A tender and subtly powerful image for our times, Taste, by Chinese photographer Li Huaifeng, has won the overall prize of Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021, the world’s leading celebration of the art of food photography and film.
The photograph, taken in Licheng, Shanxi, on a warm and sunny day, shows a young family sharing in the joy of preparing food.
“This picture is technically outstanding in its use of light and composition, but what raises it to the level of historic importance is the depth of its storytelling and emotion. It tells of a year of isolation and living indoors, living in tiny communities of immediate family. Here, the scene is bathed with love, with echoes of Madonna and child. An exceptional shot which perfectly demonstrates that photography need not shock or disturb to be great or memorable. This exquisite image lingers in the mind,” says Caroline Kenyon, Director/Founder of the Awards.
The restrictions of the pandemic did not defeat the celebrations. The winners were announced by Fred Sirieix, in an exciting Awards ceremony that was live streamed on the competition’s YouTube channel on Tuesday 27 April 2021. It was watched by an audience across the globe, including celebrities from the food and photography world.
Category Winners in the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021 awards recognising the art and diversity of food photography.
The photograph was taken in Licheng, Shanxi, on a warm and sunny day, and shows a young family sharing in the joy of preparing food.
Drying okra flowers in Tokat, Turkey. Women pick okra flowers from the field and arrange them on a rope, then the dried flowers fall and the okra becomes ready to be used in winter.
Normally weddings run to plan but an off-script moment is captured.
The photograph captures the filling up of Semillon grapes ready to be pressed at the cellar. It was taken on the first day of the harvest of Sauvignon Blanc at Chateau des Ganfards, in Saussignac, France. The harvesting machine is unloading the fruit into the tractor, ready to take them into the winery for pressing. The tractor is being driven by M. Jean Claude Géraud, the owner of Château des Ganfards. Oscar took the photo whilst working there as a winemaker.
Pushing the pinot out of the tank at Hoddles Creek vineyard.
A birthday celebration.
People enjoy their Pho (beef of chicken noodle) for breakfast at a local weekly market.
Farmer on horseback tending his rare breed longhorn cattle in the shadow of a dramatic castle
Winter opulence – sumptuous still life of winter vegetables and fruit/calendar project.
A worker is inspecting rice noodles if they got dried rightly or not.
Pouring the spiced wine syrup over the poached pears before serving
The beauty of home egg collection and the wonderful birds that are part of the process that we love as part of the family.
Baked apples in cross-section.
Tskaltubo – Refugees from the Abkhazian – Georgian conflict gather in the basement of an abandoned sanatorium to share their food. Almost thirty years after the conflict, Abkhazian refugees are still living in abandoned buildings in conditions of poverty.
Hoi An old town, a popular tourist destination in central Vietnam (recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritage), where there are many delicious sweet soup. Four young girls were passionately eating sweep soup made me feel that life is lovely even though we are all living in a pandemic.
Part of a project about the female butchers at Dario Cecchini\’s, the world’s famous butcher from Panzano in Chianti. For some time now, Dario has been training a team of young ladies, who came to Tuscany from all over the world to learn the art of deboning. Traditionally, women butchers have always existed in Tuscany.
All images courtesy of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2021.
