Photographs offer taste of nation's food

Entrants from China win big in global competition, Julian Shea reports in London.

Cookery is often described as an art form, and there are few places where the two worlds overlap to quite such spectacular effect as the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards.

Every year, photographers from around the world submit entries for a competition celebrating the culture of food tradition, preparation, enjoyment, and social impact.

This year, for the 13th staging of the competition, more than 9,000 entries were received from around 65 countries, competing in 36 categories, and with one overall winner named.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the hugely diverse and colorful nature of Chinese cuisine, its food regularly provides artistic inspiration and that was the case at this year's awards, where entrants from China achieved 19 placings, and three category wins, as well as producing the overall top-prize winner.

Yang Zhonghua's image Red Bean Paste Balls, taken during a Spring Festival preparation in the rural area of Xiangshan, Zhejiang province, was picked by judges as the cream of the crop, winning both the Champagne Taittinger Food for Celebration category, and also the overall competition, with a prize of 5,000 pounds ($6,387).