Malaysian photographer grabs $120,000 HIPA grand prize

The winners of the Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) have just been announced.

This year, Malaysian photographer Edwin Ong Wee Kee has grabbed the Grand Prize with a photo from Vietnam, while French creativity topped the Aerial category.

HIPA held the sparkling annual awards ceremony for its eighth season of competition ‘Hope’ at the Dubai Opera, which was attended by dignitaries and members of the photography community.

This photography award was founded in 2011 under the patronage of crown prince of Dubai sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid bin Mohammed al Maktoum.

With an annual total prize money of $450,000 US Dollars, it's the largest prize among the photography awards.

It's also one of the most inclusive – there are no fees, and no barriers to entry in terms of age, photographic status (you don't have to be a practising professional) gender and nationality.

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