In Isaan culture, the tradition of foraging for seasonal insects and preparing them at home or buying them from local markets is deeply ingrained in the culinary practices of the region. In recent years Isaan farmers have shifted their business to insects from traditional crops like rice or cassava, due to its potential for higher profitability and relatively low initial and maintenance costs. As the world grapples with growing food security challenges, the Isaan tradition of insect consumption highlights an under utilized high protein source with a potential solution to feed an expanding global population.

Award of Excellence

The Future of Food

Lauren DeCicca
Independent
USA/Thailand

Lauren DeCicca, b. 1989, is a documentary photographer from New York who is now based in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to moving to Thailand, Lauren spent three years (2013 – 2016) based in Yangon, Myanmar documenting the country at the beginning of its transition to democracy. She’s met people dealing with PTSD, drug addiction, displacement and disease, and is struck by the similarity in spirit between these people, despite the obvious divides. It has been a goal of hers to realize and mend this schism through photography, be it mental, physical or geographical in nature. Documenting the lives of people around the world will help those who have no access to such situations understand that the subjects of her photographs could easily be their parent, sibling or partner. Despite differences in language, skin color, religion or way of life, everyone has the same basic needs for empathy, understanding and acceptance. Her work has been published by Der Spiegel, Getty Images, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, TIME.com, The Washington Post, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, The Guardian, CNN, USA Today, amongst others. Lauren was member of the Getty Reportage 2015-2016 Emerging Talent roster and selected as one of Photo Boite’s 30 Under 30 Women Photographers of 2017. She has received hostile environment and emergency first aid training through IWMF.

[ CULTURAL PRACTICES ] A set of photographs that increases the understanding and appreciation of a cultural practice. It can be about festivals, religion, traditions, or contemporary cultural trends. Submissions do not have to adhere to documentary principles. Alternate processes and digital manipulations are allowed. Each submission consists of 5 to 20 images. Each participant is allowed to enter up to 2 submissions. All images must be taken in 2023.

Judges for Cultural Practices
Gülbin Özdamar Akarçay
Gülbin Özdamar Akarçay
Jessica Lim
Jessica Lim
Joshua Irwandi
Lam Chun Tung
Lam Chun Tung
Saiyna Bashir
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