2000 Commonwealth Photographic Awards
The winners of the 2000 Commonwealth Photographic Awards were Jamaican-born Clay Davidson from Toronto, Canada, and Anjan Sarkar from Calcutta, India. They each received £1500 for their winning photograph.

Anjan Sarkar
The picture was taken at Babughat in Calcutta. Every year in the month of January people from different states unite hspace=4 vspace=6>here for the journey to 'Sagar Mela'. Before the journey they stay here for two days and communicate with each other to know their religion and lifestyle.

Anjan's photographic skills have been influenced greatly by his late father's love of photography. His father received amateur photographic awards in his days. Thirty-six years old Anjan holds a commerce degree from the University of Calcutta. He has undergone photographic training with the Photographic Association of Dum Dum, West Bengal. He is taking another two-year diploma course in the same institution. He says this is " to improve on his photographic skills".

vspace=6 hspace=4>Davidson Clay
Taken in Canada's Pacific Northwest this photograph depicts the silent communication between the organic, the inorganic and human influence. The large rock suggests mankind's magnificent brainpower, which could be harnessed to serve nature. The sculpture on top, a mode of ancient Inuit communication, suggests the lack of advancement in caring for the environment.

Clay has studied photography. He has, with photography extensively travelled in Europe. He is environmentally conscious and enjoys taking pictures of nature and people. He works and resides in Toronto Canada.

Other winners
Other winners include regional winners from South Africa, England, Jamaica, and Malaysia. Many other Highly Commended prizes are going to photographers in Mauritius, Bangladesh, Australia, Malta, and Malawi.

Judges
The judges were: photographer, Tim Page, a former winner of the World Press Photographer of the Year Award; Malaysian born photographer, Cat de Rham; and former British Telecom Managing Director, Sir Michael Bett.

The judges took into consideration both photo-composition and the interpretation of the theme Commmunication.


More information:
Photo Awards, CBA, 3rd Floor, 292 Vauxhall Bridge Road
London SW1V 1AE
Tel: +44 20 7233 7822
Fax: + 44 20 7828 0660
Email: cba@cba.org.uk