Overall Winner

India in motion
Rajasthan, India

India seems to be constantly in motion—it's a country that continues to shift before your eyes.  As travellers, we also seem to be on a pendulum, swinging back and forth through space, and we often end up at hubs of transit.  I took this photograph while waiting for a train in Rajasthan.  The woman walking by was also on a journey, and our very different lives overlapped, for just a moment, in this transitional environment.

Erin Smith
Coldwater, ON

Community Winner

Community

Playmates

Bang Bua Thong, Thailand
A domesticated elephant plays affectionately with its owner in Bang Bua Thong. Thai elephants used to serve as tanks in battle or as labour in the logging industry—now they're either working in the tourism industry or domesticated as pets.

Brent Lewin
Richmond Hill, ON

Environments Winner

Environments

The gods are angry!
Ganges River, Varanasi, India

This photo was taken shortly after the monsoon season, in September, on a night when the sky was lit up every few minutes by bolts of lightening.  It was mesmerizing to see this over India’s holiest body of water:  the Ganges.  I was working with World Literacy of Canada, developing literacy programmes and promoting educational development for women and young children.

Li Koo
Markham, ON

Developing World Winner

Developing World

Hairdressing school
Danfa, Ghana

Students in the hairdressing class at Pro-Link Organization's Danfa Vocational School take a break.  Hairdressing is one of the skills learned by about 60 students at the school, which was built to help solve the problem of "streetism" in the village. 

Anice Wong
Ottawa, ON

Spirit Winner

Spirit

Full of Grace
Kokrobite, Ghana

My friends and I were taking a long weekend break from Accra at a beach, west of the busy capital.  While eating breakfast I noticed a young girl on a swing near our table.  I went up to her and joined her on the swing.  Her name was Grace and she was selling some local treats.  After a few minutes I asked to take her photo and she happily agreed.  I let her take the camera and showed her how to use it. 

Anice Wong
Ottawa, ON

Community

Farm patterns
Sapa, Vietnam

A Vietnamese man farms on the side of a steep hill overlooking rice terraces—taken during a home stay on the outskirts of Sapa.

Laura Stanley
Whitby, ON

Community

Mohammed
Sahara Desert, Morocco

Mohammed was a kindred spirit.  We met in a café in his home town of Midelt, where he introduced me to his family and his world.  Then we took a bus to the town of Merzouga, our gateway to the Sahara. This picture was taken after we had spent 24 hours in the desert, talking, sharing, learning and laughing.  The sunset from atop the dunes is unlike any I have ever seen in my life.

Danny Floh Back
Thornhill, ON

Community

Furtive card game
Pushkar, Rajasthan, India

Children playing cards in a dusty pathway, in the dry Pushkar countryside.  It was late afternoon, and these kids were making their way home after school.  They were so absorbed by their game, they didn't mind me taking one picture after another.

Giuseppe Rosato
Calgary, AB

Community

Gold miner
Mankayan, Benguet, Philippines

Albert has worked in a gold mine for 15 years trying to support his family of 10.  Many of the men risking their lives underground say they feel exploited as they struggle to provide for their families while the company profits in the millions.  The miners have no masks to protect them from chemicals and dust;  they work wearing nothing but helmets, boots, and briefs (because of the heat).  They have to pay for their own treatment when they fall ill.  But Albert says it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make. Together with his wife, they are putting their children through school in the hope that they will have better lives.

Allan Cedillo Lissner
Toronto, ON

Community

Work day
Sapa, Vietnam

I took this photo while trekking though northwestern Vietnam.  Over two days I trekked along narrow, rocky paths between layers of soaked rice paddies that were ready for harvesting.  In this photo, women of the Black Hmong ethnic group look on at the work that lies ahead of them.  A daughter or granddaughter follows them, yet can't help but stare in bewilderment at this strange foreigner taking pictures of her home.

Cicely Arthur
Toronto, ON

Community

Lesotho dancers
A Basotho village in the mountains near Malealea, Lesotho

I was travelling around South Africa and Lesotho with my sister and brother-in-law.  We took a pony trek into the mountains near the town of Malealea for Christmas.  After a long and rainy trek, we were welcomed into this village where we found a bunch of children dancing to music that blasted out of a stereo run on solar energy.  The children were dancing in bare feet despite the mud and cold.  It was amazing and they were impressive dancers too!

Anice Wong
Ottawa, ON

Community

Favourite toy
Tolon, Northern Ghana

Young boys in Tolon often play with an old bicycle tire, using a stick to roll it along the ground as they chase after it.  This photo was taken outside the home of this boy. I'm living with his family for three and half months on a placement with Engineers Without Borders Canada, volunteering with the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Samuel van Berkel
Winnipeg, MB

Community

Skua lunchtime
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Walking down the beach I came upon a swarm of Skua diving repeatedly out of the sky. A group of fisherman had caught more baitfish then they needed and they were taking a break from fishing to heave them up into the air.  The giant birds would swoop down and catch them in midair. Several children noticed the commotion, and the fisherman gave them some baitfish to throw.  I got to join in too and everyone had a lot of fun throwing the fish up in the air to the birds.

