Jurors
Bharat Sikka
Bharat Sikka was born and raised in India, where he began his photographic practice before studying at the Parsons School of Design in New York. His work engages with photography as both document and artistic inquiry, tracing India’s evolving cultural, social, and emotional landscapes through a personal lens. His long-term projects explore cultural residues and socialtransformations within contemporary India, rendered through the visual language and material forms of art photography.
His early series Indian Men, examined shifting notions of masculinity and selfhood, while Matter turned its gaze toward the material and psychological textures of urban modernity. Where the Flowers Still Grow (Loose Joints, 2017), where he explores the highly contested region of Kashmir, and The Sapper (Fw:Books, 2022), a detailed and layered portrait of his father, merged intimacy and formality to question how memory, labor, and love are constructed through images. The Sapper was shortlisted for the 2023 Paris Photo–Aperture PhotoBook Awards. Continuing this exploration of narrative and place, Sikka’s recent works include Coming Through in Waves (2020), an exploration of sex and gender; Souvenir Shop (Super Labo, 2024), a journey through Japan with his daughter; And Then (Fw:Books, 2024), a meditative reflection on Cape Town; and Ripples in the Pond (Fw:Books, 2025), which extends his practice into a more fluid dialogue between photography, memory, and time, and was shortlisted for the 2025 Paris Photo– Aperture PhotoBook Awards. Sikka’s practice continually redefines the photographic image- its materiality, its narrative scope, and its emotional resonance. His work has been exhibited widely, including at the Kochi Muziris Biennale, Photoworks and Brighton Photo Biennale, International Center of Photography New York, Artists Space (New York), Lalit Kala Akademi (New Delhi), The National Museum(New Delhi), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), Helsinki Art Museum, Cardiff International Festival of Photography, Rencontres D'arles, Fotomuseum Winterthur, and Whitechapel Gallery, among others. Bharat Sikka is represented by Nature Morte India.
Karthik Rajagopal
Karthik Rajagopal is a Chennai-based photographer and filmmaker whose work explores people, culture, and the emotional depth of everyday life. His practice spans portraiture, street, documentary, and wedding photography, with a strong interest in observing and preserving indigenous culture and personal narratives. A former mechanical engineer turned full-time photographer, he brings clarity, emotion, and storytelling to his craft. As a Sigma India Ambassador, Karthik is also committed to teaching photography and helping learners understand the importance of "shooting with intent" on the way to creating meaningful visual
stories
Michael Weir
Michael Weir, is an interdisciplinary curator, creative producer and activist based in Belfast and Bristol. He is director of the Belfast Photo Festival which he founded in 2009 where he has curated numerous exhibitions of contemporary art with a primary focus on photography, having had the pleasure of curating exhibitions for such artists as Ai Wei Wei, Vivianne Sassen, Zanele Muholi and Richard Mosse.
Vineet Vohra
Born on 2nd November, 1973, in New Delhi/India with a first class degree fine arts from the prestigious College of Arts,I am a self-taught photographer and street photography is a passion that I live like a discipline. Although I started shooting as a wild life photographer for two years,I switched on to street in 2001, it instantly became my passion and my first nature. To me street photography is a journey and I travel everyday, I am learning and unlearning everyday, I thrive to improve everyday. Life in general, which is so unexpected, I try to be as honest through my lens as I can. I try to synthesize between human elements and the environment & my main focus is how to make ordinary moments look extraordinary. I think everyone of us should get involved with photography, because it gives more than one can ever imagine. In 2011, APF(artphotofeature.com) magazine was formed, APF is born from an education imperative, it’s an evolving magazine where we recognise fresh talent. The intent is to provide a platform for emerging photographers, artists and designers to showcase their works, works that are not necessarily commercial, to create opportunities and open new doors. The subjects explored are broad, in terms of concepts, styles and techniques. I want to explore the limits and possibilities.I’m a Leica Ambassador, first ever Indian in the history of Leica, and conducting workshops as a Leica ambassador in Leica Akademie, with various publications on Leica blog. Before Leica I was an official Fuji X photographer, member of APF collective & thestreetcollective. Author of the successful book “the serendipity” Currently I am doing workshops globally, including Miami street photography festival, Miami street photography festival, Italian street photography festival, San Francisco street photography festival, London street photography festival, Xposure photography festival Sharjah, SIPA and India photo festival. I am also in the leading judging panel of all these festivals. I have been awarded thrice in a row at the Xposure photo festival by His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi for excellence, Nominator for prestigious LOBA award, judging PSA(photographic society of America. I’ve also been giving lectures and conducting workshops in leading colleges of India for past 15 years. My works and stories have been published on various prestigious magazines, newspapers & blogs all over the world including National Geographic, NYT, The Guardian U.K. Been a Nominator for LOBA for four consecutive yearsI’ve been a part of various collective exhibitions in Australia, London, New York, Miami, Vietnam,Rome, Naples, Tel Aviv & India. and the author of published books “SERENDIPITY” & “ALONG THE WAY” with eyeshot publication and also part of Galle lit festival and exhibition of works at Galle, Sri Lanka
Avani Rai
Avani Rai is a Mumbai-based filmmaker and photographer whose work explores memory, political silence, and inherited histories through an observational and poetic lens. Her debut feature documentary, Raghu Rai: An Unframed Portrait — co-produced by ARTE France and supported by the IDFA Bertha Fund — premiered in competition at IDFA and screened at major festivals including DocPoint, DocAviv, Nordisk Panorama, Doc Edge, MakeDox, and the United Nations Association Film Festival at Stanford. The film also opened the TRT Documentary Film Festival in Istanbul to wide acclaim.
