lensman bags 1st prize in dsf photography contest

The Gulf Today photo journalist Kamal Kassim has bagged first prize in photography competition of the 15th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).

The prize-winning picture published in The Gulf Today on Feb.15 has been recognised by the DSF Media Award Jury, as the best picture in the celebrations stream of shopping festival’s professional photo contest.

Organisers of the shopping festival said the award will be conferred to Kamal Kassim at a glittering award ceremony being orgainsed at "One & Only Royal Mirage' Hotel on Sunday evening.

Kamal Kassim has been winning the DSF Photography Award for the second consecutive year. He won first prize for the best photography in the shopping category of the DSF Contest in 2009.
The award-winning snap in the celebrations category was captured from Al Seef Corniche, one of prominent sites of the DSF 2010, has highlighted various facets of the emirate’s rich history and culture.
The photographer covered the activities at the venue that showcased Dubai’s rich history to the present generation of Emiratis and the cosmopolitan population of the Emirate.

Kamal Kassim has been working with The Gulf Today for the past five years. Being in the mainstream journalism for the past 17 years, the photographer worked with various newspapers and news agencies of different languages in the Middle East and India.

Previously he worked with Gulf Times, Arraya Arabic daily, QNA- Qatar News Agency in Qatar and a couple of regional language newspapers and publications in India.

He has won several awards and accolades, including World Handball Federation photography prize, award by Qatar National Photographic Association, Pepsi International Gold Medal, Nehru Memorial Award and Sharjah Tourism Department's Best Photography Award.

Kamal Kassim has also conducted many photography exhibitions on different themes such as tsunami, water resource conservation and other issues.