Darren Rigo
Toronto, ON

Community

Magic Man
A small village in the jungle north of Chiang Mai, Thailand

This guy was the “Magic Man” who would come around at night and perform magic tricks for trekkers.  He was constantly smoking banana paper cigarettes, which are spiced, possibly with tamarind, and sweet from the banana leaves.

Jordan Nahmias
Toronto, ON

Community

Making prayer flags
Sky Temple in the mountains above Zhongdian, Yunnan Province, China

Down an unpaved road several miles outside Zhongdian (recently renamed Shangri-La) in the northern Yunnan Province of China is the small Sky Temple.  There are no resident monks save two who take their turn as caretakers with other monks from Gedansongzanlin Monastery.  It was raining as we made our way up the steep steps and past a line of prayer wheels to the temple where the monks were painting mantras on white, roughly woven cotton prayer flags.  A man and a woman were hanging the flags in the surrounding forest where roosters clucked and strutted around stupas.

Joyce McClure
Seattle, WA

Community

Happy
Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca, Peru

I visited with this happy man on the Uros Islands in Lake Titicaca.  He lived without modern conveniences or much of anything.

Karen Massier
Abbotsford, BC

Community

Kurla Scrap Yard
Mumbai, India

Labourers pose at the Kurla Scrap Yard in Mumbai.  Much of the recycling in India occurs at informal scrap yards where resourceful labourers like these recover valuable material to be sold to recyclers.

Brent Lewin
Richmond Hill, ON

Community

Mango seller
Niamey, capital of Niger, in front of the main door of the Grande Mosquée

A young mango seller working close to my house.  From a very young age, kids in Niger have to work to help their family while the mother stays home with the youngest.  This girl offers a very mature and confident look, posing with her arms crossed.

Jean-François Boyd
St-Basile Le Grand, QC

Community

Monk
Chiang Mai, Thailand

An old monk I befriended at one of Chiang Mai's magnificent temples (wats).   On a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia I liked wandering from wat to wat.  This monk approached me and struck up a conversation.  We discussed Buddhist philosophy and the daily life of a monk.

Nicholas Born
Ottawa, ON

Developing World

Brickmakers
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Outdoor brick factories are a common sight in Bangladesh, as are the hardworking men (and occasionally women) who move the bricks in and out of kilns.  Many workers wear coils of cloth or old rice sacks to make it easier to carry ten bricks at a time on their heads.  I worked for 18 months in Bangladesh, with the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada and then with a socially responsible garment company.

E. Ashley Wheaton
Victoria, BC

Developing World

Scholarship recipients
Mathare Valley Slum, Nairobi, Kenya

While primary education is more or less free in Kenya, secondary school is not;  most students living in Mathare Slum cannot afford to go to high school.  The Canada-Mathare Education Trust was established by Kenyan and Canadian partners to provide students with financial support that would help them to attend high school. Working with these students, one becomes keenly aware of their potential and the injustice of their situation. Their thirst for knowledge and respect for education both inspires and motivates.

Victoria Sheppard
Ottawa, ON

Developing World


New wheels
Kigali, Rwanda

Social worker Zamda Nyiraminani (left) holds a walker as one of her patients tries a new wheelchair. The Free Wheelchair Mission ships wheelchair parts to Inkuru Nziza, a Community-Based Rehabilitation organization.  They are then assembled by technicians and distributed to those who need them.  For four weeks in 2007, I documented the work of Inkuru Nziza in Kigali.  The organization focuses on rehabilitating and training disabled individuals, and finding ways to integrate them into their communities.

Joseph Howarth
Toronto, ON

Developing World

Bath time
Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Perhaps the most rewarding experience of our service-based trip to Thailand was visiting New Life Orphanage in Kanchanaburi.  Most kids here lost their parents to drugs or alcohol, yet welcomed our group with open arms and open hearts.  As we were eating lunch one day, I noticed around the corner a small group of them taking baths.  They were happy to be photographed... as long as I showed them the digital image afterwards.

Joe Griffith
Ann Arbor, MI

Developing World

Life lessons
Accra, Ghana

Students at Flagstaff House School in Accra, Ghana learn all about AIDS/HIV during a workshop held by the West Africa AIDS Foundation.  The prevalence rate in Ghana is very low compared to neighbouring countries.  Less than 2% of the population is known to be HIV positive, although the number is likely higher since many people refuse to get tested due to fear and stigma. 

