PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

Kebab seller image wins international food photo contest

The Indian photographer took the picture on a busy street at night.

In Summary

•"This image, gentle but powerful, nourishes our soul."

•"In today's world, more than ever, we feel the need for comfort, for love," says awards founder and director Caroline Kenyon.

A photo of a street food vendor working at a smoke-covered oven has won a major food photography award.

Debdatta Chakraborty was named as the overall winner of Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2022 for an image titled Kebabiyana, which was taken in Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The Indian photographer took the picture on a busy street at night, as vendors fired up charcoal ovens to prepare wazwan kebabs and other street food.

"In today's world, more than ever, we feel the need for comfort, for love," says awards founder and director Caroline Kenyon.

"There is so much to reassure us here - the beautifully captured billowing embrace of the smoke, the golden light, the subject's expression as he prepares the food for sharing.

"Sparks fly from the skewers, whose roasting we can almost smell. We imagine the warm, delicious aroma.

"This image, gentle but powerful, nourishes our soul."

Thousands of entries were submitted from more than 60 countries across the world, and the winners were announced online via a livestreamed event.

Here are other images that competed against it:

"This image is part of a photographic series based on the concept of 'hands at work'. Developed for the restaurant Etiko Bistrot (Turin, Italy) on behalf of Plastikwombat - Photography Art and Concept."
"This image is part of a photographic series based on the concept of 'hands at work'. Developed for the restaurant Etiko Bistrot (Turin, Italy) on behalf of Plastikwombat - Photography Art and Concept."
"The soft light of a new day illuminates the smoke from the fishing boat engine and the shape of green nets moving underneath the water surface when local fishermen pull in their nets. Many local fishing families along the coastline of Phu Yen province will follow the near-shore currents to catch anchovy during peak season. Salted anchovy is the most important raw ingredient used to create traditional fish sauce - the spirit of Vietnamese cuisine."
"The soft light of a new day illuminates the smoke from the fishing boat engine and the shape of green nets moving underneath the water surface when local fishermen pull in their nets. Many local fishing families along the coastline of Phu Yen province will follow the near-shore currents to catch anchovy during peak season. Salted anchovy is the most important raw ingredient used to create traditional fish sauce - the spirit of Vietnamese cuisine."
"Winter prunings gathered in the vineyards of Corton Hill in Burgundy."
"Winter prunings gathered in the vineyards of Corton Hill in Burgundy."
"Village woman are processing the raw fish which are collected locally."
"Village woman are processing the raw fish which are collected locally."
"Celebrating summer with this spectacular veg tart – topped with buffalo mozzarella, feta, heirloom tomatoes, pea pods, spring onions and corn flowers."
"Celebrating summer with this spectacular veg tart – topped with buffalo mozzarella, feta, heirloom tomatoes, pea pods, spring onions and corn flowers."
"A little girl collects water with her older sister in the Chad Uddan slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh in September 2021. In the urban slum areas, people have access to fresh water only twice a day - in the morning and evening."
"A little girl collects water with her older sister in the Chad Uddan slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh in September 2021. In the urban slum areas, people have access to fresh water only twice a day - in the morning and evening."
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