August 19 on the International Day of Photography EYA held a meeting with photographers of Eurasia, members of the Expert Commission of the DISCOVER EURASIA photo contest as part of the series of educational seminars “EYA Lecture Hall” (EYA – Eurasian Youth Assembly).
Representatives of the jury told about their creative path, shared professional advice and experience in the countries of Eurasia. As part of the live broadcast, the first works of the contestants were shown to the members of the Expert Commission (the jury) of the DICOVER EURASIA photo contest.
The event was attended by:
- Co-Chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, National Secretary of the Indian National Congress, President of the Policy and Management Foundation, Dalbir Singh;
- professional reportage photographer, travel and art photographer, teacher of photography, member of the Creative Union of Artists of Russia Alexey Molchanov (Alex Shanti);
- Head of Photo Department of the Russian media holding, co-author of the project “Tale is in all of us”, Charitable Foundation “Give your Love to the World”, author and head of the school in Inclusive volunteer corps “Invisible Wings”, Charitable Foundation “Give the Good to the World”, curator and participant of the photo exhibition “When the wings are more important. Overcoming stereotypes”, which was opened at the 37th series of the UN Human Rights Council at its headquarters in Geneva, winner of the international photo contest “Views”, multiple winner of the photo contest “Objective charity” Olga Shut;
- co - Chair of the Coordination Council of the Eurasian Youth Assembly, Head of the international youth project - creative contest DISCOVER EURASA Kristina Tatarnikova;
representatives of the community of Russian diplomats’ wives Marina Dalmatova, Anastasia Legkaya, Lyudmila Vostrikova.
The co-Chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, National Secretary of the Indian National Congress, President of the Foundation for Politics and Management Dalbir Singh addressed the participants and viewers of the meeting “EYA Lecture Hall”.
“Eurasia is a space for creativity, the cradle of many world-famous talents. The Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly supports creative initiatives of young people. We strive to create an international platform for supporting young talents in Eurasia, developing creative potential and leadership skills of young people.
The DICOVER EURASIA photo contest is a significant youth initiative that will help promote tourist routes and the nature of the continent, as well as contribute to introducing young people to the culture and traditions, historical heritage and moral values of the peoples of the continent,” - the expert said.
According to Dalbir Singh, it is necessary to support the dialogue of young people from different countries. It will guarantee a strong friendship of peoples and peace on the continent.
Alexey Molchanov, a professional reportage photographer, travel and art photographer, a teacher of photography, a member of the Creative Union of artists of Russia, told about the photographer's work in the countries of Eurasia. The master of photography has visited more than 35 countries, having worked for 15 years in Asia: India, Malaysia, and Turkey.
“The impetus for my creative development came when I moved to live in India. I really wanted to show life in this country from different sides, and I practiced a lot in different genres. After moving to Malaysia, I started doing photography on a professional basis. Malaysia and Singapore are “Mecca” for the photographer,” - said Alex Shanti about the beginning of his creative career.
According to experts, for early career photographer, it's important to show his work, post pictures on social media, participate in more art competitions, because a view from the outside is very important: “It's okay if at the moment you only have a mobile phone, do not just seek to buy the most expensive professional camera. At the initial stage, it is not a matter of technical details, but of composition, frame construction, and image atmosphere. Practice is necessary: try different genres, experiment, and don't be afraid to shoot something new.”
“If your photos are not appreciated - don't give up, it is an occasion to learn and to know your strengths,” - said the Head of the Photo Department of the Russian media holding, co-author of the project “Tale is in all of us”, Charitable Foundation “Give your Love to the World”, author and head of the school in Inclusive volunteer corps “Invisible Wings”, Charitable Foundation “Give the Good to the World”, curator and participant of the photo exhibition “When the wings are more important. Overcoming stereotypes”, which was opened at the 37th series of the UN Human Rights Council at its headquarters in Geneva, winner of the international photo contest “Views”, multiple winner of the photo contest “Objective charity” Olga Shut.
According to the expert, you need to look for yourself and constantly expand your horizons. At the same time, there are photos that are “not for the general public". Such images are primarily important for the photographer, as they carry a personal emotional subtext. “I would like to wish the participants of the DICOVER EURASIA Photo contest to show their vision of the world, their feelings, emotions, and perception of life through photography. Creativity always reflects the inner state of the artist, “ - said Olga Shut.
Recall, in July 2020, the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly launched an International youth project –t he creative contest DISCOVER EURASIA aimed at unlocking the potential of creative youth in Eurasia and developing a dialogue of young talents with representatives of the international expert community.
Representatives of the Eurasian countries aged from 7 to 35 years can take part in the photo contest. It is at a young age that inspiration and love for art become a fundamental driving force in the professional development of future leaders.
The categories of the photo contest are dedicated to key topics that are important for modern youth: volunteerism, communication between generations, historical memory, nature of the native land, traditions and culture of the peoples of Eurasia, sports and a healthy lifestyle, architectural heritage and the urban environment.
During the first month of the contest, the organizing Committee of the DISCOVER EURASIA project received 20 applications from participants from Russia (Mordovia, Bashkiria, Bryansk, Tver, Voronezh, and Moscow regions), Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.