When photographers call something “a potato,” that usually means it’s bad. Some would say it’s just Nikon, but I beg to differ. So when it comes to potato photography, is it something bad? Definitely not! The Potato Photographer of the Year confirms it and shares with us the best photos of its 2021 contest.
The competition was inspired in part by the photo of a potato (Potato #345 (2010)), taken by acclaimed photographer Kevin Abosch. That image sold for a whopping $1million in 2016, so who dares to say that potato photography sucks?
The overall winner of this year’s competition is William Ropp with his cleverly titled image “Fish & Chips.” It brings fish and potatoes together, but definitely not in the way you’re used to seeing them. “There’s something extremely wonderful and weird about this work,” said one of the jurors Amy D’Agorne. “The amalgamation of vegetables and animals creates a strange portrait of the everyday food we consume. The fact that the image was taken on a polaroid camera with just a flashlight is of great credit to the photographer’s skill.” The Potato Photographer of the Year isn’t about earning money from photos of potatoes, but rather about giving it. This year, all proceeds from the competition will go to help the Trussell Trust provide food for people locked in poverty. Check out the remaining photos from the top ten selection, and remember – you can turn even a boring potato into a work of art or even into a camera. Make sure to check out the contest’s website for more photos and information, and find the last year’s winners here.
