Vote now to have your say in the public vote of My Perspective 2020, the annual photography competition organized by the Down’s Syndrome Association.
Now in its tenth year, My Perspective highlights the work of photographers who have the genetic condition and gives them a platform to share their view of the world.
Open to people with Down's syndrome from across the globe, entries in this year’s competition have come from far and wide, including Australia, Canada, Iran, India, Kyrgyzstan, the US and the UK.
This year’s judging panel includes actors Peter Davison and Emma Barton, both patrons of the Down’s Syndrome Association, and Dianne Buswell, one of the professional dancers on British TV’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Help crown the People's Choice winner
But while the judging panel chooses the Judge’s Choice winner, it’s up to the wider photographic community to pick the People’s Choice winner.
Voting is open until 20 July, so don’t delay – click here to see the gallery of shortlisted images and cast your vote.
Last year’s People’s Choice winner was Carlos Biggemann from New Zealand, for his stunning photograph ‘Autumn Leaves in Arrowtown’.
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Carlos joined the UK’s Oliver Hellowell on the podium; Oliver was the Judge’s Choice winner for his ‘Blue-tit in the Snow’ image, and having won the award in 2017, is no stranger to photography competitions.
A physical awards event is not possible due to this year’s Covid-19 pandemic, so when the results are out in August, the winners and everyone who made the shortlist will be celebrated via the Down’s Syndrome Association’s social media channels.
My Perspective also includes a special award, bestowed on an international photographer; 2019’s winner was Amir Hossein Bagheri from Iran.
Amir received the Stephen Thomas Award, established in 2016 in memory of previous My Perspective winner Stephen, who sadly died with his father in a tragic boating accident in Canada in 2015.
Carlos Biggemann, the People’s Choice winner in 2019, flew over especially for the awards ceremony in London.
“I’m so surprised,” he said. “All I ever wanted was to be here and to win is just so amazing.
“We traveled about four hours to get this photograph. It makes me feel how colourful life can be, by showing the vibrant colour green, because green represents happiness, tranquillity and peacefulness… how the contrast and the mixture of beautiful colours can represent the season of autumn.
“It also makes me want to take more beautiful pictures so I can send more positivity through photos.”
Vote now for My Perspective 2020's People's Choice
Voting is open until Monday 20 July, so click here to see the gallery of shortlisted images and cast your vote.
Good luck to all the shortlisted photographers – the results of My Perspective 2020 will be announced in August.
You can find out more about the competition on the Down’s Syndrome Association website.