THE EXPLORE to Inspire photo contest, a search to unearth Asia’s best photographers by National Geographic Channel and Canon, has named Kazi Riasat Alve from Bangladesh as the winner out of 16,200 entries received.

The contest, as part of National Geographic’s 125th anniversary celebrations, was held for two month in 2013 and was open to all aspiring young photographers, aged 18 and above, residing in 13 countries — Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Vietnam.

Kazi won the judges over with an inspiring perspective of a young boy lying on a muddy field, lifting one’s spirit with his quiet, calm confidence, against all odds.

The photos by Asep Teguh Kantyana from Indonesia (top) and Marco Tjokrosantoso (below) that won second and third prize, respectively.

Taken with a Canon EOS Kiss X3 and Canon 18-55mm, f/3.5-5.6 lens, Kazi captured the winning shot at a school field in Dhaka where underprivileged children play after school.

“Photography, to me, is a journey in search of untold stories of human life. This photo captures the joyful spirit of the boy, he does not have privileges in life but instead of complaining, he just enjoys life in his won way,” said the 24-year-old.

Kazi took home the grand prize of a brand new Canon EOS 5D Mark III (body) and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend a prestigious National Geographic Weekend Photography Workshop in San Francisco, the US, this month. He will get to hone his photography skills under one of the renowned National Geographic photographers.

Meanwhile, Asep Teguh Kantyana and Marco Tjokrosantoso, both from Indonesia, were awarded first and second runners-up, respectively.

They received a Canon EOS 6D (body) and a Canon EOS 70D (body).

First prize winner Kazi Riasat Alve from BangladeshSecond prize winner Asep Teguh Kantyana (Indonesia)Third prize winner Marco Tjokrosantoso (Indonesia)

The top three photographs will be featured in the March issue of National Geographic’s Asia Edition.

“The Explore to Inspire photo contest is a great platform for all budding photographers to showcase their work and we were impressed with the high quality of photos capturing the theme.

“The overwhelming response reinforces our belief of the growing interest in photography here in Asia and we are glad that Canon is part of their journey,” said Canon Singapore Pte Ltd president and chief executive officer Kensaku Konishi.

“The top three winning entries showcased the theme of inspiration and great technical skills, depicting the intricacies of the natural and human world in Asia.

“We are happy to have partnered Canon once again for our quest to find such inspirational images that touch hearts and move minds,” said FOX One Stop Media Advertising Sales & Partnerships Asia Pacific & Middle East executive vice-president Simeon Dawes.

Source: http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Community/2014/03/20/Capturing-the-spirit-Bangladeshi-clinches-top-spot-in-photography-contest/