Winners of the inaugural Doha Photography Award have been celebrated at a ceremony held during the Doha Photography Festival, with a total prize pool exceeding QR2 million distributed among 18 photographers from around the world. The competition attracted 5,206 photographers from 101 countries, who submitted a total of 31,681 works.
Award Winners Across Six Categories
The awards were presented across six distinct categories, recognising a wide range of photographic talent and styles.
Qatar and Youth Categories
In the Qatar category, Abdullah al-Musleh secured first place, followed by Hisham Thameen in second and Ali Saif al-Din in third. The youth category, for photographers under 18, saw Ahmed Khalifa al-Mansouri win first prize, with Hamad Ali Saif al-Din and Rashid Abdulaziz al-Kuwari taking second and third place, respectively.
International Categories
The storytelling category was won by Palestinian photographer Abdulrahman Zaqout. Bahrain’s Isa Ibrahim came in second, and Shajith Unden from the UAE placed third. In the colour category, Qatari photographer Shaima al-Matawa won first place, followed by Ali al-Qamish from Bahrain and Hassan Rohan from the United States.
Bahraini photographer Zakaria Omran won the black and white category, with Sheba Sesh from India in second and Qatar’s Abdullah al-Muadhin in third. Finally, the emotion category was won by Ahmed al-Hosani of Oman, with Syrian photographer Moawia Atrash and Kiwa Lin from Myanmar finishing second and third.
A Prestigious Global Platform
Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain, Director of the Qatar Photography Center, congratulated the winners and highlighted the award’s significant international reach. He stated that the Doha Photography Award reflects Qatar’s commitment to supporting arts and culture, offering a global platform for talent to compete and make a mark in visual storytelling. The substantial prize money, with top prizes of QR300,000 for the Qatar category and QR150,000 for others, underscores the award’s prestige.
Following the ceremony, HE the Minister of Culture toured the festival’s exhibition spaces, which included solo and group exhibitions and displays from leading global imaging companies. The winning photographs are currently on display in the festival’s main area.
The Five-Year Winning Shot
Abdullah al-Musleh, winner of the Qatar category, revealed that his winning photo was the result of nearly five years of planning. “I didn’t expect to win, it was a wonderful surprise,” he said. The image, captured at sunrise during winter, required precise conditions, including fog, which proved elusive. After several attempts over the years, the perfect moment finally arrived in late 2023.
Documenting Qatari Talent
The festival also featured the launch of a new book documenting the work of 48 Qatari photographers. Al-Buainain described the publication, translated into Arabic and English, as a valuable addition to Qatar’s visual library. The book’s design mimics a camera, and each featured photographer has a unique barcode linking to their digital portfolio, blending print with modern technology.
As the festival continues with workshops and lectures, organisers have announced that the second edition of the award will be launched soon, with the hope of discovering more local and regional talent.
