Spring Religious Holidays Photo Contest Winners
Our Spring Religious Holidays Photo Contest with Interfaith America recently wrapped up. We underestimate how difficult the selection process will be with every photo contest and this contest was no exception. Thank you to all who participated and congratulations to the winners!
Grand Jury Awards
First place: Sumeet Mehta (Holi Hands - Pictured Top)
Second place: Kamrie Rhoads (Looking for Light - Picture #1 in the slideshow below)
Popular Choice Awards
Winner: Jenna Tuccillo (Passion Play - Picture #2)
Four runner-ups: Dianne Pak (Prayer Chapel - Picture #3), Tejaswi Manchineella (Holi Colors - Picture #4), Hannah Wedding (Holi at Bellarmine University), and Raza Ali (Night of Destiny - Picture #5)
Congratulations again to all of our winners!
Our partner’s name on this contest, Interfaith America, is emblematic of the photos we received and of the photos that we celebrate as winners. The holidays represented in the winning pictures come from a variety of faith traditions, including the Hindu, Christian, and Islamic traditions, and several of the photographers do not come from the religions represented in their photos.
Sumeet Mehta, the winner of the First Place Grand Jury Award, said of her photo taken during Holi. “Here, the aged experienced hands grinding fresh turmeric, in the process of wrapping up winters and welcoming springtime with rooted ancient Indian herb that provides purest strong form of color, odor and healing properties. With the intention of achieving victory over pain and a scar.” The colorful close-up of the worn-out hands connected with the jury with its alluring use of color and use of visual storytelling to provide a sense of invitation to the viewer. The hands seem to say “come, sit with me” in the warmest way possible.
The Second Place winner of the Grand Jury Award, “Looking for Light” by Kamrie Rhoads, depicts a woman looking out of the window of a church in black and white. The strong light coming from the window bleeds into the darkness of the rest of the frame. Rhoads described her photo as “[capturing] my friend Grace, the week of Easter. As we documented her time in college together, we spent time in the chapel of the church where a newfound faith changed the trajectory of her life the last two years.”
The Popular Choice Prize went to Jenna Tuccillo for her photo of the 2024 St. Luke's Passion Play performed in Southington, CT. The photo received votes from all around the world and captured the attention of our audience thanks to its strong use of contrast and its compelling framing of its subject, a performer playing Jesus on the cross for Good Friday.
All of the photos submitted may be viewed here.