Tourism Saskatchewan announced the winners of the 2022 ExploreSask Photo Contest Nov. 14.
The competition launched in June and received more than 4,100 entries by the Sept. 15 deadline.
The contest displays extraordinary photos of landscapes, winter scenery and wildlife as well as Saskatchewan residents.
Saskatoon’s Ahmed Awad’s photo took the top spot in the people and places category.
Awad said he came to Canada six years ago and the country’s beauty sparked his passion for photography.
“I was so inspired by the outdoors here and nature and so I started investing and buying serious cameras and going out more.”
He said he has a particular interest in landscape and bird photography and has been following the ExploreSask contest and some of the previous winners for the past three years.
“I wasn’t very confident (previously) about my photos, my photography, to take part,” said Awad. “This year I thought I had a really good collection of photos that I could enter and hopefully one would win.”
“To get this kind of validation and knowing that the judges received 4,000-plus entries and to have one of my images win is just amazing.”
“Looking at other people’s work is an inspiration and I think it’s great to be in Saskatchewan. There’s a lot to be done here, a lot to be photographed.”
Other category winners included photographers from Moose Jaw, Regina and Melville, Sask.
Grand Prize Winner
Photographer: Joseph Holoien, Moose Jaw
Location: Caronport
Winter Category Winner
Photographer: Tracy Kerestesh, Melville
Location: Melville
Woods and Water Category Winner
Photographer: Herry Himanshu, Regina
Location: Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park
Food and Drink Category Winner
Photographer: Naila Fawad, Regina
Location: Regina
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