Anice Wong
Ottawa, ON

Developing World

Woman in maize field
A small village outside of Kakamega, Kenya

I was doing veterinary research in western Kenya, which involved surveying households near Kakamega.  This woman lived at one of the houses we visited, next to a field where they were growing maize, the staple food for many Kenyans.

Perryn Kruth
Guelph, ON

Developing World

Out of freedom
Santa Cruz, Bolivia

This child stays alone outside all day long, waiting in front of his mother's workplace until she's finished.  I met him while volunteering with Canada World Youth on an exchange programme between Canada and Bolivia in 2007.

Élizabeth Drapeau
Kamouraska, QC

Spirit

Colourful rest
Jangpura, New Delhi, India

Relaxing between bursts of colour during the festival of Holi. Holi is a Hindu spring festival in which people throw coloured powder and water at each other.  It's a ritual popularized by Lord Krishna who used to play pranks on the gopis (cowgirls and milkmaids) by smearing coloured powder on their faces.

Parker Mah
Burnaby, BC

Spirit

Sweet relief

Grand Canyon, USA

I was leading a three-day expedition to the Grand Canyon in 2007.  The scorching August sun gave us a beating.  On the trek back we found a waterfall:  this is me cooling off and taking the whole experience in.

Lukas Kujawa
Winnipeg, MB

Spirit

 Children playing
A small village outside Kakamega, Kenya

I took this picture of a group of excited children in a village that I visited while conducting veterinary research.  We visited many rural households to interview the people living there and take samples from their livestock.  The people we visited were so warm and welcoming and it was a great honour to meet them and see how they live.

Perryn Kruth
Guelph, ON

Spirit

Otis watching the monkeys
Kakamega Rainforest, Kenya

I took this picture of my friend Otis on a walk through the rainforest.  Some sunscreen had leaked in my bag, dirtying the lens, which is why the photograph has such a smeary and blurry quality to it.  I was in Kenya helping Dr Florence Mutua with veterinary research—Otis was her supervisor.
 
Perryn Kruth
Guelph, ON

Spirit

Sadhu
Varanasi, India

Walking the ghats in the morning, just after sunrise, I was beckoned by this Sadhu, who was in the midst of his morning bathing ritual.  I learned something of his life, and enjoyed viewing this ritual of washing and then applying the wonderfully scented paste, which displays his devotion to Lord Shiva.

Dave Heidebrecht
Dundas, ON

Spirit

Race
Main Temple, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

When I looked at the steps I was about to climb, I had to summon courage and confidence that my body wouldn’t fail me.   Just before I started my ascent, two children darted in front of me and began racing each other up the steps.  I managed to grab this shot right at the moment when one child overtook the other, making it look like only one person is in this picture.  If you look close enough, you can see the lead child's foot. 

Danny Floh Back
Thornhill, ON

Spirit

Little boy blue
Pune, India

In India poverty is wide spread and begging is regarded as a profession. Beggars in India have to be very creative in order to procure the donations of passers-by. This little boy painted his face blue in hopes of capturing a few rupees to help his family out with the day's expenses. His mother nearby keeping a close watch for his safety was ever so grateful for his courage. He was the only boy I had ever seen with such a beautiful blue face and the only one of several beggars on this particular street to finish his day’s work before noon.

Isaumir Barbosa
Montreal, QC

Spirit

Young Indian cricketers... and their camel

Rice paddies behind the Taj Mahal, Agra, India

Sports inspire community spirit around the world, and this group of young Indian cricketers is no exception.  I took this photo of their dawn match on a dry riverbed behind the Taj Mahal, just as the sun was rising after the sound of morning prayers had faded away.

Erin Smith
Coldwater, ON

Spirit

Splish-splash!
Krabi, Thailand

The Grand Songkran Festival is a New Year celebration that involves plenty of water and lots of fun.  It begins with the bathing of Buddha statues, and then the festivities move into the streets.  Everyone has water buckets, hoses and pistols for splashing passers-by.  Water represents cleansing and a new start.  The three-day celebration involves all ages and abilities; foreigners are welcome to join in.

Sharon Seaward
Aurora, ON

Spirit

Flamenca
Barcelona, Spain

On our last night in Spain, we enjoyed a Flamenco performance in El Poble Espanyol, a pedestrian village within Barcelona.  Our table placed us eye level with the dancers' feet—when this Flamenca twirled, her train whipped past our faces.

Lola Reid-Allin
Belleville, ON

Spirit

Prayer wheel
Jokhang Monastery, Lhasa, Tibet

A women poses with her prayer wheel outside the most magnificent Tibetan Monastery in the world, the Jokhang.

Brianna Mersey
Vancouver, BC

Spirit

Brick worker
West Mohammedpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A worker offloads bricks from boats on the Buriganga River, using nothing more than a short wooden plank and incredible concentration.  This photo was taken during an internship in Bangladesh at VOICE (Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment), a local research and advocacy group.  The internship was sponsored by Alternatives, a Canadian NGO.

