Past Photo Contest Winners
Below can be found the winning entries in recent editions of GEO's annual Photo Contest. See winners of the most recent contest.
2021–2022 Winners
View of Namsan Tower
MacKenzie Gleason
CIEE Seoul: Arts and Sciences (Yonsei University), Fall 2021
Hiking and photography were two daily activities my friends and I loved. Namsan Tower was the perfect combination of the two.
Postcard View of Table Mountain
Susanna Harpold
CIEE Open Campus (Berlin I, Cape Town II, III), Spring 2022
This is a photo of me and two of my closest friends I met in Cape Town on one of our last nights spent in South Africa. The photo was taken on Signal Hill where we went to watch the sunset together one last time. Pictured behind us is Table Mountain, probably the most well-known landmark in Cape Town, and a national park that we would hike and explore through our abroad experience. To me, this picture captures a unique feeling of gratitude in knowing I was able to share my experience with incredible friends, but also an understanding that very few people will understand the complex yet beautiful experience of getting to live in Cape Town.
Laborer on the Seine
Nathan Miao
SIT Switzerland: International Relations and Multilateral Diplomacy, Fall 2021
While strolling along the Seine on a weekend trip to Paris, I noticed a laborer working along the bank across from me. His bright orange jacket stood out against the gray cement blocks immediately. The frame creates a stratification, wherein the worker is layered under the busy street and cafe, supporting and upholding the Parisian way of life.
Dome of the Rock
Audrey Millar
The Roman to Medieval Near East: The Caesarea Excavations, Israel, Maymester 2022
I had never worn a headscarf before, nor had I been to such a religiously charged place as the Old City of Jerusalem. This photo was taken as I walked towards the Dome of the Rock, the oldest surviving work of Islamic architecture, watching my headscarf and the headscarves of all the other women blow in the wind. It was an experience charged with religious and cultural significance that I will never forget.
I would also like to give a shout-out to my fellow photographers Mara Yella and Lauren Karlson, who helped me take and stage this shot!
Portrait of Edith Cottrell
Gui Quintero Rutherford
CIEE Open Campus (Paris I, Paris II, London III), Spring 2022
Edith Cottrell is a Moroccan-born Parisian who was my homestay mother during my three-month stay in Paris from January-March 2022.
In the 1960s, Edith’s husband, Pierre, became a film producer during what film historians now call French New Wave, a film movement that revolutionized modern cinema. He produced several films for Eric Rohmer, a highly revered director of the time, and became an important name in the film world. As a result of their success and involvement in the industry, Pierre and Edith enjoyed an exciting 1960s and 70s, befriending the likes of Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, and Andy Warhol, among other titans of Hollywood.
Edith’s career followed a nonlinear yet fascinating path. Starting as a secretary in the 1950s, she later became an entertainment reporter, then a film agent, and finally became an editor for novels before retiring. As a homestay mother, she was incredibly kind, fascinating and an open book, enchanting my roommate and me with her Forrest Gump-Esque stories daily.
Edith and I remain in close contact to this day, and a short documentary I made about her life titled EDITH, should be out in the coming months.
Strolling Through Santo Spirito
Hannah Sidhom
CET Florence, Fall 2021
On the edge of Florence’s city center sits Santo Spirito Plaza—a core part of the Oltrarno district, beside the river. The square is peaceful during the weekdays and bustling at night. On Saturday mornings, a rotational market hops from plaza to plaza, and this photo captured one of the most impressive at Santo Spirito. Hundreds of vendors gather in the square, selling trinkets, vintage clothing, decor, books, and fresh porchetta sandwiches (of course). The Santo Spirito church, with an iconic, unfinished facade, casts a shadow over attendees and sellers. The contrast of old and new in this scene is particularly attractive: decades-old globes and cameras line the table while onlookers and merchants negotiate in masks. Typical in Italy—the fear of a lingering pandemic but the simultaneous joy of rummaging through vintage goods and socializing with strangers.
Highlands at Kinlochleven
Adam Song
IFSA Edinburgh, Spring 2022
Kinlochleven in recent days has probably been best known to walkers of the West Highland Way as the last stop before you reach the end at Fort William. It is however rapidly becoming the place to visit if you are a climber or winter sports lover. First it has an idyllic setting at the end of the beautiful Loch Leven with the Mamores mountains overlooking it and positioned between Glencoe and Fort William.
