• WINNER OF THE POPULAR VOTE. Katherine Irajpanah '19, International Relations. "Grow!" While studying abroad in Spain, I had the opportunity to travel one weekend to Euskal Herria (the Basque Country). I visited Vitoria-Gasteiz and encountered a playful mix of medieval and contemporary art. Walking along castle-like walls, I stumbled upon an alley way with stunning contemporary murals. The one pictured here is "Eskuz Esku," which means "Hand to Hand" in Euskera (the Basque language). The mural is part of a broader project in Vitoria to promote democratic expression. I love this image because the colors and style evoke a vibrant celebration of the Basque culture.
  • WINNER IN THE NATURAL WORLD CATEGORY. Sophie Stuber '18, International Relations. "Above the Storm" This is a photo I took on Christmas while skiing with my mom. This is my favorite place in the world, on top of Highlands Bowl in Aspen. We had to hike up 1000 feet in 30 minutes and it was a crazy snow storm with no visibility and then when I got to the summit, the clouds parted for three minutes and I took this photo before we were encircled again in fog and snow.
  • WINNER IN THE PEOPLE CATEGORY. Samuel Garcia '18, International Relations. "Girl at the Supreme Court" Washington in the summer.
  • WINNER IN THE TRAVEL CATEGORY. Jack Gartland '20, Computer Science. "Cityscape." I captured this image from the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower during my internship in Shanghai. I had been looking forward to seeing the view from the world's highest observation deck for my entire internship, and when I finally had a chance to go during my last week, I was not disappointed. I love how the city appears to stretch on forever, and how the incredible height of the tower dwarfs even the other mega-tall skyscrapers in the city. I also like that you can see so many pieces of Shanghai's history in the image, from the ultra-modern towers of Pudong (from which the image was taken), to the elegant remnants of colonial financial institutions on the Bund (along the river). My apartment looked out on the Shanghai Tower from a distance, and throughout the summer I waited anxiously for a chance to go up to the observation deck of that building. When I finished work early one Friday evening, it was the perfect opportunity to go with one of my colleagues to see the sunset from the tower.
  • WINNER IN THE GLOBAL EVENTS CATEGORY. Kira Smiley '18, Earth Systems. "Guardians of the Future" I was an intern in Finland as well as Japan, but was able to take a work trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, to travel with a Korean embassy team to see and learn about the wind turbines there. The view was beautiful, they looked like white soldiers protecting the city, and the air was quiet besides the soft beating of the blades on the wind. The curved line of wind turbines embodied the commitment Denmark holds to pursue a future focused on clean energy.
  • WINNER IN THE ALTERED IMAGES CATEGORY. Nicole Kim '18, East Asian Studies. "Disco Lights" I made this "mini chandelier" and hung it on my windowsill so that in the morning little rainbows are sprinkled around my room. One night, I was busy studying late when I noticed that the crystals reflected bright colors from other lights in my room. No matter how stressed I was about my future, it was a good reminder that there is always beauty and light if you know where to look. I played with different kinds of lighting using Christmas lights and other colored lights in my room to get the coziest picture I could.
  • HONORABLE MENTION IN THE NATURAL WORLD CATEGORY. Leigh Pomerantz '19, International Relations. "Lake Marian Reflections" This photo depicts Lake Marian, a glacial lake in Fiordland National Park, in New Zealand. I took this photo while backpacking this past March. I hiked the Lake Marian Track, which took about two hours to get to this alpine lake. I climbed up steep trails, through mud, over trees, and past beautiful waterfalls to make my way there.The reflection of the mountains in the glassy lake accompanied by the profound silence made for an incredibly special experience at the end of a long day of hiking.
  • HONORABLE MENTION IN THE NATURAL WORLD CATEGORY. Anne Duray, PhD candidate, Classics. "Bug Eyes" I took this photo at the archaeological site of Malthi in Southwestern Greece during the excavation season of summer 2017. While Greece is known for its vibrant culture and myriad archaeological ruins, it is also home to a thriving and diverse insect population. During the past three summers of excavation, when I'm not documenting Bronze Age walls and pottery, I've made a habit of trying to capture some of the smaller wildlife at the site. Since I only had my phone on me at the time for a camera (and therefore limited zoom capabilities), I had to do my best to squat very slowly as close as possible to the dragonfly without scaring it into flying away.

2018 Stanford Global Studies photo contest

ROBIN WANDER | May 7, 2018

Undergraduate and graduate students affiliated with the Stanford Global Studies programs and centers pulled out their cameras and phones to document moments in their lives at home and abroad.

Winning photographs from the 2018 Stanford Global Studies Student Photo Contest were shot in six countries from very different vantage points: on top of Highlands Bowl in Aspen, Colorado, during a break in a snow storm; on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.; viewing the sunset from the observation deck of the Shanghai Tower in China; the foot of a mountain in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand; squatting next to a dragonfly in Greece; and capturing reflections of light in a residence hall room.

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