Portrait nominee

At first sight, this image portrays perfection, confidence, and strength. However, the fact that the individual is standing on tiptoes reflects the fragility of our lives, constantly facing opposites—good/bad, love/hate—afraid of achieving our dreams. There is nonetheless hope. With his arms behind like trying to fly and dropping “something” from his hands, it shows the needed dynamism required to achieve our dreams.

Photography has been always Manuel’s passion. He had to earn a living from a young age. Originally from Mexico, Manuel started to study digital photography in 2009 in Guatemala City, graduating in 2014 from Boston University’s Center for Digital Imaging Arts in Washington D.C. where he currently resides. His main body of work focuses on exploring the urban landscape, the integration of the face and body into fine art, and fashion photography. In Washington, Manuel joined in 2013 the International Photographic Society (IPS) and was rookie of the year in the 2013-14 season and Photographer of the Year in 2015-16. He was awarded the 2016-2017 and 2017-18 Washington DC Government Art & Humanities Fellowship.

Manuel has done several solo and group exhibits in Atlanta, Guatemala City, Miami, Washington DC, New York City, London and Italy’s 2018 Chianciano Art Biennale where he won the Leonardo 1st Prize for Photography and Digital Art. In 2019, he was awarded the 2nd Prize in Photography at IPS, and at London Art Biennale, and the 3rd Prize Focus on the Story at Washington DC International Photo Festival. In 2020, Manuel was a winner of LensCulture Critics’ Choice. Several of his images have been published in