-Excerpt from Hidden Scotland Magazine
Sunset on the Tuscan Countryside
Peter Taylor
CIEE Open Campus (Rome I, Rome II, London III), Spring 2022
This photo was taken at sunset outside Siena, Italy in early spring. I wanted to capture the duality of the landscape’s natural elegance and manicured charm, summarized by the lines of Mediterranean Cypress winding with the roads through the rolling hills, which I believe is so perfectly characteristic of the region. Sunset seemed the optimal time to harness the power of this countryside by allowing for the juxtaposition of the iconic silhouettes against a golden background, simultaneously simplifying and amplifying the beauty of this region. Many of my favorite days in Italy were spent finding my way through Tuscany on trains and cars, and I really wanted to capture a quintessential moment of that experience to share.
Below can be found the winning entries in recent editions of GEO's annual Photo Contest. See winners of the most recent contest.
2019–2020 Winners
Nyama Choma Family Style in Kenya
Oceane Parker, SIT Kenya, Spring 2020
"“Nyama choma” literally means “scalded meat” in English. The blackened strips of goat are traditionally served with raw tomatoes, steamed greens, and ugali. Ugali is a staple food in Kenya. It’s like thick corn grits, but the consistency of clay. You pull off chunks to scoop up your food, and is the binding and the substance of your meal. You eat it as a family, cooking a big pot and serving everyone a slice, or by yourself, kneading a small ball of cornmeal, or in big cakes on the street. That day, it was 101 degrees outside (2 miles from the equator), and after hours of attending church in Kisumu with my host parents we stopped for lunch at a food stand on the way home. Food was a central part of my abroad experience, from Mama Agnes’ fresh-picked mangoes and fried yams for breakfast to ugali and greens every night, and our nyama choma stop that day was one of the final, beautiful moments I was able to share with my Kisumu family, the thrumming neighborhood, and Kenya itself."
Fun in the Sun in Palma de Mallorca
Anna Young, University of the Balearic Islands in Palma de Mallorca Spain, Spring 2020
“On my last day in Spain, my host family and I enjoyed our afternoon at la Playa de Cala Mayor in Palma de Mallorca. Living, laughing, and playing with their kids, Pep and Aina, showed me that we learn as much from kids as they learn from us. Every day, Pep and Aina made me feel like a true member of the family, regardless of cultural and linguistic barriers.”
Brimming Talent in London
Nicole Nguyen, IFSA University of Edinburgh, Spring 2020
“Stumbling upon these artistic displays on a typical rainy day brightened my day and made me look forward to discovering what else was hidden.”
Spill the Tea in Taiwan
Waka Ogihara, CET Taiwan, Spring 2020
“This photo was taken in a tea house atop of Maokong mountain in Taiwan. While riding the gondola to reach our destination, my peers and I saw the city of Taipei grow smaller and smaller until we found ourselves encompassed by vast stretches of tea leaves. I was in awe when I learned that the locally grown tea leaves below us were enjoyed by people throughout Taiwan. Shown in this photo are the essential tools for drinking Taiwanese tea the traditional way. In addition to the tea pot and tea cups, there are utensils for scooping, stirring, picking, and disposing the tea leaves, as well as smaller cups that are used to smell the tea’s fragrance. Each tool plays an important role in the ceremony of drinking Taiwanese tea.”
Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto
Josh Lipsey, IFSA University of New South Wales, Spring 2020
“The photo captures a scene of tourists and locals walking down from the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, Japan.”
Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand
Josh Lipsey, IFSA University of New South Wales, Spring 2020
“Taken in Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand, this photo was symbolic of the overwhelming beauty New Zealand.”
Midnight Metro in Paris
Harrison Smith, SLU-Madrid, Spring 2020
“Being from New York, studying abroad in Madrid was unique. Unlike for many others, Madrid was a slowed down pace for me. The city had a more relaxed and therefore less refined feel. The architecture was colorful, fun, and inconsistent. The people were bubbly and warm. There seemed to lack the all too familiar rat race of a major US city. However, from the minute I landed in Paris, I could tell the French capital was a stark contrast to its Spanish counterpart. Paris was polished, elegant, and appeared to have been fully designed and curated with intent. The architecture is uniform and monochrome with its gothic stone facades. People seemed to be rushing places- it reminded me of home. There was a sense of urgency and a desire to be the best, whether that be in food, art, or fashion. This picture was taken at night, as a lady quickly descends a staircase down to the Paris Métro, presumably to get somewhere she needed to go- fast.”
Big Tajine in Marrakech
Harrison Smith, SLU-Madrid, Spring 2020
“This photo was taken in the heart of Marrakech just outside the walls of the old city. A man sits in his shop, surrounded by traditional handcrafted Moroccan metalwork. The lanterns and light fixtures hanging from the ceiling are illuminated as the sun shines a rose tinted hue through the stained glass window. The shop owner, hunched over, staring at his phone is the only giveaway that scene did not take place centuries ago. I like to think he was mindlessly scrolling through his Twitter timeline."