Mango Atayef Delight by Ali El Awji
Captured for a Ramadan campaign, this image presents a Mango Atayef Trifle as a sophisticated fusion of tradition and modernity. The photographer meticulously arranged the layers to highlight the contrast between the rich, traditional Atayef, the vibrant mango, and the smooth, creamy Kiri cheese. By focusing on the interplay of textures and colors, the image evokes the festive spirit of the season. This photograph is award-worthy for its clean, commercial aesthetic and its ability to transform a culinary subject into a visually compelling narrative that feels both celebratory and refined.
Ali El Awji
Hailing from Saida, Lebanon, and currently based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ali El Awji is a versatile photographer whose creative journey began during his studies in interior design. By blending his foundational knowledge of spatial aesthetics with a keen eye for light and emotion, he has developed a distinct style that spans portrait, landscape, and commercial photography. Through his work with prestigious brands and his own entrepreneurial ventures, El Awji consistently strives to push the boundaries of visual storytelling, capturing the essence of his subjects with technical precision and artistic flair.
Resonance Score Breakdown
Transparency Note: The resonance score (6.6/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.
Expert Photography Reviews · 4
The Weight of Ritual
I have always found the staging of food to be a tedious exercise in vanity. There is something inherently performative about dressing up a meal, as if the act of consumption requires a preamble of artifice to be considered significant.
Read the reflection →The Architecture of Sweetness
There is a particular quality to the light in late afternoon, when the sun loses its sharp edge and begins to lean against the walls, turning the air into something thick and golden, like honey poured into a glass.
Read the reflection →Reviews & Comments
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The soft, diffused light grazing the glass vessel evokes the quietude of a Dutch still life, grounding the dessert in a space of reverence. It’s not just food; it’s a cultural architecture of layers. I’m genuinely hungry for the history held within that Kiri cream. By isolating the Atayef against such clean, deliberate negative space, the environment elevates the dish into a portrait of modern Saudi tradition. It’s a beautiful, precise dialogue between heritage and contemporary refinement.
Most food photography is disposable, destined for a social media scroll and nothing more. Of the thousands I’ve reviewed, this one lingers because of the precise, architectural layering of the mango and Atayef. It’s clean, sure, but the way the light catches the Kiri cheese makes me genuinely hungry—a rare feat for a commercial shot. It’s not just a recipe; it’s a cultural snapshot that’ll still look sharp and appetizing in thirty years.
It’s a clean bit of work, though one wonders if the mango was sweating under the studio lights while the stylist fussed. I’ve spent enough time shivering on a ridge to find this level of artifice exhausting, yet I’ll admit the layering is precise. It’s technically sound, certainly. Still, I find myself craving a photograph that’s been weathered by a storm rather than arranged by a pair of tweezers. It’s polished, but did it cost anything?
f/4.0 at 105mm, 1/160s, ISO 100. A macro lens choice that demands precision. The depth of field is razor-thin, isolating the Kiri cheese texture against the mango’s saturation. It’s a calculated risk that pays off. I’ve seen enough mushy food shots to know this level of sharpness is rare. The focus plane is exactly where it needs to be. It’s technically sound. Honestly, looking at these layers makes me hungry, which is a first.