SANTA RITA -- Kapampangan award-winning photographer Ruston Banal is now in France to personally receive his award from the "Prix de la Photographie, Paris" (Px3) for his photo "Kuraldal."
Banal managed to get a plane ticket to attend the awarding ceremonies after friends have contributed to send the multi-awarded artist to France.
He told Sun.Star Pampanga that the award is a testament that photos of Kapampangan cultural themes can share the stage in international competitions with photos from all over the world.
He said that Px3 would bring his photo further to be appreciated by an international audience.
Px3 aims promote the appreciation of photography, to discover emerging talent, and introduce photographers from around the world to the artistic community of Paris.
Founded in 2007, Paris Photography Prize (Px3) is one of the most important European photography competitions.
Banal said the event is also an opportunity to expand his skills in photography and learn from other master photographers from other countries. He added that he will also be visiting Kapampangan communities and artists while in a one week visit in France.
Banal won in the travel and tourism category of the said competition. Other awardees include Joseph Goh Meng Huat 's "Yi Peng Lantern Festival Celebration"; Sergey Anisimov's "On a visit to Nenets "; Silvia Landi's "Faith and Mystery - celebration of Timkat"; Yap Kh's "The Highlanders, Dani Tribe #2"; and Marinka Masséus' "PNG's Mudmen."
Banal's entry "Kuraldal" also landed first place and also got the honorable mention for the overall category in the International Photography Awards (IPA). The IPA is considered as the "Oscars" in the world of photography. The competition attracted 20,000 entries from various countries.
The photo depicts the festive dance ritual in Betis district over a venerated cross during the feast of St. John the Baptist.
The same photo also won in the 2013 Sony World Photography Awards in London under the culture category. It was exhibited from April to May 2013 at the Somerset House Gallery.
Banal said that after the recent awards many people are inquiring for original prints of the said photo for home galleries and even museums.