18 winning images from the global studies student photo contest
Please join us in congratulating the winners of the 2017 Stanford Global Studies student photo contest!
Winners were selected in six categories, and featured students from across Stanford Global Studies programs who travelled around the world pursuing research, language study, internships, and more.
Natural World
Winner
“Winter Wanderers” by Ryan Wauson. This photo was taken during an intensive Russian language program I took part in during the 2015–2016 school year in Almaty, Kazakhstan. On the weekends, a group of us Americans and some local Kazakhs enjoyed getting some fresh air and took advantage of the extensive hiking available in the mountains south of the city against the Tien Shan mountain range. I captured this image during a hiking trip in January that our local Kazakh friend guided us through. As we entered an alpine meadow from a patch of forest, the still early morning sun was hanging low in our path, giving the snow and surrounding pine trees an ethereal appearance and conveying a sense of natural stillness.
Honorable Mention
“Morning Reflections in San Lucas” by Rosie la Puma. This is a photo of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, taken at the end of our first 6 AM hike. I was in Guatemala as part of FSI Stanford’s summer Field Research Internship, where a group of 7 students worked with professors and doctors to learn about and attempt to ameliorate health issues linked to underdevelopment in rural areas. The early morning hikes — which were daily, but optional, affairs — were led by Aongel, a native Guatemalan and our host in San Lucas Tolaman. They were our chance to explore the neighborhood, get to know Aongel, and take a moment to breath and reflect before starting our day. — in San Lucas Tolimán
“Peekaboo Llama” by Lu Li. When a llama photobombs your landscape photo, it makes it better. (Photo taken in Machupicchu, Cusco, Peru.)
“Torres del Paine I” by Samuel Garcia. Torres del Paine National Park is a place of surreal beauty. Minerals from nearby glaciers cause many bodies of water in the park to turn to glow turquoise. The air is crisp and clean. I visited Torres del Paine at the tail end of my quarter abroad in Santiago.
“Glacier” by Samuel Garcia. Runoff from the glacier causes nearby bodies of water to glow turquoise. Approaching a glacier is like standing in a refrigerator. I visited Torres del Paine at the tail end of my quarter abroad in Santiago.
People
Winner
“Among the Believers” by Wenhong Xie. Orthodox Christians gather to pray at Saint George’s Church in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
Honorable Mention
“Times of Darkness” by Lu Li. I was exploring the streets of the artistic district in the seacoast town of Valpariaso, Chile. I find that artists who hide their faces, like Banksy, always have a lot to say in their art, lots of time with dark humor.
“Park Bench” by Samuel Garcia. A group sips beer, rum, and smokes cigarettes in Havana. I visited Havana during President Obama’s 2016 visit to the island. I am in the process of writing an honors thesis on the opening of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba.
Travel
Winner
“The Indefatigable Harari” by Wenhong Xie. I took this picture outside the ancient walled city of Harar near the Ethiopia-Somali a border, where the French boy genius Arthur Rimbaud spent the last ten years of his life while he dealt coffee and firearms. Harar is one of the places where no words can adequately describe the richness and rawness of everyday lived experience.
Honorable Mention
“Valle de la Luna” by Cherise Beatus. As a sort of last minute trip, my Bing Overseas Program-Santiago group decided to travel to San Pedro de Atacama for a four-day weekend. At the end of our tour of Valle de La Luna, our guide Cristabal let us explore some sand dunes and hills on our own. A group (pictured) decided to sit and relax on the dunes as others hiked up another hill nearby. I loved the juxtaposition of this large salt mountains with the sand dunes and the group huddled together as they admire the beauty around them.
“Kyaukpyu” by Wenhong Xie. I took this photo while on an investigative trip to Myanmar’s (Burma) war-ravaged Rakhine state. The peaceful seaside town of Kyaukpyu is being transformed by China’s investment in a Special Economic Zone, a deep-sea port, and two oil/gas pipelines in the region.
“Versailles” by Samuel Garcia. An outdoor convex mirror at the Palace of Versailles in France allows visitors to see themselves and their surroundings from a unique perspective. I visited Versailles on a trip to France and was amazed by the intricacies of its construction. The reflection against the striking blue sky mirrors the surreal and exuberant nature of the Palace.
Altered Images
Winner
“Where to Exit” by Megumi Yoshinaga. This is just a window, but it reflects choices in life. (Photo taken in Chicago.)
Honorable Mention
“Old and New” by Alina Utrata. On my way back from an internship in Phnom Penh, I visited Hong Kong. We were sight seeing on the harbor when we saw a monk, also enjoying the view, taking a picture on the dock. At the same moment, one of the boats that give historic tours to tourists passed by. The monk and the boat look like they could be from a different time period, but behind them the modern buildings of Hong Kong betray the era.
“Tallinn, East and West” by Sarah Manney. I took this photograph from the top of Toompea Church while working in Tallinn, Estonia through FSI Stanford. On the left is Alexander Nevskii Cathedral, an Orthodox church dedicated to the Russian war hero who defeated the Estonian Army. On the right is the medieval tower of Toompea Hill, now the seat of the Estonian parliament and a staunch symbol of national identity. Such paradoxes are common in Tallinn, occupied by the Russians for nearly a century yet still proudly celebrating its unique culture.
Global Events
Winner
“The Revival of Maoism in the Post Mao Era” by Lin Le. Every year, one day after the Christmas, Maoists gather at China’s Chairman Mao Zedong’s hometown, Shaoshan, Hunan province, to celebrate Mao’s birthday. In the picture those Maoists came all the way from different places to celebrate the 123th anniversary of the Chairman’s birthday, something they call the “Oriental Saint Festival,” a name coined deliberately as a counterpart to Christmas. They are calling for a second Cultural Revolution (CR), a political movement launched by Mao that caused huge turmoil in China from 1966–1976. But Maoists today think the CR is the only way the current social inequality and corruption problem in China can be fixed. I went to Shaoshan during the past winter break to observe those Maoists. One of my ongoing research projects examines this social phenomenon in China.
Honorable Mention
“President Barack Obama Drives the Malecon, Havana” by Samuel Garcia. In March 2016, President Obama visited Cuba, making him the first sitting United States president to visit the island in more than eighty years. I had the opportunity to visit Havana at the same time as President Obama. I captured this photo as the President’s motorcade passed by me on Havana’s famous Malecon. I am in the process of writing an honors thesis covering the restoration of diplomatic ties between the United States and Cuba.
“Heave!” by Lisa Wilcut. Turning a corner during a parade of the Gion Festival, Kyoto. The massive floats are pulled by manpower, and the fixed-axel wheels make navigating corners a complicated logistical endeavor, requiring cooperation, coordinated timing, and a not a little brute force. I particularly like the navigators standing on the float, directing with their fans. Taken during a stay in Kyoto for thesis research.
For more information about the Stanford Global Studies student photo contest, visit our website.
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