EISA Maestro 2022 international winner revealed!

The EISA Maestro 2022 photo contest was on the theme of Joy and the international winner has been chosen. We showcase his excellent entry

In addition to its awards for best photographic products of the year, the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) runs its own pan-European photography competition open to amateur and semi-professional photographers. Called EISA Maestro, the annual contest revolves around a different theme each year. This year’s theme was Joy. The winning portfolios from each of the 16 participating EISA countries were judged together in June and the winners of the International contest have now been decided.

The overall winner was Jean-baptiste Pellerin from France, who takes home €1,500 and the EISA Maestro 2022 Gold Trophy. The UK’s winner, Caroline Allington, was second and wins €1,000 and a trophy, while third-placed Happy Mukherjee from India wins €750 and a trophy. All three also have their portfolios featured in the 16 EISA photography magazines in Europe. The Public’s Choice Award went to Germany’s Conny Müller, who wins €1,000.

We published Caroline Allington’s lovely portfolio here. Look out for features on the other awarded entries! Visit eisa.eu/maestro for more information.

EISA Maestro 2022 photo contest International Winner

Jean-baptiste Pellerin, France

Jean-baptiste is a freelance professional people and documentary photographer, who has worked on illustrating various magazines. He says, ‘Since I started photography at the end of the 1980s, I have found my inspiration essentially in the street. Firstly, in black & white, like my influences at the time, Robert Doisneau and Robert Frank. But then I quickly adopted colour, and have never left it.’

EISA Maestro 2022 photo contest International Winner, Jean-baptiste Pellerin, France

Speaking of his winning images, Jean-baptiste says, ‘For more than 20 years, I have practised what is called “stolen photography”, both in Paris and during my travels. After a break from photography and making two documentary films, I took my camera and went to meet the refugees who were camped a few steps from my home, under the La Chapelle metro station.

EISA Maestro 2022 photo contest International Winner, Jean-baptiste Pellerin, France

In the camp, there was no question of photographing people without their knowledge. I had to learn to deal with posed photographs, and I learned to love this exercise. Though when I photograph people, I don’t give them any instructions on how to pose. They give me what they want to give me. We really make the picture together.

three punks pose together in a suburban street

EISA Maestro 2022 photo contest International Winner, Jean-baptiste Pellerin, France

‘For seven years now I have been walking the streets photographing people in all their diversity. However the further I go, the more I realise the political message of this approach; that we must live together and take advantage of our differences rather than distrust them.’