Forum, History, Latvia, Port, Transport

24 hours of the port operation in a changing environment, lights, oversized objects, people – these are the images that might be captured by every single photographer in the framework of an international photo campaign. The purpose of the campaign – to review historical photos of the port of Riga and reflect the port’s life today, creating a documentary photo archive, which will immortalize the port’s daily operation, its work rhythm, its historical growth and achievements.

Internationally recognized Latvian and foreign professional photographers are invited to take part in this interesting Project, as well as any Latvian photo enthusiast, that can reflect the everyday activities of the port and provide historical photos of the port. Two photo contests will take place in the framework of the international campaign.

The first stage of the photo campaign – OSTA.VĒSTURE (PORT.HISTORY.) – will take place on September 9 – 21, 2015. The web-page of the photo campaign www.ostacilveksvesture.lv provides the information about the contests – everyone is welcome to upload his/her personal photos, which reflect the history of the port of Riga, its development, its today’s life. The jury will evaluate the photographs, that will be available for general public on the campaign’s website, and will be divided into three thematic categories:

-          The oldest photo, made on the territory of the Port of Riga till 2000);

-          Amazing port;

-          Historical photo story about the Port of Riga and its people).

The second stage of the photo campaign – OSTA. CILVĒKS. (PORT.PEOPLE.) will take place on September 21-27, 2015. Specially invited Latvian and foreign professionals as well as every photographer and photo enthusiast is welcome to participate in the campaign and to record the life of the port, operating activities of its companies, people, landscape, etc during one week. Participants of the campaign, submitting relevant applications, will be able to take photographs on the territory of the Freeport of Riga and participate in the second photo contest, presenting their works in the following thematic categories:

-          Portrait. People;

-          Photo story);

-          Port’s landscape.

All participants who want to take pictures on the port territory will require a special permit. They can apply for the permits electronically by18:00 of September 18, 2015 on the Internet-page of the campaign www.ostacilveksvesture.lv.

All of the submitted photos will be assessed by the jury. Both contest winners will be announced by 19 October 2015. The first place winner of each category of each contest will be awarded a prize of EUR 1000, the second and third place winners will receive a new Apple iPad or iPhone 6. Regulations, technical prerequisites and rules for participation in the international photo campaign/ contests are available for all interested persons on www.ostacilveksvesture.lv website.

The planned campaign outcomes include a photo exhibition in Riga urban environment in November 2015, a number of traveling exhibitions, documentaries, as well as a photo album, a book presenting the most interesting photos, taken during the campaign, and historical photographs.

According to the campaign organisers the primary focus of the project is on people working in the port territory, such as dock workers, locomotive drivers, pilots and the Harbour Master. People are the greatest and the most valuable asset of the port. Due to the port employees’ relentless work the Port of Riga has become a leading port among the ports of the Baltic States.

The project is organized by the association “Rīgas brīvostas padome”, practical organization and coordination is carried out by the photo studio Imagine.