By Christina Chomut, The AjA Project
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App Wars – a competition for creative Hipstamatic and Instagram photographers – opened their most recent contest to The AjA Project’s Youth Advisory Council for an opportunity to showcase student entries.
 Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Christina Chomut
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The November event at 3rdSpace Co-Working & Club for the Creative in University Heights showcased work from more than 65 photographers representing 17 different countries. Seven of AjA’s Youth Advisory Council members contributed photographs to the contest. Although there was no specific theme for the competition, AjA’s youth focused on “Identity,” creating images that reflected their unique perspectives and interests.
Council members wrote powerful narratives to accompany their images. A select group of narratives were showcased at the evening’s event alongside the students’ photography.
Instagram and Hipstamatic are digital photo applications for cell phones.
“We came up with a concept to do the App Wars Gallery Showcase to show off the best Hipstamatic and best Instagram photos entered in the App Wars contest,” said Hipstamatic World founder & App Wars co-host Jeff Burgess. “I have been overwhelmed by the turnout and response to the event.”
Burgess founded the website Hipstamatic World about 18 months ago after finding a passion for taking Hipstamatic photos and sharing them with a like-minded community of photographers. Finding overwhelming support for his website, Burgess launched a Facebook page under the same moniker with the intention of connecting Hipstamatic and mobile photography enthusiasts from all over the world.
The AjA Project, a nonprofit providing photography-based programming to youth affected by war and displacement, partnered with Burgess to include a selection of Youth Advisory Council student images in the App Wars Showcase. AjA’s leadership students were in attendance at the event representing The AjA Project. Two select students documented the showcase through photography and film, capturing the event from their own perspectives.
“This contest was a perfect way to allow people from every walk of life to express their creativity and bring a whole new meaning to ‘beauty in the eye of the beholder,’” said YAC member, Krystal Byrd.
YAC Students are looking forward to the possibility of hosting their own event and exhibit at 3rdSpace Co-Working & Club for the Creative in the spring.
“For each event we do, we raise the bar higher and higher,” 3rdSpace owner Peter McConnell said. “We strive to create something very memorable and different from the last.”