1 403 Forbidden Coordinators – Pictures of the Year Asia

Daniel Mung

New Delhi, INDIA

"Growing up in a region which is generally ignored by the mass media, local or international, it took me a while to realize how visual representation, empathy, and proximity mattered. During my role as a POYi coordinator, I witnessed a wide spectrum of images I have not seen before. That’s one of the reasons why regional POYs such as POY Asia were created — to be more inclusive and amplify voices from each continent."

Daniel Mung, Chief Coordinator of POY Asia, is a documentary photographer from Northeast India who just relocated to New Delhi. He is drawn to weaving stories that focus on migration, culture and identity. In 2018, he graduated from the University of Missouri with a Master’s degree in Photojournalism and he was the coordinator for both College Photographer of the Year and Pictures of the Year for two years. Over the past few years, he has worked as a communications consultant at the global, regional and national level for international developmental non-profits.

“I believe there is a lot going on in the world but some significant issues do not get the attention they deserve. Issue Reporting Picture Story intrigues me because it gives me a deep understanding of a subject and a unique perspective to the issue."

Mursal Mohammadi is an independent documentary photographer from Afghanistan based in New Delhi. She is a graduate from Delhi University with a degree in Multi Media and Mass Communication. She is inspired to tell stories on identity, gender, refugees and displacement. She is a participant of the Visual Storytelling program by UNHCR India, where she did a number of assignments and a project on "Home & Belongingness". The collective book of the "Home & Belongingness" project was published by UNHCR India in April 2022. In March 2022, she was awarded "the 2021 Winter Afghan Digital Scholarship Award" from The Governance Programme at the Aga Khan University's Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilisations, London. Where she did a project on Governance & Gender called "How Can One Abandon Love?"

Yong Li Xuan

Singapore, SINGAPORE

“I'm always taken on a journey to the most important stories in the region when I view submissions to Photographer of the Year, Asia. This category is a highlight and a learning experience for me as top photographers are ruthlessly disciplined when curating their stories and portfolios - the culmination of a year's worth of hard work.”

Yong Li Xuan is a Singaporean journalist at The Straits Times, where she writes and occasionally photographs for the national broadsheet. She is passionate about serving her community and hopes to amplify the voices of people who are vulnerable or marginalised. In 2022, she was selected for the 35th edition of the Eddie Adams Workshop in New York. She was also awarded the Objectifs Documentary Award (Emerging Category), an annual competition open to Southeast Asian photographers, and her photo project on mental health will be exhibited at the Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film this year.

Brian Teo

Singapore, SINGAPORE

“Daily Life is the category that I am looking out for in POY Asia 2023 because it offers a glimpse into the complex human lives in Asia. But, its diversity also makes it difficult for images to stand out, so I am looking forward to seeing which pictures will emerge among the top.”

Brian Teo is a Singaporean photographer who fuses visual storytelling with the spontaneity of street photography. His works have been exhibited at the National Museum of Singapore and Leica Gallery Singapore; and featured in major publications like Lianhe Zaobao. He clinched the Singapore Young Photographer’s Award in 2018 and was one of the finalists of LensCulture’s Black & White Photography Awards in 2019. He was also one of the photographers involved in Singapore’s nomination to inscribe hawker culture on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.

Yan Lin Pek

Singapore, SINGAPORE

“I believe a good portrait is not superficial. It’s certainly not just about a smile or how good looking the subject is. Instead it can reflect and portray a person’s true character or illustrate poignantly an issue that a photographer wants to address. Portraits are not as straightforward as they seem. It definitely fascinates me how a photographer can capture the soul of a person in the Portraits category.”

Pek Yan Lin (also known as Yan-Lin Pek) is a Singaporean photojournalist and documentary photographer. In addition to assignment work, Yan Lin devotes her time to projects that focus on community, social issues and the people around her, processing her surroundings and world. Yan Lin’s aim is to shed light on a lesser-known side of the society and inspire others to care. In 2021, she was selected to participate in the 34th edition of the Eddie Adams Workshop. She is currently a staff photojournalist for Singapore’s largest Chinese-language newspaper, Lianhe Zaobao.

Hillary Tan

Singapore, SINGAPORE

“My favourite category is Daily Life Picture Story because of the wide range of topics and emotions the category showcases. It is where even the smallest, most personal stories feel as important as big, world-changing events.”

Hillary Tan is a Singaporean photographer and videographer who received a Masters of Arts in Journalism from the University of Missouri, where he focused on photojournalism. At Missouri, he was lead coordinator for both Pictures of the Year International and College Photographer of the Year. Previously a video journalist at The Straits Times, Hillary is currently a visual communications manager at Nanyang Technological University.

Sarah Lee

Singapore, SINGAPORE

"Issue Reporting Picture Story is the category I’m most looking forward to as it allows for an in-depth look into various issues and subjects from across Asia. This category also helps to bring obscure topics to light, which makes for extremely interesting entries."

Sarah Lee (b. 2005) is a junior college student in Singapore with a deep interest in photography. She believes in the ability of images in capturing the human condition and highlighting unseen issues, as well as their ability to express the unsaid. In 2021, Sarah was selected to participate in Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film’s Shooting Home Youth Awards (now known as Young Photographers’ Mentorship Programme), culminating in a group exhibition in February 2022. She seeks to improve her practice through exposure to a wider range of photography.

POY Asia Coordinators, all volunteers with day jobs, are extremely crucial to the success of the competition. They are the ones who check all the submissions to ensure they are in line with the contest rules. They also work on all communication aspects for our small organisation. During the judging, they read captions, project the images, answer queries from judges, and assist the moderators in every possible way. Interested to work with us? Please contact Chief Coordinator Daniel Mung at daniel@poyasia.org.