Honorable Mention / 2021 / Portraiture / Culture

ONE WITH THE EARTH

Bena people are an ethnic group in Ethiopia historically related to ancient Egypt.⁠ Just like most of the indigenous tribes in the lower Omo Valley, the Bena practice ritual dancing and singing and they live in continuous contact with the earth.⁠⠀ In this picture Dobi, that like most natives doesn’t know her age, is standing proudly among the thin stems of her sorghum plantation, a very important crop, used for food and especially for the production of home brewed beer.⁠

Born and raised in a little village in the Italian Alps, now based in Barcelona, Mauro already felt from young age the desire to tell. He discovered that the camera was the right tool for him, the eye through which he could speak to the world. An instrument that began to walk by his side towards a long journey of discovery.

“Although it is difficult to express, I think that the photograph represents my way of speaking and what I try to do through my language is to capture the sense of what I breathe and touch with my hands".

Awards 2nd prize in 'PEOPLE' category of IPOTY - International Photographer of the Year 2017

5 Honorable Mentions on 17th INTERNATIONAL CHROMATIC PHOTO AWARDS 2017

Jurors Picks LensCulture Portrait Awards 2018

2nd prize 2017 Tokyo International Foto Awards

Finalist American Photo Awards 2018

2nd Winner National Geographic Award (Italian) 2017

1st Category Winner FIIPA Award 2018

3rd place ND AWARDS 2017

1st category Winner Urbanphotoawards 2017

1st Winner National Geographic Award (Italian) 2018