Her photographic work has appeared in National Geographic, Tatler, Vogue, Afar Magazine, Art Basel, The Wire,* and Mercedes-Benz Magazine. Rai has also directed and photographed campaigns for global brands such as Apple, Google, Dior, WhatsApp, British Airways, and Adidas.
Her fashion and editorial work often intersects with her cinematic eye — using light, texture, and stillness to evoke the emotional language of place and memory. Rai continues to expand her visual practice through cross-disciplinary collaborations that connect film, photography, and social consciousness — using art as a way to remember, resist, and rebuild.
Ashfika Rahman
Ashfika Rahman is a Bangladeshi visual artist and educator whose work blends photography and mixed
media to create alternative visual archives for marginalized communities. Rooted in long-term research, her
practice addresses displacement, state violence, and social injustice. She founded an alternative boat art
school for children in Bangladesh’s wetlands and initiated Beyond the Gaze, a South Asian masterclass for
emerging lens-based artists. Her work has been exhibited at major international biennales, museums, and
festivals, including Palais de Tokyo, Busan Biennale, and Dhaka Art Summit. Received Joop Swart
Masterclass by World Press Photo. A 2024 Future Generation Art Prize recipient, she teaches at Pathshala
and is a Rijksakademie resident.
More To Be Announced Soon ...
Jury 2024 - 2025
Gwen Lee
Gwen Lee is the co-founder and director of DECK Photography Art Centre and Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF). In 2010, Lee received an arts award from the Japan Chamber of Commerce & Trade for her contribution to the Singapore arts community. In 2013, she embarked on curatorial research in Germany supported by Goethe-Institut Singapore and National Arts Council. In 2022, Lee is a Recipient of Chevalier, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres conferred by Ministry of Culture, France.
Smita Sharma
Smita Sharma is a Delhi-based photojournalist and visual storyteller who has documented gender violence, social justice and environmental issues in the Global South through long-form visual narratives. She is a TED fellow, TED speaker, and an IWMF reporting fellow. Her work has been published in The Nature Conservancy, National Geographic Magazine, WSJ, TIME, Human Rights Watch, Die Zeit amongst many others and exhibited globally including at the UN Headquarters in New York. Smita is actively engaged in international public education and serves as a jury member to grants and awards worldwide. Her book We Cry In Silence documenting cross-border trafficking of underage girls in South Asia received the Award of Excellence at 2022 POY International and the 2023 Lucie Photo Book Prize.
Michael Weir
Michael Weir, is an interdisciplinary curator, creative producer and activist based in Belfast and Bristol. He is director of the Belfast Photo Festival which he founded in 2009 where he has curated numerous exhibitions of contemporary art with a primary focus on photography, having had the pleasure of curating exhibitions for such artists as Ai Wei Wei, Vivianne Sassen, Zanele Muholi and Richard Mosse.
Alessia Glaviano
Alessia Glaviano, the Head of Global PhotoVogue and Director of the PhotoVogue Festival, is a prominent figure in international photographic criticism. In 2011, Glaviano launched PhotoVogue, an innovative platform where users can share their photographs under the curatorial supervision of professional photo editors. Now in its 13th year, with over 350,000 photographers ranging from amateurs to professionals worldwide, PhotoVogue relaunched in early 2022. This relaunch marked its global expansion and a shift to include media in all forms.
Brendan McCleary
Brendan McCleary a Curator at Photo Australia, Melbourne, recently presenting PHOTO 2024 International Festival of Photography, featuring artists including Nan Goldin, Ryan McGinley, Mous Lamrabat, and filip custic. In 2024, Brendan was the lead curator for Queer PHOTO, a celebration of Australian and international queer artists transforming streets and galleries with projects focused towards understandings of queer futures, featuring artists such as Sunil Gupta, Clifford Prince King, Salote Tawale, Jake Elwes, and Lilah Benetti.
Umah Jacob
Umah Jacob is the Director of External Relations & Outreach at India Art Fair, where she maintains responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the fair’s renowned Collectors’ and Outreach Programmes, building links with art institutions, museum groups, and individual collectors, both in India and internationally. Umah conceived the fair’s hugely successful Young Collectors Programme, encouraging the next generation of artists and patrons in the region to engage with each other and grow this burgeoning community.
Julie Héraut
Julie Héraut is head of exhibitions and research at BAL in Paris, an independent exhibition, publishing and educational space dedicated to the contemporary image (photography, video, cinema). After studying history of photography, she began her career in 2010 with the Magnum Photos agency in Paris. From 2011 to 2016, she was in charge of exhibition production at the Rencontres d'Arles festival. In 2017, she joined LE BAL team, where she has curated a number of exhibitions, including Magnum Analog Recovery, En Suspens, Joanna Piotrowska and À partir d'elle.
Varun Gupta
Varun Gupta is a photographer for the last two decades, a serial entrepreneur and a lover of analogue and alternative photography practices who co-founded the Chennai Photo Biennale and the CPB Foundation, a non-profit organization that is focused on growing the photography community in India and South Asia. Varun serves as a collaborator and advisor to Photo Australia in Melbourne, and the Belfast Photo Festival in the UK and works closely with arts organisations across India. When not at his desk, he can be found in his darkroom experimenting with chemical processes and printmaking.
Joseph Radhik
Joseph Radhik makes photographs of love, people, and people in love. Over the past two decades, he's made a dent in the photography world with his images of the most iconic weddings across the world. He often says "you may not know me, but you would've seen my photos". From Virat Kohli to Gigi Hadid, Priyanka Chopra to Rihanna, Viv Richards to Chris Martin, Katrina Kaif to KL Rahul, Joe has captured both candid, real moments to stunning portraits of their biggest days. His photos have been featured in international editions of Vogue, Elle, and even on Netflix and the Jimmy Fallon show.