Taste, a tender yet subtly powerful image for our time by Chinese photographer Li Huaifeng, won the overall prize at Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2021, a leading competition celebrating the art of food photography and film.
Li Huaifeng's photograph, taken in Licheng, Shanxi, on a warm and sunny day, shows a young family preparing a meal together.
“This image is technically outstanding in its use of light and composition, but what raises it to the level of historical importance is the depth of its story and emotion. A year of isolation and indoor living, living in small communities of immediate family. Here, the scene is bathed in love, with echoes of the Madonna and Child. An exceptional image that perfectly demonstrates that photography does not need to shock or offend to be beautiful or memorable. This exquisite image stays in the mind,” said Caroline Kenyon, director and founder of the Awards.
Pandemic restrictions did not deter the competition's entrants. There were nearly 10.500 submissions from more than seventy countries around the world.
The winners were announced during an exciting awards ceremony streamed live on the competition's YouTube channel on Tuesday, April 27, 2021. It was watched by a global audience that included celebrities from the worlds of food and photography.
The exhibition of the 2021 finalists was scheduled to premiere at The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world's oldest photographic societies, in Bristol. The exhibition ran from November 20–December 12, 2021.
Admission was free.
Visit www.pinkladyfoodphotographeroftheyear.com to view the online gallery of all the 2021 finalists.
