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WCN Amateur Nature and Wildlife Photography Exhibition
16 - 19 January 2005

Photography at WCN

WCN Youth and Environment Conservation Awareness Program (ECAP) propels various innovative projects into actions that inspire conservation values amongst the youth and old alike. These projects focus on drawing the attention of civil society, government, and scientific community towards environment and promote conservation of nature and local wildlife. Photography is one such project of ECAP.

ECAP recognizes photographers as important component of our society who can reinforce conservation values by reaching out to people of all ages, communities and backgrounds through their photographs.

ECAP has been conducting photography workshops and field excursions to schools, colleges and for its in house volunteers.

To promote such efforts on a broader scale, ECAP initiated an Amateur Nature/Wildlife Photography Competition on October 2004.

The Competition

Amateur Nature/Wildlife Photography Competition was announced through WCN’s website, WCN Newsletter Issue 1. Vol.1 and through Wave magazine, The Himalayan Times, Nepali Times, Television and Radio Programs. Over a period of two months, 75 individuals submitted more than 130 photographs at WCN office in Sanepa. According to the provision of the competition, a participant could submit upto three photographs. The vision of the competition was to promote nature and wildlife photography with special focus on backyard photography amongst amateur Nepali photographers.

On the invitation of ECAP, prominent photographers of Nepal- Pradeep Yonzon,Fine Art Photographer- Fotografo; Mani Lama, Photographer- Dark Room Creations; Hari Bangsha Kirant, President- Chomolungma, UNESCO Centre; Amar K. Simha, CEO/Senior Producer- Himalaya Films Pvt. Ltd. and Deepak SJB Rana, Trustee- WCN agreed to judge the photographs for the competition. On December 24, 2004, the panel of judges decided on thewinners. A hundred and twenty seven photographs of only sixty seven individuals were qualified for exhibition based on the criteria and guidelines of the competition. The participants were as small as seven year old students of grade 2 to a forty eight year old businesman.

The Verdict

After great deliberation, the five judges came up with the winners for the competition. Each photograph was individually evaluated for its subject matter, presentation, artistic quality and technicality.

Nripa Dhoj Khadka’s photograph of a small insect, the locust won the first prize while Dinesh Shilpakar and Vikash Pradhan ranked second and third with the photographs of Chola Pass, a peak in Sagarmatha National Park and a mushroom respectively.

Dibesh Shrestha, Rujan Bajracharya, Sunil Dangol, Rameshwor Maharjan, Kripa Chitrakarand Neelima Shrestha were among the Top Ten. Dibesh Shrestha was one individual whose two photographs were selected among theTop Ten. Bhushan Shilpakar, Brinda Dewan, Hari Maharjan, Prajwal Pradhan and Raju Acharya are among the Top Five consolation winners. The best 10 photographs of the competition were featured in ECAP Greeting Cards with the support of 10 sponsors.

Exhibition

The Exhibition was inaugurated by His Excellency Mr. Michel Jolivet, the French Ambassador to Nepal. This photography display was promoted by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) at the DNC Hall, NTB from 16-19 Jan 2005. The participants, event sponsors and guests from different organizations attended the inauguration ceremony. The winners and participants were awarded with certificates and prizes by the chief guest and the judges.The three top winners will be taken to Royal Chitwan National Park for a photography and conservation sensitizing fieldtrip in March 2005. The bus tickets to Sauraha and back is provided by Greenline Tours while a two night stay at the Gaida Resort is provided by The Explore Nepal P.Ltd. The winner got a HP Photo Printer from CAS Trading Pvt. Ltd. Wave magazine gave six months subscription to the top 15 while Resources Himalaya Foundation gave away a book tittled “People and Protected Areas in South Asia” to all the participants of the competition. Fuji films Foto Mall Pvt. Ltd made a major contribution to the competition by giving out 50% discount vouchers throughout the year to all the participants and lots of film rolls to the winners.

To make the exhibition more informative and interactive ECAP in collaboration with Himalaya Flims and The Explore Nepal Pvt. Ltd.screened documentaries on nature conservation in Nepal. With Bird Conservation Nepal and The Explore Nepal, ECAP also featured distribution stalls. The stalls had informative publications for freedistribution while postcards, posters and books on nature were on sale.

