ANTIGUA TAKES THE WORLD STAGE
HONOR PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR AWARDED TO LOCAL ANTIGUENO
Guatemalan Photographer Nelo Milanjos Wins Global Award
510,000 submissions. 51 countries.1 winner. Hosted by global technology brand HONOR, the 2023 Photographer of the Year Award of the worldwide contest HONOR Magic Moments Awards was given to none other than humble Antigua local, [nelo] mijangos who participated with a photo made with his cell phone that a rule to participate.
“The photograph of the year is visually extraordinary. It demonstrates the author’s ability to have technical mastery of the camera, combined with extraordinary sensitivity and extraordinary eye. The composition and the moment captured are very good, the movement of the waves, the lines they generate, the person and the colors definitely create an exceptional photograph.” – Judge Ivan Macías
[nelo] mijangos, arguably Antigua’s most notorious photographer, can usually be spotted behind the lens documenting the traditions and people of his hometown and his country. Part of the fabric of Antigua, Mijangos is humble about his work, doing street photography for the love of the art and his love of Guatemala. His body of work includes photographing Semana Santa for 23 years straight, which is the largest archive of digital photos of Semana Santa in existence. In 2015 he opened the first of a series of exhibitions named “Tempus Cuaresma”. The next exhibitions in the series occurred in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 at different locations throughout Guatemala. In 2020 he was asked to present his work on Semana Santa and the religious traditions of Guatemala to Pope Francis at the Vatican on behalf of Guatemala.
[nelo] has been involved with numerous culturally significant projects, including working with world-famous National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry on several projects throughout Guatemala and Central America and teaching the art of photography to many aspiring photographers through Escuela de Fotografia EFE. He also founded the 15 year old Photographic Club of Antigua, which has played a pivotal role in initiating activities to promote and teach photography in Antigua and remains having their free monthly meetings at Porta Hotel Antigua.
From Qué Pasa Printed Edition 139 January 2023
Find Nelos’ work featured in the famous book by Elizabeth Bell, Lent and Holy Week / Cuaresma y Semana Santa La Antigua Guatemala at the Antigua Tours Office.
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Written by Natasha Radick
Guatemalan Photographer Nelo Milanjos Wins Global Award
