Outbound Photo Competition 2019-20

slh21
Tuesday 26 May 2020

May I present this year’s Global Office Photo Competition entries….

This year has been an incredible selection from across the world from Saints abroad who have been studying, working and travelling. Although for many, their year came to an abrupt end, I am so happy to see how so many students made the most of their mobility, ease of travel and cultural curiosity when abroad. Studying or working abroad allows us to view the world with a new sense of awe, wonder and discovery and I think that the entries below really capture this spirit.

Thank you to all who took part and shared their creative visions and insight into their time abroad. Congratulations to our winner, Henri Cooney!

Henri Cooney- WINNER

Henri studied Arabic at the Qalam Wa Lawh Centre in Rabat, Morocco.

The Mosque in the White City

This photograph was taken at the towering Hassan II mosque in Casablanca (with one of the tallest minarets in the world) during an unexpected cloud inversion off the Atlantic Coast, ascending the top of the minaret into the dizzying heavens.

Paint Job

Taken in the striking blue city of Chefchaouen in the north of Morocco, I love how the angle of the ladder and the shadows mirror each other, and how the tub of blue paint is precariously balancing, all the while the grey strip on the wall is a reminder of the imminent painting to refresh the vibrancy of its blue walls. A small child stepped around the corner just at the right moment, into the sunlight, to see what I was so interested by!

Morning Walk

After an early wake-up to watch the sun rise over the horizon in the Sahara Desert, we were surprised to see this man in white appear from behind one of the dune crests in the middle of the desert, just on his morning walk with his dog. I should have known better from a saying I learnt in Arabic at the school: أنت في المغرب فلا تستغرب! – translated: “You are in Morocco, so don’t be surprised!”

 

2nd PLACE- Georgia Gillbanks

Georgia worked in a school in Spain during her WIYA.

Road to Nowhere! – Albarracín, Spain

Taken on the winding back roads of a small town located in the hills of east-central Spain. The golden hills lead us into Albarracín where the population is just shy of over 1,000 people. Having said that, it felt like it was just us. Nevertheless, a great photo opportunity whilst the sun was setting!

 

The Offering of Flowers at the Fiestas del Pilar, Zaragoza

Taken on the day of one of Zaragoza’s most important festivals, El Pilar, this photo shows the Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar. The city honours the patron saint of the city by holding a week-long festival. The image depicts the high point of the festival whereby people demonstrate their devotion to the Virgin Mary in offering flowers. Throughout the day, thousand of people who have travelled from all over Spain, dress in traditional costume and join to leave flowers in the Plaza del Pilar. The flowers form a pyramid and are given by individuals, groups of school children, companies and villagers.

 

The Tower of Teruel

On a day trip to the East of Spain, we visited Teruel and discovered the ‘Torre de El Salvador’. Known for it’s classic Mudéjar architecture which combines a Gothic and Islamic style, this 14th-Century tower stood proudly amongst the city. To me, this is what Spain is all about, the architecture, the blue sky and the ambient colours are a great recipe for Spanish exploration!

 

Rebecca Jones

Rebecca studied Neuroscience at Queen’s University, Canada.

Mt Rundle peeking through the snow-capped trees of Canmore’s winter wonderland

Taken in Canmore, Canada during a winter break trip to the Rockies.

 

An ice maple leaf crowns the skaters of the frozen Lake Louise

Taken at Lake Louise, Canada during a winter break trip to the Rockies.

Escaping winter. Canada -18°, Mexico +28°

Taken in Playa del Carmen, Mexico on a much-needed spring break trip to escape the cold.

 

Lucy Warrington

Lucy studied Economics and History at Western University, Canada.

Top of the Rock

Taken at the top of the Rockefeller Center on New Year’s Eve.

 

NYE in NYC

Taken near Radio City Music Hall in Midtown Manhattan.

 

Anna Maria Niederlander

Anna studied Art History and Management at the University of Richmond.

Got mail?

Taken in Las Croabas, Puerto Rico, United States of America.

