© Abhishek Singh
Honorable Mention · Open Call 2023
Abhishek Singh
Each year, something extraordinary unfolds at Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, Varanasi’s revered cremation grounds. Devotees of Bholenath (Shiva) engage in a unique Holi ritual, playing with the ashes from funeral pyres. Unlike the typical Holi festivities observed across India, awash with vibrant colors and gulal, Masan Holi is a phenomenon confined to this sacred city. Here, participants use ash, or “Bhasma,” gathered from the smoldering pyres in the crematorium, a substance considered invaluable to Lord Shiva.
According to local lore, Lord Shiva and his celestial army, including Nandi Bael, descend upon Manikarnika Ghat on the second day of Rangbhari Ekadashi. They bless the faithful and partake in Holi festivities, opting for ash over traditional gulal. This ash serves as a potent emblem of purification and unwavering devotion to the deity. Through this singular festival, the essence, vitality, and time-honored custom of embracing death as a celebration of salvation come vividly to life.
Eyeshot Magazine #11
The second Eyeshot Open Call, a reading of contemporary street and documentary photography across continents and approaches. Issue #11 collects six awarded works, single images and series, selected by a jury of ten photographers, editors, and curators. The works move between street observation, documentary practice, intimate portraiture, and political witness, presented as an annual reading of what photography is doing now.
NEXT EDITION
Open Call 2026
The next edition of the Eyeshot Open Call. Submissions open annually. Single images and series are welcome from photographers working in street and documentary photography.
JURY
Past Jurors
Each edition is read by a different international jury of photographers, editors, and curators. The full list of jurors who have read for Eyeshot is on the past jurors page.
OPEN CALL 2023
Discover more
AWARDS
Winners
The 2023 reading at its clearest. Six awarded works across single and series.
FINALISTS
Single Category
The 2023 reading in a single image. Thirty-nine single photographs read by the jury.
FINALISTS
Series Category
The 2023 reading in extended sequences. Fifteen photo essays read by the jury.