Stunning photograph of Turkish cowboy wins top spot at ViewSonic ColorPro Awards

Kalum Carter
·3 min read
The Return of the Buffalo Shepherd.
The Return of the Buffalo Shepherd.

A stunning photograph of a Turkish buffalo shepherd rearing back on his horse wins top prize at ViewSonic's 4th ColorPro Awards.

The ViewSonic ColorPro Awards is an annual competition for photography and video, that showcases enormous talent across the two mediums. ViewSonic has announced the top 10 winners of the 4th ColorPro Awards titled Rise, which was also the theme prompt for the competition. The prize pool for the competition includes both cash prizes and some of ViewSonic's best products. ViewSonic is a manufacturer of some of the best monitors and features highly in our guide to the best monitors for video editing.

 

The top honors in the photography category went to Turkish photographer Meriç Aktar for his image titled The Return of the Buffalo Shepherd. The shot was taken of a buffalo shepherd in Dokuzpınar Village of Kayseri province, Turkey, and depicts the start of the day's journey of adventuring over dusty landscapes with his herd of around 500 buffalos. The image shows the shepherd on horseback, rising up through the sun-filled cloud of dust, surrounded by his buffalos and dog companion.

Rise
Rise

Second place in the photography category went to Jonas Hafner of Germany for his image Rise. The photograph portrays a woman lying in a field of plants, acting as a visual representation of transformation. Hafner says, "Like plants, we humans also undergo a transformation over time and grow through our challenges and experiences."

Caro Boy
Caro Boy

Svetlin Yosifov from Bulgaria won third place, with a touching portrait titled Caro Boy. The photograph shows a small boy from the Karo Tribe who lives in the Omo Valley in Ethiopia. The community survives on agriculture and the rising levels and annual flooding of the Omo River. The stunning black-and-white image portrays a tender moment of a boy with his cattle.

In addition to the photography category the newly introduced video category also presented some exceptional work from creatives all around the globe. First place in this category was awarded to British photographer and videographer Lucy Galliford for her film Rise. Galliford says, "My film is a visual expression of my passion – I stripped my soul of the 'why' and poured it into this. I didn't have the budget to go to any extravagant locations; I just wanted to stick to my roots and tell my story to the world, showcasing how I rise to the challenge of fulfilling my dreams".

Second place was awarded to Maor Benezri from Israel, whose film centers around memories and experiences made whilst visiting Jordan, and how those things we cannot touch can often provide us with more value. The film is titled Jordan - Collect Memories, Not Things.

“Through the ColorPro Awards, we have fostered a global community where creators can connect and achieve visual excellence in their artistic expression. This year’s winners have brilliantly captured the theme of 'RISE,' bringing forth diverse stories of personal growth and resilience from around the world,” said Oscar Lin, General Manager of the Monitor Business Unit at ViewSonic

This year's submissions showcased an extreme amount of talent, from hundreds of entrants. The finalists's work has been put on exhibition in London, and will also be displayed in Vietnam and Taiwan. For a full list of finalists and for more information on the work and the ongoing exhibition, visit the awards website.

For more information on monitors see our guides on the best monitors for photo editing, the best ultra-wide monitor for photo editing, and the best monitors for MacBook Pro.