The Cultural Village Foundation-Katara is gearing up to host the inaugural edition of the Katara Photography Festival scheduled from October 19 to 30.
The festival will see renowned photographers from various countries interact with Doha-based photographers and enthusiasts under one roof.
This cultural event aims to provide a platform for experts and enthusiasts in the field of photography to showcase their work and engage in knowledge-sharing with budding photographers, through a range of workshops. It will serve as a meeting point for upcoming local photographers, who will have the opportunity to enter an online photography competition.
“Through the successful hosting of our diverse array of events and festivals, Katara is keen on embracing multiculturalism and diversity by building communication bridges between people from all walks of life. Through the launch of the first edition of Katara Photography Festival, we aim to establish and enhance relations between amateur and professional photographers,” said Katara General-Manager Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti.
“Photography is considered to be one of the most popular types of visual arts due to the constant developments within the technology sector as advanced applications are implemented on mobile phones and cameras. These features provide further room for innovation and creativity. For any photographer, innovation is essential, but equally important is the artistic platform that is provided for any artist. The festival will witness a display of art pieces in the presence of the world’s leading photographers who are scheduled to share their experiences and knowledge with the audience. Without a doubt, this will be an irresistible opportunity for all photography enthusiasts in Qatar,” he added.
The photography festival had its online debut earlier this month, wherein amateur and professional photographers were invited to submit their entries based on a given theme, until October 20.
The online competition requires participants to submit pictures (taken without filters) captured using their smartphones. The images need to reflect Qatar’s culture and atmosphere through ‘street photography’ based on the theme ‘Excitement’. A committee will choose 20 photos from the submissions as winners to be displayed in one of the galleries and which will be open for sale. Proceeds from the sale will be donated towards charity. The top three winners will also receive cash prizes.
The exhibition will host five renowned photographers from Qatar, Germany, France, Lebanon, and the Philippines. They will conduct workshops on a variety of topics and share their knowledge with photography enthusiasts.
