Latest Whisky News - The Macallan Masters of Photography Winner Revealed - 3rd August, 2011

After attracting over 7,000 entries and 94,000 votes, The Macallan single malt has announced that the winner of the first ever ‘Masters of Photography Masterclass’, in partnership with legendary Scottish photographer Albert Watson, is ‘Waiting for the Eclipse’ by Luke Bhothipiti from the USA.

The competition invited members of the public to upload their finest photographs celebrating the theme of ‘great journeys’ either from travels or a special moment showing a passage of time.  The competition was inspired by the Albert Watson edition of The Macallan Masters of Photography which showcases his visual interpretation of the journey of The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks from Jerez, Spain to Speyside, Scotland.

With an overwhelming response, 94,000 votes were cast by the public to select the top 20 images.  These were then judged by Watson, winner of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society’s 2010 Centenary Medal, who is well known across the globe for his fashion, celebrity and art photography having shot over 200 covers for both Vogue and Rolling Stone Magazine.

The stunning winning image of friends gathered around a fire waiting for the lunar eclipse at the end of 2010 stood out from the rest, allowing him to take top honours in the competition. 

Luke’s photograph wins him a trip of a life time to Scotland, courtesy of Visit Scotland.  The second, third and fourth prizes are Nikon camera equipment and an annual subscription to Digital Camera Magazine.

The winners of the first The Macallan Photography Masterclass:

• First : ‘Waiting for the Eclipse’ by Luke Bhothipiti

The story: A photograph of my friends standing around a fire for warmth waiting for the lunar eclipse on 12/21/2010. We all made the trip into the country for the best possible view of an event that only comes around every 460 years. This would also be the last photograph of everyone together before they would embark on their own personal journeys.

• Second: ‘The Raging Bull’ by Muhammad Fadli

The story: Pacu Jawi, which means The Bull's Race, is a traditional festival of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is a celebration of the farmer for the previous harvesting season.

• Third: ‘A motion shot of a 1948 GMC’ by John Jackson

The story: It just shows the loneliness of being out on the open road alone in some vintage Iron, and that’s what makes it special to me.

• Fourth: ‘Dark night so cold and lonely’ by Rob Dallas

The story: Not being afraid of cold weather, I stepped outside on this dark, so cold and lonely night.  I found the bleakness of a winter's night and captured the real beauty of the contrast and color ...leaving just the distant sign orange ... warm and inviting ... like a fire or hearth ...winter is not just cold, it is also a place to find warmth.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, The Edrington Group, said: “The standard of entries received and the talent demonstrated has been phenomenal.  We were overwhelmed by the number of entries received and we thank each and every person who uploaded a photograph of their personal journey.

“On behalf The Macallan I would also like to congratulate Luke on his wining image which really is quite captivating. We are also honoured to have been able to work with Albert Watson who has shared with us his incredible expertise and creativity.”
 
Albert Watson, added: “The standard of entries received was impressive and it was by no means an easy task to choose a winner.   However of all the entries, Luke’s image was the most original. I liked the intent of the shot, the composition, the ice cold of the sky, and the ghostly group of figures around the warm fire. It spoke to me emotionally.”

A second Masterclass is in the planning. In the meantime please review the entries here: www.themastersofphotography.com/the-masterclass/s8/

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