A candy floss seller, a "sugar painter", a snail vendor... these are just some of the subjects peopling the finalists' photographs in the 'Street Food' category of the recently announced Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023 awards. As reported previously by Slurrp, the winner in this category and overall, is Jon Enoch, a UK-based photographer who submitted a portrait of a candy floss seller from Mumbai for the competition.
The photograph was taken in the streets of Mumbai's western suburbs, and is part of a wider series by Enoch that explores how these vendors sell their goods in a day and age when buyers are spoilt for choice.
As part of our ongoing coverage of the Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023, we're taking a look at the seven finalists in the Street Food category, whose images were able to capture the uninhibitedness that infuses street food.
'THE CANDY MAN' BY JON ENOCH
Pappu Jaiswal, a candy floss seller in Mumbai, holds his display of brightly coloured confectionery on the streets near Versova Beach. Never more popular than in the age of social media for some eye-catching likes, the pink sugar clouds are popular with those looking for an affordable treat.
Photo © Jon Enoch and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'MORNING BREAKFAST' BY DHEERAJ PAUL
Street food vendors get ready for the breakfast crowd during the early hours of a winter morning at a Kolkata maidan.
Photo © Dheeraj Paul and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'STREET LIFE IN SANTIAGO DE CUBA' BY SIMON BURN
I spent many hours wandering around streets in a part of Cuba that sees very few tourists, with the intention of capturing interesting and authentic moments that give a sense of place and show the culture.
Photo © Simon Burn and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'THE JOY OF EATING STREET FOOD' BY SYED AMIR HOSSAIN
Street food is very popular in Bangladesh. It is very common when hanging out with friends or going for an afternoon snack. It is the stuff of life for low-wage workers. This photo was taken in a market in Rajshahi. The picture shows people from different walks of life enjoying street food in the evening.
Photo © Syed Amir Hossain and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'SUGAR PAINTING' BY XINHUA ZHAO
Sugar painting is a traditional Chinese folk craft of using sugar to make flowers, birds, fish, insects, animals and other dramatic characters. They look so very decorative, people can't bear to eat them!
Photo © Xinhua Zhao and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'HOT MILK ON A WINTER'S NIGHT' BY SUTAPA PAL
This photo was taken while attending the Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, in 2019. We were out in the streets and enjoying the crowd when we stopped by this shop. The milk seller was so engrossed in his work that it grabbed my attention and I took a photograph of him.
Photo © Sutapa Pal and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
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'RABAT FOOD CART' BY GUILLAUME FLANDRE
A street vendor sells snails on the boardwalk of Rabat, Morocco. In Morocco, snails are a beloved street food, usually cooked in a spiced broth.
Photo © Guillaume Flandre and Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023
