuvenation by Sayak Kayal, India

10th Place: RISE (A Short Film About Anxiety) by Mélina Colbaut, Netherlands

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