At first glance, it may seem simple, but the photograph carries a profound meaning conveyed by the photographer who captured it.
The Hamdam International Photography Award (abbreviated as HIPA) is one of the most prestigious awards in the world, with a grand prize of up to $200,000 for the winner. This year, the award’s theme is “Sustainability,” focusing on the impact of humanity on nature and how we are striving to preserve a sustainable future.
The photograph “Quiet Power” won the $200,000 prize at HIPA 2024.
The award concluded on November 12, with the grand prize awarded to photographer Liping Cao for his picture of a wind farm titled “Quiet Power.”
Photographer Liping Cao.
Mr. Cao, who is currently 65 years old, began exploring photography at the age of 40. Throughout his youth, he worked in the Chinese government rather than as a photographer. After retiring, he moved to Australia to be closer to his daughter. By 2020, he started participating in photography competitions:
“Before that point, I had never entered any photography contests. After participating in 2020, I won third place in several competitions in Asia and Africa, which sparked my interest in them.”
For the HIPA award, Mr. Cao participated a total of four times before winning in 2024, having been eliminated in the early rounds on all previous attempts. However, in 2024, two of his photographs made it to the finals, with “Quiet Power” winning the highest honor:
“I didn’t even know I had won the top prize until I was invited on stage. I was very surprised, and it became the most unforgettable moment of my life.”
Photographer Liping Cao receiving the award.
Invited to the awards gala, Mr. Cao brought along his camera gear, which included a Canon 5D Mark III and a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens. He explained that because he always carries his camera, he was able to capture the prize-winning photo, as the circumstances at that moment were quite spontaneous.
During a trip to George Lake in southern Australia, he stumbled upon this magnificent scene while stopping at a rest area. The lake was low on water this season, creating contrasting light and dark areas, combined with the wind farm and the large clouds to form this stunning photograph.
Photographer Liping Cao with the photo most aligned with this year’s HIPA theme of “Sustainability.”
He further explained: “Amidst the magnificent landscape of Australia is a wind energy field, slowly turning to generate renewable energy. The dry river below also serves as a reminder for humanity to take actions that ensure sustainability to save the world, which is facing significant environmental challenges.”
On this trip, he also took many other photographs, but this one best matched the theme of “Sustainability” for this year’s HIPA competition. “I believe that the environment is something everyone on Earth should care about. In Australia, where I live, there are some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world, but they are increasingly affected by climate change. The choice of the theme ‘Sustainability’ by HIPA is a good one for me. If everyone joins hands, we can build a better future!”
