Photographer of the Month: Giulio di Sturco

Each month the World Photography Organisation will select one of the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards winners to be featured as Photographer of the Month. This month’s chosen photographer is Giulio di Sturco. 29-year-old Italian Giulio was the 2009 winner of the Sony World Photography Award for Photojournalism & Documentary in Current Affairs. On top of winning this award, Giulio was the first place winner in the category of Arts and Entertainment for a single photograph in World Press Photo 2009.

We recently had the chance to catch up with Giulio following his selection as Photographer of the Month so we asked him a few questions:

Could you tell us a bit about the series of photographs that won you a Sony World Photography Award?

“In late August 2008, the Kosi River in India overflowed its banks in the state of Bihar after severe monsoon rains caused a dam to burst in neighboring Nepal, triggering what officials are calling the worst floods in 50 years. The World Health Organization reports that an estimated 70,000 people in Nepal and more than three million in India have been affected. In the state of Bihar alone, an estimated 300,000 homes have been destroyed, 250,000 acres of farmland devastated, and more than 2.5 million people displaced. At least 90 people have been reported dead. According to officials in Bihar, more than 560,000 people have been evacuated so far and an estimated 200,000 moved to government relief camps many of which are also being submerged by water.

Villagers are eating uncooked rice and flour mixed with polluted water in order to survive. The lack of food and potable drinking water are immediate concerns for flood-stranded victims, in addition to the outbreak of life threatening water-borne diseases. A major river has changed direction (not simply breached its banks) so water is moving swiftly and will likely not recede unless there is a major infrastructural intervention. The people from affected communities are likely to be in shelters for months on end, with the resulting inability to pursue livelihoods or attend school.”

Do you find it difficult taking pictures of such tragic human situations and what inspires you most as a photographer to continue pursuing documentary-type stories?

I think it is good that someone is still telling these kind of stories. It is difficult to be there and to take pictures in the middle of such a tragic human situation, but when you are there you want to let the world know what is happening. It is like you give them a voice.

How do you feel about being selected as Photographer of the Month?

“It is quite an honor to be selected, and it was more than a little humbling.”

What inspired you to enter your photographs into the Sony World Photography Awards competition and will you be entering again in the 2010 competition?

“I entered the Sony World Photography Awards competition because it is one of the biggest and most prestigious photography contests. I did not expect to win, but still I thought it might be a good way to show my work and help tell these stories. I hope to have stories that are strong enough to be worthy of entry in the 2010 competition.”

We certainly hope to be seeing more moving images from Giulio in the future, particularly as he plans on going back to Bihar later this year to work in the aftermath of the flood.

To see Giulio’s winning entries from the 2009 Sony World Photography Awards visit our online winners gallery:
http://www.worldphotographyawards.org/2009.aspx

For more information about Giulio and for contact details go to:
http://www.giuliodisturco.it/