Parker Mah
Burnaby, BC

Spirit

Trance
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

This photo was taken at a temple in Ubud, Bali. The ceremony centres on the Kecak Dance, a depiction from the Hindu epic Ramayana.  There is no music, only the sound of chants coming from the men that sit around the fire.  There is something very raw and natural about it.  This photo is my favourite because the flowers tucked behind the man's ear make the image that much more ‘Balinese’.

Alexa Love
New Westminster, BC

Environments

Irrawaddy life
Irrawaddy River near Mandalay, Burma

Next to the relatively modern city of Mandalay, traditional life thrives on the banks of the Irrawaddy River as it has for centuries.  Mandalay was not hit directly by Cyclone Nargis but residents are feeling the effects of skyrocketing prices and a massive drop in tourism.

Laurie Weed
El Cerrito, CA

Environments

Lazy afternoon
Arajuno, Ecuador

A tigrillo or ocelot rests in a tree in the Amazon Rainforest.  I took this while hiking through the Arajuno Animal Rehabilitation Centre.

Laura Stanley
Whitby, ON

Environments

Rajasthani daydreams
Inside Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan, India

In the late afternoon heat, the sandstone of the fort seems to shimmer.  I took this image from the top of a wall on the edge of the city.  The daydreamer, and her aged labyrinth of surroundings, presents a landscape from another era.

Erin Smith
Coldwater, ON

Environments

Bergen at night
Bergen, Norway

Bergen, known as the gateway to the fjords, has a wet coastal climate, but to my surprise one November morning it snowed.  That evening after classes a group of international students, including myself, hiked up to the Stoltzekleiven viewpoint.  A low-lying mist poured over the city from the south, becoming luminescent as it meandered through the lights.  Despite the cold we stayed to admire the view, and toasted to our adventure and the lasting friendships we made during our exchange.

Bernie Sauter
Kelowna, BC

Environments

Salt licks
Cusco, Peru

The many saltpans of Salinas just outside of Cusco, Peru have been used since Incan times to extract salt.  Water from the hot springs at the top of the valley is drained into the pans.  It then evaporates, leaving salt, which is used today for cattle licks.

Amy Allcock
Kingston, ON

Environments

Trees of life
Pucallpa, Peru

The jungle town of Pucallpa is on the banks of the Rio Ucayali, a major tributary of the Amazon river.  Barges float by piled with enormous stacked logs from the rainforest upriver.  This photo was taken while I was visiting the nearby lumberyards at the end of the day, just before the workers leave for home.  The man reminds me of the delicate balance of humans and nature.

Robert McKinnon
Rigaud, QC

Environments

Mountain view
Guilin, China

The look of China, Then, in the middle of China, Now.  This image was taken amidst a busy city although you would never know it.  Guilin has some of the most spectacular karst topography in the world—I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to build such a treasure high on top of one of these formations.

Karen Massier
Abbotsford, BC

Environments

Fishmongers
Demra, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Hilsa fishmongers call for buyers around closing time (8 am) at the largest wholesale fish market in the city.  This photo was taken during an internship at VOICE (Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment), a local research and advocacy group.  The internship was sponsored by Alternatives, a Canadian NGO.

Parker Mah
Burnaby, BC

Environments

Taxi!
Kolkata, India

A driver sleeps on his taxi in an alley in Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta), India. Many drivers sleep in their cars, especially around tourist areas, in order to be available for early and late trips to the airport.

Brent Lewin
Richmond Hill, ON

Environments

Children at their home
A small village outside of Kakamega, Kenya

This photo shows three children at their home in the early evening.  We visited their home, along with many others, to conduct veterinary research.  I took this picture while my colleagues interviewed their mother and recorded information about the farmer's livestock.

Perryn Kruth
Guelph, ON

Environments

Moo?
Outside Montgarrie, Aberdeenshire, UK

While working in the north of Scotland, I took frequent bicycle trips into the surrounding countryside.  On one such trip, heading up a long hill, I noticed a herd of cows following me along the other side of a farmer's fence.  Pausing to catch my breath for a few minutes, humming to myself while listening to music, I realised the cows were attracted to the sound I was making.  I continued to hum and sing for a few minutes until they were all gathered as close as possible, each pushing to get to the front of the queue.

Alec Knowles
Toronto, ON

Environments

Storm brewing
Near Rakai, Uganda

A woman works on her farm while a storm threatens in the background.  I spent time with a family in the Rakai district of Uganda, documenting their daily lives.  There was no father—the mother spent about three hours a day in the fields around the house while the children took care of each other.  Rakai was one of the early HIV epicentres, and it decimated the adult population.

Joseph Howarth
Toronto, ON