Family-meal image wins international food photo contest

A photo of a young family joyfully preparing a meal at home in China has won a major food photography award.

Li Huaifeng has been named Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021 for an image titled Taste, taken in Licheng, Shanxi.

Li Huaifeng Family preparing food indoors, with rays of sunlight shining through the windows

"This picture is technically outstanding in its use of light and composition," awards founder and director Caroline Kenyon says.

"But what raises it to the level of historic importance is the depth of its storytelling and emotion.

"It tells of a year of isolation and living indoors, living in tiny communities of immediate family.

"Here, the scene is bathed with love, with echoes of Madonna and Child.

"An exceptional shot which perfectly demonstrates that photography need not shock or disturb to be great or memorable.

"This exquisite image lingers in the mind,"

With the competition now in its 10th year, judges sifted through almost 10,500 entries from more than 70 countries around the world and the winners announced online via a livestream event.

Here are some of the competition category winners, with descriptions by the photographers.

Bring Home the Harvest: Drying Okra, by F Dilek Uyar, Turkey

"Drying okra flowers in Tokat, Turkey. Women pick okra flowers from the field and arrange them on a rope, then the dried flowers fall and the okra becomes ready to be used in winter."

F Dilek Uyar Two women with chickens, sat outdoors under a wooden shelter and surrounded by yellow okra — "Drying okra flowers in Tokat, Turkey. Women pick okra flowers from the field and arrange them on a rope, then the dried flowers fall and the okra becomes ready to be used in winter."

Champagne Taittinger Wedding Food Photographer: Many a Slip, by John Armstrong-Millar, France

"Normally, weddings run to plan - but it's really fun to capture the moments where things go a little off script."

John Armstrong-Millar A man and woman cutting a wedding cake that has sparklers on top — "Normally, weddings run to plan - but it's really fun to capture the moments where things go a little off script."

Food Stylist Award: Winteropulenz, by Martin Grünewald, Germany

"Winter opulence - sumptuous still life of winter vegetables and fruit."

Martin Grünewald / Frank Weinert Variety of vegetables — "Winter opulence - sumptuous still life of winter vegetables and fruit."

Fujifilm Award for Innovation: Making Rice Noodles, by Abdul Momin, Bangladesh

"A worker is inspecting [whether] rice noodles [were] dried rightly or not."

Abdul Momin Man reaching up to rice noodles that are hanging above him — "A worker is inspecting [whether] rice noodles [were] dried rightly or not."

Pink Lady Apple a Day: Apple in Cake, by Natalia Bogubowicz, Poland

Natalia Bogubowicz Slices of apple in a cake — "Baked apples in cross-section."

Street Food: Enjoying, by Viet Van Tran, Vietnam

"Four young girls were passionately eating sweet soup, [which] made me feel that life is lovely even though we are all living in a pandemic."

Viet Van Tran A woman serves food to a group of young women, sitting outdoors — "Four young girls were passionately eating sweet soup, [which] made me feel that life is lovely even though we are all living in a pandemic."

Marks & Spencer Food Portraiture: Mulled Pears, by Harriet Harcourt, Australia

"Pouring the spiced wine syrup over the poached pears before serving."

Harriet Harcourt Mulled pears — "Pouring the spiced wine syrup over the poached pears before serving."

Student Food Photographer of the Year, supported by The Royal Photographic Society: Beetroots Still Life, by Sarah Blandford, UK

"Homegrown beetroots in a copper pan, ready for cooking."

Sarah Blandford Beetroots in a pan on white fabric — "Homegrown beetroots in a copper pan, ready for cooking."

Food Influencers: Lumière d'automne, by Deborah Trocchia, Italy

"La reine du mois [queen of the month]."

Deborah Trocchia Pumpkin — "La reine du mois [queen of the month]."

Winterbotham Darby Food for Sale: Street Vendor, by Joseph P Smith, Malta

"A lady sells capers and other delicacies from her old pram on the streets of Marsaxlokk, a fishing village in Malta."

Joseph P Smith Woman bags some food for a customer at an outdoor stall — "A lady sells capers and other delicacies from her old pram on the streets of Marsaxlokk, a fishing village in Malta."

World Food Programme Food for Life: Drinking from Garbage, by Md. Mahabub Hossain Khan, Bangladesh

"A little child drinking from a bottle."

Md Mahabub Hossain Khan Child surrounded by plastic bottles — "A little child drinking from a bottle."

All photographs courtesy Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021.

Photography