What does ‘a life worth living’ look like? That was the question we asked as part of our 2015 Communication Challenge photo competition. The challenge was to send a photo – with a sentence – that answers the question.
For more on the winners of the Communication Challenge photo competition, read this: And the winner is…
We asked Anis Hamdi, a research scientist based in Portugal who won second prize, to tell us more about his photo, his interest in photography and his inspiration for entering the competition.
Tell us about your photo. Who is in it?
I took the photograph in January 2015 in Madeira – a Portuguese island I visited with some friends. I took the picture of a friend crossing a bridge on Pico Ruivo – Madeira’s highest mountain.
What inspired you to take it?
We were so high up that we were among the clouds and the view was a bit ‘magical’. I had great feedback from my friends on that picture so when I found out about the Communication Challenge I thought of a sentence to describe how I felt that day.
It’s a great caption. Could you say a little more on how this image makes ‘life worth living’?
When I looked at the photo I thought it looked magical and mysterious and it reminded me of the sense of adventure I had while climbing that mountain. The caption is: ‘Life is a mystery, an adventure and such beauty – fight for it!’. There is so much to discover in this life – the world is so beautiful – we should try to live full lives and discover all of these beautiful sights.
Do you see a link between vaccination and staying healthy?
Yes, there are so many agencies regulating vaccines and I see how hard scientists work to meet these high standards, to improve quality and also to lower the cost of production so that people all over the world can have access to vaccines.
Through the competition, I wanted to show that by vaccinating, people can really avoid so many kinds of diseases. In this way they can really enjoy their lives and that’s why I participated in the competition – to encourage people to get vaccinated and to have a purpose in life. And to let people really know that life is worth living.
Tell us about your interest in photography. Is it a hobby or a profession?
It’s just a hobby. Some of my friends are professionals and they say I have a good eye for pictures. But I need to learn more skills.
How did you learn about the competition?
I’m doing a masters’ thesis on vaccine production and I attended the Vaccinology Summer School at the University of Antwerp in Belgium. I had a scholarship to participate so it was a great opportunity for me. While I was there, Professor Elke Leuridan from the university told us about the Communication Challenge and gave us a link to the website.
Would you encourage others to enter the Communication Challenge next year?
Yes, definitely. I think it’s a chance to share your photos and ideas – you have nothing to lose.
