Competition Theme: “Prepared Food” within the past three (3) years

Prepared Food: 

For this theme you should make images of prepared food that is good enough to eat, whatever it may be – a plate of fried fish, a soufflé ready to collapse, a steaming bowl of pea soup with home-made bread, etc.  This food must be cooked or prepared and ready to eat.  Creative presentation of the food is encouraged.  No images of raw, unprepared food not ready to be eaten.

For Reference: NVPS Competition Themes – Future, Current and Past – NVPS

The judge for this competition is Alain Lázaro Gutiérrez Almeida.

BIO:

Alain is a professional photographer, photojournalist, artist, food blogger, and creator and owner of his own photography and travel business, Thru Alain’s Eyes, LLC. He was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and spent nearly 18 years there working as a photojournalist for various media entities, photographing high-profile cultural and social events like the visits of President Barack Obama and Pope Francis, The Rolling Stones concert, and Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel runway show.  He was also selected by the US Embassy to be the official photographer at their embassy re-opening ceremony with Secretary of State John Kerry.

In September 2014 he began a blog entitled “Taste of Cuba” with the goal of sharing Cuban culinary trends and traditions with the rest of the world.  It featured his photographs and stories of the chefs and cuisine that are shaping Cuba today.  Alain believes that food brings us all closer together.  Whenever he travels, he prefers eating where the locals eat.  If you really want to experience a place, experience its food—those are the ingredients that define a people, and every dish can be a lesson in culture.

With the renewal of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, he began to offer his services as a local guide for photography and culinary tours in Havana and other parts of Cuba.  In 2018 he moved to the United States and is now based in Bethesda.  Starting in March 2019 he began designing, organizing, and guiding his own tours and road trips for small groups visiting his beloved homeland. When he is not leading tours to Cuba, he works as a freelance photographer in the Washington area, offering photography and video services for theatrical productions, school events and activities, and graduation and family portraits.  With his background in photojournalism, he excels at creating compelling and authentic photos that capture your attention.

He loves exploring the world around him and telling the stories of those he meets during his travels.