Winners named in National Geographic Abu Dhabi’s annual Moments photography competition

A moving image of a newlywed making couscous for her husband’s family took top prize at National Geographic Abu Dhabi’s Moments Award photography ­c­ompetition.

The sixth edition of the annual contest asked artists to submit images adhering to the theme of “food and the traditions of eating in the Arab World”. The winning artist, Mohamed Benmokhtar, took the image in Zagora, in the south of his home country of Morocco, capturing the pressure felt by a young woman eager to impress her new in-laws. He wins a trip to Japan and photographic equipment worth $7,500 (Dh27,500) for his efforts.

The competition is run in partnership between food company Almarai and National Geographic Abu Dhabi, the Arabic-­language documentary channel broadcast by Abu Dhabi Media, which also publishes The National.

The Moments Award encourages aspiring artists to focus on overlooked aspects of Middle Eastern culture. As well as conventional photography, this year the judges also welcomed images from smartphones and other ­technology.

Omani photographer Mohamed Albadaai took second place with his atmospheric image of an

artisan in Dhofar making the traditional meat delicacy maqadid. Mohamad Nasr, from Egypt, took third place with his image of a rural peasant woman processing corn cobs in a process that has been passed down through the generations.

“This year reconfirms the strategic depth of our partnership with a channel whose vision and commitment to revealing the passion and artistry of the region’s younger generations are values we share and hold dear,” says Hussam

Abdulqader, head of communications and PR at Almarai.

“We both value the bonds that tie us tremendously, in order to live up to our common responsibilities towards the artistry or our vibrant communities and their quest for artistic excellence.

“This means that we face a greater challenge year after year, as the standards of this major initiative keep rising.”

rgarratt@thenational.ae