Vision Group photographers win big at UPPA awards

(L-R) Miriam Namutebi, Michael Nsubuga, Siraj Muyingo & Norman Katende.

New Vision photographers were among the top winners at the annual Uganda Press Photo Awards that took place at Uganda Museum on Thursday evening.

The main award was won by former Urban TV journalist Siraj Muyingo, whose picture of a boy sheltering himself in a rice field as he scared away birds emerged top.

Miriam Namutebi's daily life entry.

Namutebi's entry that was the 1st runner up in the portrait category.

New Vision photographers  Miriam Namutebi  (Portrait and Daily Life), Norman Katende (Sports) and Michael Nsubuga (Sports) were  among the notable winners in the annual awards event organized by Foreign Correspondent Association of Uganda (FCAU), and funded by Canon, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Total, Royal Netherlands Embassy and the Germany Embassy.

Theo Olthetem, the first secretary in the Dutch embassy said that they were looking to sponsor the event which is aimed at helping build photojournalism in the country.

Norman Katende's entry taken at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro came in 2nd place in the sports category.

Michael Nsubuga took this photo of golfer Ronald Otile chipping from a bunker during round three action of the Uganda Open in August. Otile went on to win the tournament for the second year running.

Canon's Tushar Vashnavi in tie at the exhibition
 

"This is part of our vision to ensure that journalism, which is the voice of the people, develops and great pictures tell the story. We believe that these awards will help in improving the quality of the photographers which is what everyone is looking to," said Olthetem.

Overall Winner:  Siraj Muyingo

Creative: Oscar Ntege

Daily Life: Mohsen Taha

Nature: James Wasswa

Portrait: Siraj Muyingo

2^nd: Miriam Namutebi

Sports: John Batanudde

2^nd:  Norman Katende

3^rd: Michael Nsubuga

Story: Abubaker Lubowa

Nature: Peter Tera