Akash Dubey said his passion for photography was the main reason he won the first place award for a picture he took.

Mr Dubey was named the winner of Fiji’s World Tourism Day Photography Contest.

As prize, he has won a one night stay for two at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.

“The picture was taken at Natadola in June last year and I had labelled it as: Never forget your inner child, set it free and travel the World,” Mr Dubey said.

Mr Dubey is an Assistant Professor at Fiji National University, teaching Computing Science. He is originally from New Delhi, India.

He said he developed a passion for photography when he was doing his PHD studies.

“I had a lot to do and would normally get frustrated while I was completing my PHD studies in India and to cool myself down, I started taking pictures with my colleagues who were keen in photography,” he said.

“I started off with taking pictures with mobile phones, then with simple digital cameras and then DSLR and later found inner peace while capturing pictures whenever I felt frustrated.”

He also said Fiji was one of the best places he has been to and capturing pictures here has taught him a lot.

“Capturing the free spirits, smiles and happiness on the face of Fijians here has been truly overwhelming, he said.

“Beauty is everywhere but the population which we have here is very lively, making photography so easy and so interesting.

“I have learnt what capturing beauty with the perfect smiles feels like in Fiji.”

Mr Dubey’s work has also been used in different travel magazines, websites, booklets and pamphlets.

A total of 46 photographs were received for this contest organised by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism.

Edited by: RACHNA LAL

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