The first Rotterdam race: six themes in a new city, and the start of a race that returned every year.
The first Urban Photo Race in Rotterdam. Taking the race to a new city is something the team dreams about and also fears a little, even after years of experience, and it only worked thanks to the local team, who did far more than anyone asked: thank you to Francisca Snel, Iwona Montel and Arjan Boerlage.
Rotterdam was the obvious next city in the Netherlands, and the response was still a surprise: photographers came from abroad, and people from Rotterdam who had waited to see the race in their own city. UPR Rotterdam was here to stay.
A new city brought new themes and a new urban landscape, and the photographers did not disappoint, as the winning series below show.
Zaterdag weer een leuke dag gehad. Ondanks dat ik vaker foto's maak in Rotterdam, toch door de UPR weer op plekken geweest waar ik nog niet eerder geweest was.
The exhibition
A cosy, warm room, a neat space and creative people: the end-of-year exhibition was the first of what became an annual Rotterdam event, and the team thanked everyone who came to share it.
The series
Patrick Dreuning
1st place
Heartbeat of construction
Theme 1
"Niet lullen maar poetsen" · Make it happen
Theme 2
Metropolitan People
Theme 3
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" · Erasmus
Theme 4
Marco Bollaart
2nd place
Heartbeat of construction
Theme 1 · Best Theme
"Niet lullen maar poetsen" · Make it happen
Theme 2 · Best Theme
Metropolitan People
Theme 3
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" · Erasmus
Theme 4
Jurgen Onland
3rd place
Heartbeat of construction
Theme 1
"Niet lullen maar poetsen" · Make it happen
Theme 2
Metropolitan People
Theme 3
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" · Erasmus
Theme 4
Ferry Verwijk
"Dulce bellum inexpertis" · Erasmus
Theme 4 · Best Theme
Sven Hoffmann
Metropolitan People
Theme 3 · Best Theme
Three photographers judged every series.
Fokko
MullerStreet photography educator · author of "The Street"
Vincent
van DordrechtProfessional photographer
Marc
HaersPortrait & conceptual photographer
The race day and the end-of-year exhibition, in photographs.
What the winners took home.
Best Theme
- Each themeBest Theme"Heartbeat of construction", Marco Bollaart · "Niet lullen maar poetsen" (Make it happen), Marco Bollaart · "Metropolitan People", Sven Hoffmann · "Dulce bellum inexpertis" (Erasmus), Ferry Verwijk · "Harbor", Patrick Dreuning · "On the move", Marco Bollaart. Each won a Van Duuren Media photo book + UPR prints.
Jury favourites
- 1 winnerJury favouritesFokko Muller selected Jelmer Jeuring · Vincent van Dordrecht selected Patrick Dreuning · Marc Haers selected Jurgen Onland. Prizes courtesy of Degreef & Partner.
With thanks to our partners.