Due to overwhelming response the exhibition is being extended for three weeks specially for the students during February 2005 at WCN office in Sanepa.

Fund Raising for Nature Conservation

The entire event of the competition and the exhibition was also a fund raising event. The best 10 photographs featured in ECAP Greeting Cards are for sale.

The fund raised from the sales of the Greeting Cards will be logged back into the conservation awareness program. A major portion of fund will also be utilized as research grants for deserving 2 biological science postgraduate students and in conservation activities at local level. The students will be selected through competition for the year 2005. The research will be mainly focusing on the local wildlife and environment of Kathmandu Valley.

Fund Raising for Nature Conservation The cards are available for sale. For purchase place an order by calling us at 5549803, 5524202 or mail us at mail@wcn.org.np.

Response

I feel honoured to be the Chief Guest for this beautiful Exhibition.
- His Excellency Mr. Michel Jolivet
Embassy of the Republic of France

Excellent work! Keep up the spirit.
- Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey
Director General, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC)

Appreciate the effort to make the visitors learn about the wealth of Nepal.
- Bharat Basnet
Explore Nepal

Congratuations. Good effort!
- Lisa Choegyal
Tiger Mountain

I am very pleased to see such wonderful pictures.
- Prof. Dr. Siddhibir Karmacharya
Head of Department, Dept. of Env. Science, TU

Superb - I am mesmerised.
Keep up the good work and promote young talent
- Top Bahadur Khatri
National Program Manager, PCP/ DNPWC

Very impressive job on WCN and the participants' part. Congratualtions!!
- Kashish Das Shrestha
Editor, Wave

Capturing the beauty that nature has to offer is thrilling and each of the photographs on the show is different and carries a particular essence and speaks volumes.
- The Himalayan Times

Participants

Top 15 winners
Nripa Dhoj Khadka
Dinesh Shilpakar
Vikash Pradhan
Sunil Dangol
Dibesh Shrestha - 2
Rameshwor Maharjan
Rujan Bajracharya
Kripa Chitrakar
Neelima Shrestha
Prajwal Pradhan
Bhushan Shilpakar
Brinda Dewan
Hari Maharjan
Raju Acharya (Sharma)

Name of participants in alphabetical order
Aarti Basnyat
Amoon Mabo
Anil Maharjan
Annie Shrestha
Arun Silwal
Bharat Babu Shrestha
Bibhushan Raj Shakya
Bijeysh Ranjit
Bikash Gnawali
Buddhi Ratna Dangol
Gaurav Kumar Tuladhar
Himmat S Lekali
Kabir Tamang
Kashish Das Shrestha
Kripa Poudel
Kushal Gurung
Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa
Miku Hang Limbu
Moheindu Chemjong
Mohini Shrestha
Namech Rajbhandari
Nabin Gopal Baidya
Navin Singh Khadka
Nishant Yonzan
Parakram Singh Yonzon
Prajwal Nanda Bajracharya
Pranaya B Thapa
Prince Rajbhandari
Punam Roka
Renu Karki
Robin Maharjan
Rojal Baidya
Sagun Dhakhwa
Sarbendra Pachhai
Sarjina Shrestha Ranjit
Sarthak Sharma
Serene Rajkarnikar
Shailya Pradhan
Shova Khadka
Subarna Prasad Acharya
Subel Bhandari
Sudhir Bhandari
Sunil Awale
Sunil Maharjan
Sushil Sapkota
Susmita Sapkota
Suyog Shrestha
Sylvia Lama
Tej Basnet
Tsering Choden
Udip Ranjit
Ujwal Bhattarai
Vipasan Tuladhar

Card sponsors

Bina Shrestha, Cornell Nepal Study Program, Hasana Shakya, Richa Gurung Malla, Shiv Shakti Groups, Sipradi Trading Pvt. Ltd., Sunrise Homes (Oriental Construction & Development Co. Pvt. Ltd.), Texana Resources Company, The Explore Nepal and Wildlife Watch Group.

WCN Youth Program and ECAP is making this competition an annual event. For support and comments please write to cap@wcn.org.np.