Graphic of multiple photos selected from the photo contest

Study Abroad Photo Contest – 2022 Finalists

The annual UC Davis Study Abroad Photo Contest aims to recognize and celebrate student photography taking place on the many study abroad programs offered throughout the year at UC Davis. Over 300 photos were submitted this year. Thank you to all students who contributed their photos! Below are the 2022 finalists, broken up into two categories: Places and People.

Congratulations to our 2022 contest winners: Joshua Hoye ’23 (winning photo, 'Palm Sunday Bull Fight at the Mecca of Spanish Bullfighting,' in the PLACES category) and Esther Perez Paz ’23 (winning photo, 'Walking to Waterfalls,' in the PEOPLE category)!

2022 Finalists – PLACES

**Palm Sunday Bull Fight at the Mecca of Spanish Bullfighting** (WINNER)

Photo of a large stadium where people are gathered to watch a Spanish bullfight
"La Plaza de las Ventas is considered to be the pinnacle of Spanish bullfighting, only running events on special occasions. This particular bullfight was run on Palm Sunday to a packed crowd. It was truly a sight to see as it represented an important aspect of Spanish culture. Families came to the event dressed in their Sunday best to enjoy a classic event of Spanish culture and entertainment." (Photo credit: Joshua Hoye)

Portal

Photo of a an underground subway with a sea of red engulfing a set of escalators.
"The natural bedrock found throughout the Stockholm metro system, painted with distinct colors and art, is almost otherworldly. Nowhere is this more the case than at Solna Centrum, a breathtaking station whose bedrock walls are adorned with a bright red-orange paint scheme and illustrations of the Swedish forests with their hunter-gatherer inhabitants. The escalator captured here takes over a minute to reach the concourse level, making it feel like a portal into another world—totally separate from the city above. A lone traveler is visible, having nearly completed the journey to the platforms buried deep underground. The rest of their journey on the train awaits, though they’ve already been to a special place." (Photo credit: Jackson Mills)

Glimpse of Hope

Photo of the inside of Saint Peter’s Basilica, showing beams of light glistening through the windows.
"An entire day dedicated to exploring Vatican City and seeing a variety of works which are significant to the history of Catholicism. This image inside the Saint Peter’s Basilica shows beams of light glistening through the windows, which adds beauty to this grand structure." (Photo credit: Kasey Morales)

Empty Cloisters

Photo of the inside of an old building in Scotland. Massive arches and pillars fill the room.
"At the University of Glasgow Gilmorehill campus in Glasgow, Scotland, these resonant arches capture the gothic glory of the old buildings. Signs marking the way to classrooms near the cloisters have faded paint that reveals the different names the rooms have had over the centuries. Originally founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow campus was reconstructed at its current site in 1870." (Photo Credit: Arden Siadek)

Cool Down Coffee

Inside of a local coffee house in Liverpool, England.
"This day was solemn for me. On this day we visited the slavery museum in Liverpool, but my experience was interrupted by a group of rowdy school kids who yelled and crowded the museum exhibits. As a person of color, I found this offensive and I went to go walk around the surrounding business park. I sat down for coffee at a gorgeous new place to give myself some energy for the rest of the day. Such an ironic happenstance to be in Liverpool at the slavery museum and still there are others who don’t fully comprehend." (Photo credit: Kenyan Branscomb)​​​

2022 Finalists – PEOPLE

Midnight Soccer

Photo of students playing soccer at sunset
“Playing a late night soccer game with some local Icelandic teens.” (Photo credit: Isabella Bianchi)

Heart-Shaped Fireworks on the Beach! But, Not Really...

Photo of three students, at night, attempting to make a heart shape with fireworks.
“Using my friend's advanced camera equipment, we attempted to make a heart with fireworks we bought at the beach for this spectacular photo.” (Photo credit: Barry Nguyen)

The Best Napping Spot

A photo of a student lying on the grass with the Whitby Abbey's gothic ruins in the backdrop.
“A quick nap at the foot of Whitby Abbey's haunting gothic ruins and brooding landscape that inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” (Photo credit: Sofia Kanayama )

**Walking to Waterfalls** (WINNER)

Photo of a student walking across a wooden bridge in the Arenal Volcano National Park in La Fortuna, Costa Rica
“Walking in The Nature, Arenal Volcano National Park in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The path goes deeper into Costa Rica’s nature and leads towards a waterfall and happiness.” (Photo credit: Esther Perez Paz)

Woman in Tiwanaku

A woman is using traditional technique to make yarn out of raw materials.
"A woman is using traditional technique to make yarn out of raw materials. This process has been used for thousands of years in Bolivia to produce the traditional textiles made from llama, alpaca or vicuña wool." (Photo credit: Madeleine Payne)