The results from the WorldNomads travel photography scholarship competition were posted this morning, and the winner is the very talented Jasmin Bauomy from Germany.
I can genuinely say that any momentary sadness I felt that I wasn’t chosen was immediately eclipsed by admiration for the winning photo essay. I’m going to post it, so you can appreciate it with me:
Comoros – Where women are boss
by Jasmin Bauomy
Imouda (right) and Ashly, a worker with the Peace Corps, wait for a local wedding ceremony to start on the island of Moheli. From the house they can see the entrance to the ceremonial hall. Weddings are a massive event in Comoros and ceremonies can take place of the course of a week or two.
Imouda lives in a house with three generations of women in her family. Before the wedding, she prepares flower necklaces to give to close ones as a blessing.
Each of the flower necklaces take about half an hour to make. The necklaces consist mainly of the local Ylang Ylang flower – the main cash crop of Comoros, also known as perfume islands. They are essential for the production of famous perfumes, such as Chanel No. 5.
Comoros is an Arab African Muslim nation. All the more remarkable is that it is the only matrilineal society in the region. Families will often build a house for the bride, which the husband will move into. Even inheritance is passed down between the women of a family.
Imouda (center), her niece, and her aunt Eshati are practicing their party moves. Eshati is wearing a traditional sandalwood mask. It protects the skin from the sun and is known to be a great remedy against heat rashes. It is also considered a beauty enhancement.
The intimacy and tenderness she’s able to achieve with these photos is remarkable. And as I look through the short-listed photo essays (runners up), I come away with a tremendous appreciation for what is possible and how much room I have to grow as a photographer.
I’ve won something I value as much as any prize: inspiration.
