Manila, Philippines (December 9, 2024) — HUAWEI has recognized the boundless possibilities of mobile photography at the “A Heartwarming World — HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2024 Ceremony & Annual Exhibition”. Held last November 27, the grand affair gathered many photography enthusiasts, media representatives, winners, creators and fans to witness the announcement of the competition’s winning works.
Filipino photography professionals and hobbyists bagged awards at the event, including Justin Mendoza who was crowned one of the Grand Winners.
CEO of Huawei Consumer Business Group Kevin Ho was present at the event. He said in his speech, "I would like to extend my warm congratulations to the winners tonight and pay tribute to creators of the mobile imaging era. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to HUAWEI XMAGE users– each of you has made HUAWEI XMAGE go beyond being a tool for documenting life, evolving it into a bridge for emotional communication between people.”
HUAWEI XMAGE Award 2024 Ceremony: A Tribute to the Era of Mobile Imaging
First held in 2017, the recent XMAGE Awards marked its eighth consecutive year. Since its inception, the competition has accumulated almost 5 million entries from participants in over 170 countries and regions, becoming one of the most influential mobile imaging events in the world. This year’s HUAWEI XMAGE Awards lasted 131 days, with users from 86 countries and regions participating and submitting more than 650,000 entries. Apart from China, the countries with the highest number of overseas submissions include Malaysia, Turkey, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the Philippines. The most popular smartphone models among XMAGE Awards photographers are the HUAWEI Pura 70 Series, HUAWEI P60 Series, HUAWEI P40 Series, and the HUAWEI Mate 60 Series.
During the ceremony, a total of 66 winning works were unveiled, including 3 Grand Winners, 18 Best-in-Category Winners, 38 Runner-up Winners, 3 Honourable Mentions, 2 Best of Pura Series, and 2 Best of Mate Series. Through diverse perspectives and expressive techniques, these works showcased warmth, tranquillity and brightness from all over the world and conveyed the raw emotions and strength of ordinary people.
Photographer of the Year: High Praises from International Judges
Pick a Beak - Justin Mendoza shot using the HUAWEI P30 Pro
Filipino account manager, Justin Mendoza, was among the three Grand Winners announced during the ceremony. His photo submission of a pelican standing behind a fisherman, titled “Pick a Beak,” earned praises from international judges. National Geographic Photographer and Emmy-Nominated Director Keith Ladzinski said, “When a photograph asks questions, it’s an immediate success.”
He commended the photo saying, “This photograph embodies both humor and great sense of scale, allowing us to consider how big the bird is and whether or not it’s been caught by the fisherman’s pole. Its power lies within the serendipity of the moment, a well-considered composition, and unique low perspective.” Also among the list of grand winners were Chinese engineer Chen Yong (for “Catching a Cloud”) and Polish office worker Kinga Choińska (for “Sisters”). Each grand winner received a $10,000 HUAWEI Creation Fund.
Filipino excellence shone in the XMAGE Awards as other Filipino talents were recognized during the ceremony. Multimedia Coordinator Ferdinand Bendana’s “Eagle’s Eye,” taken on the HUAWEI Mate 50 Pro, won the award of Best of Mate Series. Ladzinski praised the photo’s detail, saying, “This photo allows the viewer to behold nature’s masterful art and design up close, down to the follicle, as we stare into both beak and yellow eye.”