Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A Saudi photographer has won honorary award of the Siena International Photo Contest (SIPAContest) which was recently organized in the Italian city of Trieste.

Amman Al-Amir’s photo of the Grand Mosque in Makkah was chosen the best picture in the contest with the theme “Fascinating faces and characters.”

Al-Amir is a TV cameraman and director. He said he was proud to present to the world a picture showing one of the tenets of Islam.

"The picture shows the congregates in the white ihram robes lining for prayer in an atmosphere of piety and serenity," he said.

Amir said the photo was shown to people of different races and beliefs in Italy.

"SIPAContest is one of the biggest photo competitions in the world. A panel of experts, professional photographers, editors and picture buyers chose the winning photos out of thousands of entries," he explained.

Al-Amir said he has always been in love with the camera and the professional pictures especially those documenting the architecture of the Grand Mosque, the Islamic mosaic, the light and shadow and the human element.

Al-Amir has won many photography prizes in different contests across the globe.