I’ve just found out the Mongolia project has been chosen as a finalist in the Luis Valtuena Fotografia Humanitaria competition in Spain which is great news as the subject will again receive wider awareness. The winning images are to be exhibited in Spain and around Europe. The aim of the competition is stated below and one of the main reasons for me entering:
“In these thirteen editions, the award has become a reference for humanitarian photography and its role in bringing a reality, sometimes hopeful, sometimes frightening, but to which one can not remain indifferent.”
The selected final images are, as always, of a very high standard. It is interesting to note maybe that the vast majority of images are either black and white or desaturated images..maybe this is what the majority of entrants submitted or it reflects the preference of the judges or maybe an indication of what Spanish photojournalism prefers..?
The winning images can be viewed here www.medicosdelmundo.org/luisvaltuena
Munkhbat and Altangeret (both 15) have lived in this manhole together for over three years under the streets of Ulaanbaatar, the coldest capital city in the world. Spending time with them I witnessed what a tough, lonely and violent existence they have to endure in temperatures reaching -40c. They were forced into this situation by divorced and deceased parents but they still hope and strive for a better future. For me this image encapsulates the extremely difficult conditions these boys live in whilst life continues around them, oblivious and indifferent to their plight.”