Snapshot storytellers

By Fei Lai  |   2008-6-12  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

"The awards ceremony on Friday was totally out of this world, a fantastic event, and I am so proud to have been a part of CHIPP again," says Als who works for the Danish newspaper Berlingske Tidende. He collected an award for the second time.

"The standard of CHIPP is very high. It's my second time in both China and Shanghai. China is one of the most thrilling places in the world - to experience and to work in," he says.

Als' series "New India" won the gold prize in the Economy, Science and Technology category. Last December he went to India to document changes and contrasts in the country.

"Working in India is always thrilling. Like China, India is a big country with a lot of people everywhere," he says. "There are huge contrasts in Mumbai. There are many street children and poor people, but also new, rich neighborhoods."

Als' picture showing a new golf course is his favorite. The course sprung up in downtown Mumbai, its pristine greenery and the skyscrapers under construction in the background in stark contrast to the shabby houses on the left.

"I want people to get an insight into the challenges India is facing: The economy is booming, a lot of people will get rich, but a lot will be left behind to a life in the streets. It is so sad," Als says.

New York-based photographer Platon, from Time Magazine, won first prize in Single Portrait category for his "Portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin."

"I am the first photographer who has done a formal portrait of Putin," he tells Shanghai Daily. "Last December, I went to Moscow and waited for five days for him to be available. Then I was driven to his private residence outside Moscow. It was tight security and I was very intimidated."

Given just seven minutes to shoot, he tried to photograph Putin as a man rather than a politician.