From the Serengeti in Tanzania to atop a mountain in New Zealand to beneath a giant Canadian flag at Richardson Stadium beauty can be found around the world as the 9th annual Queen’s University International Centre Photo Contest shows.

The winning image, as selected by a panel of judges, was submitted by Anja-Xiaoxing Cui, a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology, capturing a golden sunset in San Francisco

“The contest highlights student learning when their personal cultural lens and their camera lens intertwine to convey the significant experiences they have while abroad or as newcomers to Canada,” says Hanna Stanbury, Programs Coordinator, QUIC.

For the winning photograph Ms. Cui explains that during a conference trip to San Francisco last year, she wanted to retrace Chinese American history by taking photos of Chinatown, where many of the Chinese farm workers who lost their jobs through the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 found refuge. Instead, this photo of San Francisco Bay provided a better image as the mountains on the other side were bathed in golden light, the Golden Gate Bridge in clear view and a ship sailed lazily on the water. San Francisco’s Chinese name translates to Old Gold Mountain. 

“I am very pleasantly surprised,” Ms. Cui says. “I had seen the photos that some other students had submitted in the past, and was always very impressed by how far Queen’s students travel and the incredible images they brought back. The scene of which I took the picture left a lasting impression on me, and I am excited that I get to share it with more people.” 

Other winners include:
• Landscape and Nature, Leanna Li (Comm’18)
• People and Culture, Jordan Davis Artsci’18
• Home Away From Home, Tommy Hana (Artsci’17)
• Critical Global Issues, Rika Wong (Artsci’20)
• People’s Choice Award, David Williams (Law’19)
• Staff Pick, Ramolen Laruan, BFA’18

 A special display of the photos is being held at the QUIC in the John Deutsch University Centre, starting Tuesday, March 7 at 4:30 pm. See more submissions online.