(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) E your pictures national geographic worthy? as the magazine hosts its annual photography competition we speak with judge laura el-tantawy to find out what a winning picture should look like.anyone with a bit of skill and luck can find internet fame with filter-heavy pictures taken from their smart phones but what does it take to land on the pages of national geographic?aspiring photographers from across the region are invited to participate in the national geographic abu dhabi moments awards a platform giving amateurs the chance to show off their talent. this year’s edition is being held under the theme ‘story of faces and arabic crafts’ and includes the grand prize of a 11-day national geographic expedition to spain and portugal as well as $10000 (about dhs37000) worth of photography equipment.this year’s theme is all about celebrating the richness of colour that can be found across the arab region particularly the vibrant hues that have inspired the skills of the region’s craftsmen. from the nimble hands of a weaver to the glowing face of a lantern maker and the delicate craft of a glassblower capturing this abundance of beauty is key to impressing judges including laura el-tantawy a british/egyptian photographer whose award-winning work has been recognised across several international publications.entries to the contest can be submitted until may 7 through www.natgeotv.ae/moments with the winners announced next month. so what will it take to dazzle the jury? we caught up with el-tantawy to find out what it takes to get photos to leap off the pages.what are you hoping to see in this competition?i have no expectations but the theme alludes to elements of tradition and culture so this is what i hope to see.what are some of the biggest mistakes you find amateur photographers making?overuse of photoshop or other image editing software in general trying to imitate the style/images made by well-known and successful photographers and choosing to be photographers because they think it’s all about travel.images affect different people in different ways. what kind of pictures have the most impact on you?well everything has been photographed so images that have an impact on me are ones that show me something i have seen before but from a new perspective. there has to be a strong visual element good composition and emotion in the image. pictures that have an overuse of image editing software to manipulate the image’s content are a complete turnoff.what’s the best advice you would pass on to photographers just beginning to discover their talent?believe in their vision seek the opinion of people they respect in the profession work hard and stay away from trying to be anyone else but themselves.while the arts have often been overlooked in the middle east recent years have shown a resurgence in appreciation for them. what would you tell young people keen on pursuing the arts as a full-time career?i think if people believe they have a talent in something and have a strong desire to pursue it they should do so regardless of what anyone else says. art is a form of expression and it is important to embrace this.what are three things that every powerful photo should contain?emotion composition and questions.
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