Wrapped in dense morning fog and charged with stillness, Maidan by Italian photographer Andrea Bettancini has won First Place in AAP Magazine #53: Travels. Captured in Kolkata, India, the image depicts a mounted Indian Army soldier sitting on a horse in front of a bare tree, surrounded by an arid landscape: a winning combination of emotional restraint, cinematic atmosphere, and silence.
This expressive photograph stood out among thousands of submissions from around the world, securing Bettancini the top place in a competition that celebrates travel photography, documentary storytelling, and visual narratives that explore identity, place, and belonging.
The image that is part of Bettancini's travel project The Background Noise, was shot with a Sony A7 III full-frame mirrorless camera, paired with a Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 super-zoom lens – a setup well-suited to travel photography. In fact, DCW crowned the Sony A7 III as the "one of the best full-frame camera for travel." Let's take a closer look at the awarded image and the gear that was used.
The story behind 'Maidan'
The soldier is stationed near Fort William, a historic fortress at the edge of Maidan Park and headquarters of the Indian Army's Eastern Command. Capable of accommodating up to 10,000 troops, the site is a symbol of authority and history – yet in Bettancini's frame, that power is softened by composition, fog, and light.
The mist blurs the background into abstraction, allowing the viewer to focus on the subject, posture, and presence. What normally would be a loud, chaotic urban setting becomes a suspended moment, where time feels slowed.
This ability to transform a real location into a visual meditation is central to Bettancini's broader series, The Background Noise – a long-term travel photography project exploring a quieter, more introspective India.
Why the Sony A7 III is still one of the best full-frame cameras for travel photography
Bettancini captured Maidan using the Sony A7 III – a camera widely regarded as one of the best full-frame cameras for travel photography. Despite being an older model in Sony's Alpha lineup (released April 2018), the A7 III remains a favorite among travel photographers thanks to its 24.2MP full-frame sensor, excellent dynamic range, and impressive low-light capabilities.
Its back-illuminated sensor preserved delicate fog gradients and smooth tonal transitions, while the 5-axis in-body image stabilization helps maintain sharpness even when shooting with a long lens. It gives photographers high quality without carrying prohibitively expensive or fragile gear.
AAP Magazine #53: Travels
The AAP Magazine #53: Travels edition highlights 25 outstanding photographers from 13 countries across four continents, showcasing projects that explore landscapes, culture, ritual, labor, wildlife, and identity.
You can explore Andrea Bettancini's Maidan alongside the full selection of winning projects in the AAP Magazine #53: Travels Gallery. For this, visit the AAP Magazine website.
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