BEYOND THE FRAME Contest – 2020 Award Winners
The initial idea for Beyond the Frame was simple – truly great images aren’t only visually appealing, they also carry with them layers of meaning that enhance their viewing experience. In this free to enter contest, we wanted to provide photographers the opportunity to share not only an image special to them, but also the story beyond the frame that we don’t perceive. A win-win scenario was created – photographers have their work more holistically represented and better understood; viewers experience the work in more nuanced ways by forming connections with photographers.
In the end, we received over 350 submissions from 100 countries. The submissions were beautiful, authentic, and often quite touching. This made the jury process quite the challenge – a very fun one albeit!
www.btfcollective.com/contest-2020
The Jury
• Victor Ha – Senior Director of Marketing for the Electronic Imaging Division at FUJIFILM North America Corporation
• Valérie Jardin – valeriejardin.com
• Miles Witt Boyer – mileswittboyer.com
• Petronella Lugemwa – by.petronella.com
• Jonas Rask – jonasraskphotography.com
• Mindy Tan – mindytan.com
• Derek Fahsbender – likeamacheen.com
• Jan Gonzales – jangonzales.com
• Ben Yan – benyanphotography.com
The Prizes *
• Winner: FUJIFILM X100V Digital Camera
• Finalists: 10 x FUJIFILM x PEAK DESIGN Camera Straps
*Beyond the Frame was made possible with support from the fine folks at FUJIFILM US. Victor and his team provided not only the prizes, but also was generous enough to connect me with the incredibly talented and dedicated panel of photographers who served as the jury.
Winner and Finalists
Winner: GLORIA WONG
It’s early spring in a little town in Korea. As the warming temperatures bring renewal and new life to the land, my own relationship is ailing.
In the country as a foreigner, I am a stranger to the largely homogenous country outside of the relationship.
Lost and undecided about my next steps and identity in the country, I wander into a quiet local cafe for a cuppa by myself.
There is a girl in the corner – foreign, too, by the looks of it – alone and engrossed in her thoughts and a book.
As I watched her gazing out of the window, it felt as if I was looking at a reel of myself: alien, and alone.
Yet she was comfortable with herself, and at home.
I tell myself: I could do this too.
www.gloria-wong.com
www.instagram.com/rabbitwalker.photography
Finalists:
Arthur Aizikovich
www.arthuraizikovich.com
www.instagram.com/aaizikovich
Dominik Waibel
Jeremy Bernardo
www.instagram.com/einbernardo
John Harper
www.johnharperphotography.co.uk
www.instagram.com/johnharperphotographyuk
Krystal Schmidt
krystal-e.blogspot.com/
Maury Gortemiller
www.maurygortemiller.com
www.instagram.com/elmaurygee
Natalie Zepp
www.nataliezepp.com
Patrick Dreuning
www.patrickdreuning.com
www.instagram.com/patrickdreuning
Ryan Eduard Benaid
www.instagram.com/ryan_lagalag
Seth Potter
www.thepottersphoto.com
www.instagram.com/thepottersphotography
The Project Continues!
The only thing additionally that I’d love to touch on is that fact that Beyond the Frame as a project continues! Submissions are open on a rolling basis to be featured on both the website gallery and Instagram. I’d encourage photographers of all origin and level to submit their work (there is no limit per person!).
The ultimate vision is for Beyond the Frame (BTF) to be published in print as a magazine!
Ben Yan (严嘉浩) is a Chinese-born American candid photographer and a student of psychology.
Through photography, Ben explores themes of human connection, solitude, and coincidence – drawing inspiration from paintings and film.
Ben founded Beyond the Frame in the midst of the COVID pandemic as a way to keep busy. Since then, he has received much more than he initially asked for!