The mailboxes in front of our house in Puerto Rico. I grew up in a country where there were no mailboxes, and then in St. Andrews the mail comes through your door, so I found this really interesting. I also liked the old and rusty texture they had.

 

Hiking in El Yunque national rainforest, Puerto Rico, United States of America

We spent a day exploring the rainforest. It was a completely absorbing and entrancing experience. At one point when you hike in far enough and you are surrounded by only greenery and all you can hear are the sounds of animals and water rushing, you feel like you are cut off from society.

 

Exploring San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America

Two chairs in the shape of cat’s that caught my attention when strolling through the streets of San Juan. San Juan is a very small city and you are able to explore the entire city in one day, however there are many hidden treasures that are not mentioned in the guidebooks, such as these two chairs. I think it is small touches like this that make a city unique and more fascinating. Overall, San Juan had an extremely relaxed feeling and had very bright and positive atmosphere. Lots of walls were painted, there were lots of small boutiques, and lots of great local restaurants!

 

Antonia Cahill

Antonia worked in France at the Châteaux des langues.

Sunset on the Mayenne

A picture of the Château de Laval taken my first week in France while the sun was setting. You can see the reflection of the castle and the old bridge in the waters of the Mayenne river. I walked this bridge every day as part of my commute to work, and it never lost its beauty for me.

 

Paris de l’Hôtel de Ville

A picture taken of me by a friend on a weekend trip to Paris, next to the Hôtel de Ville that we passed by whilst walking to the metro stop of the same name.

 

Nous sommes la nature qui se défend

A picture of the front of a climate rally in Laval of more than 300 people as part of the “Marche pour le climat” in September. I joined the march with some friends, and we ended up at the front holding signs and got in the local paper.

 

Hunter Garrison

Hunter worked in Spain at SEK- El Castillo.

The start of a bull fight in Sevilla

 

The Royal Palace in Madrid

 

The Real Alcázar in Sevilla

Jone Juchneviciute

Jone studied Art History and Social Anthropology at the University of Auckland.

another self

Friday morning coastal walk in the place where Autumn feels like Spring.

 

aint no mountain high enough

Kaikoura on the East coast of the South Island.

 

sheltered

Lovely dunes in Opononi. I learnt that the least planned destinations are the most rewarding ones.

 

Luke Stuart

Luke worked at EPSCI in Paris during a work placement for his Chemistry degree.

Paris in Pandemic

This eerie picture of an empty Parisian boulevard near the city’s iconic and usually bustling Republique area offers a glimpse into life in lockdown.

 

The City of Lights

Christmas sparkle brought an additional layer of beauty to the dazzling Eiffel Tower, shining her light across the French capital.

 

Golden Hour

The final sunset of 2019 cast a beautiful golden hue across Paris, offering a moment to reflect on the year.

 

Peter Hourston

Peter studied Economics and International Relations at Sciences Po, Paris.

Blue Sky Thinking

This is the view from the Sacré-Cœur church in the medieval Montmatre neighbourhood of Paris. I took this photograph when my family visited during the February mid-semester break. This picture sums up for me the endless opportunities that the city of Paris offers, capturing the very essence of studying abroad. The vast expanse of blue sky on a late winter’s day also illustrates the excitement I had at the start of my placement, about the possibilities on offer. This view looks south over the city, down to the business district in the background.

 

Bridge Over Reflective Waters

One of the reasons I enjoyed studying abroad was gaining access to different libraries and learning spaces. This is the vast National Library of France site “Bibliothèque François Mitterrand” which was across a funky pedestrian bridge over the Seine. I took this picture at dusk on a cold winter’s evening; I thought there was something haunting or sci-fi about this picture.

 

Bridging new horizons

After I had decided to return home following the Covid-19 outbreak I returned one final time to the Bibliothèque François Mitterrand. It was now the beginning of spring and although I was sad to leave Paris prematurely, I feel this picture captures the optimism of the new season.

 

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