The Ministry of National Defence opens the traditional, already 18th Tadas Dambrauskas Photography Contest “Lithuanian Armed Forces in Photography 2022”, in memory of combat photographer and cameraman Tadas Dambrauskas.
All professional and amateur photographers who had the chance to take photographs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO troops in Lithuania are invited to look through the pictures taken this year and in the end of last year, choose the best ones, and enter it for the Contest. The pictures have to reflect military life: completion of combat tasks, soldiers during exercises and feasts, community engagement events, facing daily challenges and experiences, etc.
The submitted photographs will be assessed in three categories this year:
Category I – photographs submitted by military and civilian personnel serving and working at the National Defence System;
Category II – photographs submitted by the rest of contestants, professional and amateur, not employed by and not serving at the National Defence System;
Category III – photographs submitted by professional photographers of the National Defence System to win “The Most Professional Shot” prize;
The Jury will also pick one funniest “Entertaining Shot”.
The contest jury will select winners of each category who will split (as defined in Terms and Conditions of the Contest) the 4,200 Euros the Ministry of National Defence has allotted for the Contest this year. The Jury will also pick its winner most “Entertaining Shot” and one picture will receive the Chief of Defence Trophy. Different sponsors will also give prizes to their favourites.
Exposition of the best photographs will be opened and best photographers awarded in Vilnius in late 2022. Also, the best photographs will be published in a Contest catalogue, as usual.
Photograph submission is open until September 16 via e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]
About combat camera and photographer Tadas Dambrauskas
The contest is named after combat photographer and camera Tadas Dambrauskas in tribute to his memory and achievements. Tadas Dambrauskas started working with the National Defence Department in 1990 and soon was appointed as instructor-supervisor of Vilnius Task Force. Later he was a staff photographer with Karys magazine and cameraman with the Ministry of National Defence and the Iron Wolf Brigade. He was compiling a unique archive of photographs and video material while recording the evolution of the Lithuanian Armed Forces from “green-bands” of the Liberation Movement to a modern armed force. T. Dambrauskas did not shy away from risk and unexpected choices in his work, ready to break any ice for a good shot. He was the first and only one to shoot paratroopers while tied to an aircraft wing, he would regularly go to difficult marches together with the military and he recorded Lithuania’s first international deployments to the Balkan Region and Afghanistan.
Winner photos of the Photography Contest 2021, credits: Ieva Želvytė, Arnas Čermerka, Vilma Lisauskaitė.
