Press Release
Guilherme Junior, a Brazilian photographer, is the winner of the 2010 Sony World Photography Awards’ Campaign Award. The brief was for amateur photographers to enter a single image that captured the passion and the energy of football from the fans’ point of view – the highs, the lows, and the incredible lengths supporters will go to support their teams.
The winning image, entitled ‘Twisters’, shows the supporters of the Flamengo soccer team in Rio de Janeiro. Known as having the largest and warmest fan-base of all teams in Brazil, in December 2009 there was a charity game between former and current players of the team that attracted a 50,000 strong crowd to the stadium. The winning picture depicts the enthusiasm and joy of the supporters during their most successful year in the history of the club, having won the national championship earlier that year.
The winning image was taken on a Sony DSLR-A200 camera. The award is now in its second year and was won in 2009 by Pakistani photographer Sarah Ahmad for her photograph titled “The Love of the Game: a cook, a cleaner, a mother… and an attacking midfielder”.
Delly Carr, one of the world’s leading sports photographers, and chair of the judging panel commented: “This female fan epitomises football’s energy and passion. She is singled out from the rest of the crowd through her ‘over-the-top’ celebratory jump, and therefore as one with the team. She has channelled all her energy into that explosive reaction. Her face is pure joy. “
On hearing the news, Guilherme Junior said: “My happiness at the moment I was told about this award was greater than I can describe. I cannot wait to tell my friends, teachers and mentors who always believed in my talent. I am grateful to the contest organizers and the World Photography Organisation for the opportunity to participate and for giving me this honour”.
”With the Campaign Award we were searching for an image that captures the magic and passion of the beautiful game from the fan’s perspective and have once again been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response received for this category,” said James Kennedy, Director of Brand Communications at Sony Europe. “This year’s winning image really conveys the true spirit and camaraderie of the cultural phenomenon that is football.”
In winning the award Guilherme will receive:
· Two tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa, sponsored by Sony (travel and accommodation included)
· Two VIP tickets to attend the Sony World Photography Awards gala ceremony in April 2010 in Cannes, France (including flights and two nights’ accommodation in a luxury hotel on the famous Croisette)
· The latest Sony DLSR camera and lens
· The opportunity to be one of the photographers used in the forthcoming digital imaging FY10 campaign work from Sony
A selection of shortlisted images entered to the competition, including the Guilherme’s winning shot, will be exhibited in Cannes, April 2010.
Further information about the Sony World Photography Awards can be found at www.worldphotographyawards.org