The Honorary Jury of the world’s largest photography competition today names Donald Weber as the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards’ Still Life Photographer of the Year.
Donald Weber, from Toronto who is a member of the acclaimed VII Photo and is represented by Circuit Gallery in Toronto, was selected from over 87,000 entries to the Professional competition for a series titled “Molotov Cocktails”. The winning work details the crude hand-made weapons of the Euromaiden protesters in Kiev, Ukraine, called Molotov cocktails. The series is a part of his book Barricade: The Euromaidan Revolt by Schilt Publishers.
Talking about his win Weber comments: “What I like about the Sony World Photography Awards, is that the categories are not dogmatic, it’s not about so-called rules, but finding the best work, regardless of how it was shot. The fact that my series ‘Molotov Cocktail’ won shows the diversity of image and story that are recognized.”
The photographer was presented his award and the latest Sony digital imaging equipment at a gala ceremony held in London attended by industry leaders. The winning series will be shown at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition at Somerset House, London and will be published in the 2015 edition of the Sony World Photography Awards book.
Now in its eighth year, the Sony World Photography Awards annually presents the world’s best contemporary photography across a range of genres and is the world’s largest photography competition. Free to enter and open to photographers of all abilities, it is an authoritative voice in the photographic world and attracts both emerging talent and established artists.
The awards’ international judging juries are comprised of esteemed industry experts and the competition offers incredible exposure, credibility and recognition not only to its winners, but also those on its shortlist. The 2015 awards attracted recording breaking entries, with 173,444 images submitted from 171 countries, confirming its position as the world’s biggest photography competition.
Winning Series
Describing the work Donald Weber says: “Molotov Cocktails have been the weapon of choice for the Euromaidan protestors in Kiev. Using fire to their advantage, the protestors were able to defend their barricades, extend their lines and fortify their positions. In order to set fire to tanks, armoured vehicles, buses, and tires in opposition to local cops, Kiev’s protestors used thousands and thousands of Molotov Cocktails, inspiring and mobilizing people throughout the city to collect as many bottles as possible.”