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MSW Reportal

Almost grand slam for Sweden in the Nordic photo contest

Four out of five prizes were awarded Swedish photographing seafarers, when the Nordic Photo Contest for Seafarers 2020 had its closure, in Rødovre, Denmark, on Friday February 12 2021.

“The pictures must catch the eye, move the heart and encourage reflection”.

If you want to take a winning photo, that is what it needs to communicate, according to the jury.
On Friday February 12 2021, it was time for the jury to announce the winners in the Nordic Photo Contest for Seafarers 2020. Denmark’s Sea Health & Welfare were hosting the event and the jury consisted of Liselotte Rasmussen, photographer and art historian, and Morten Tinning, museum curator and PhD student at the Maritime Museum of Denmark in Helsingør.

The jury looking at the participating photos
The jury, Morten Tinning and Liselotte Rasmussen ready to look through the 75 entries in the Nordic Photo Contest for Seafarers 2020.

116 photographers participated in the competition with a total of 689 pictures. The national jury has selected 75 of them for further competition, in the Nordic contest. After about three hours, the jury was ready to reveal the winning photos. Place four to one were all Swedish contributions and the fifth place was taken by Finland. Jörgen Språng, chef on the motor tanker Bit Okland, laid hands on three of the prizes. The picture that made it to first place is called “Resting”, and here is what the jury had to say about it:

“The winning photo contains all the parts we searched for. The seafarer’s face and empty gaze reflect the human story. A silent moment at sea lost in thought. The picture makes you wonder – is he exhausted, thinking about his family or is he just staring at a stain on his shoe? The contrast between the red colour and dusty stained blue, and the combination of the straight and curved lines creates the perfect backdrop for the story in his facial expression.”

Text: Joakim Malmberg, Swedish Seamen's Service

Seaman in blue boiler suit resting on the red painted ships deck
Nordic 1st place - ”Resting” - Jörgen Språng, SE
Seafarer resting in a hammock on deck
Nordic 2nd place - "Hanging out on deck” - Mikael Söderholm, SE
Man giving a helping hand to another man, working in a tight space
Nordic 3rd place - ”Cramped” - Jörgen Språng, SE
A man walking up the stairs in a dark tank space, with only light shining down from a hatch above
Nordic 4th place + Swedish H.M - ”Spacious” - Jörgen Språng, SE
Rusty anchor chain under water
Nordic 5th place - ”Anchor Chain” - Harri Manninen, FI
People standing in line to take a Covid-19 test
Nordic H.M - "Morning routine” - Laura Pytytövaara, FI
Black and white photo of fishermen in stormy weather handling anchor chain while attached to safety ropes
Nordic H.M - "Farligt arbeid” - Kristján Birgisson, IS
Photo taken from inside the bridge of a vessel, showing the control panel diagonally to the stormy sea outside
Nordic H.M - ”Rett diagonalt” - Guðmundur St Valdimarsson, IS
Black and white photo of a man painting the load line markings on a vessel
Nordic H.M - ”Åmning” - Staffan Ahlstrand, SE
Three men with breathing masks, leaving their ship at sea, in an open boat
Swedish 1st place - ”Signing off year” 2020, Jörgen Språng, SE
Three seafarers standing on board looking out at the docks
Swedish 2nd place - ”Grey wall”, Mikael Söderholm, SE
View from the gunwale. Two man handling a large anchor on the shipyard.
Swedish 3rd place - ”Ankare”, Staffan Ahlstrand, SE
A seamen washing the inside of a large tank, diffusing drops of water in foreground.
Swedish H.M - ”Tankshower”, Jörgen Språng, SE

Last updated 2021-03-08