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Baseball in Bhutan

Against the breathtaking backdrop of the majestic Buddha Dordennma Statue, a symbol of inspiration at 169 feet, Bhutanese teenagers engage in a spirited game of baseball. Clad in the nation's traditional noble attire, they embody the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity that defines Bhutan.

Awards

Photographer of the Year Contest

2024

Bronze

Sports

Non Professional

People’s Vote Award

Sports

Non Professional

Baseball in Bhutan

Against the breathtaking backdrop of the majestic Buddha Dordennma Statue, a symbol of inspiration at 169 feet, Bhutanese teenagers engage in a spirited game of baseball. Clad in the nation's traditional noble attire, they embody the harmonious blend of tradition and modernity that defines Bhutan.

About Artist

Matthew Desantis

Matt is one of Bhutan’s longest residing non-natives with a personal relationship with Bhutan that dates back to his youth. Matt is the founder of MyBhutan, Bhutan’s boutique luxury travel designer and outfitter, and a technology company, Beyul Labs, that provides a series of digital products including Bhutan’s first online payments platform. Matt also founds, funds and develops various nonprofit projects including a historic national preservation initiative to document, digitize and archive Bhutan’s tangible cultural art and religious history, the nation’s largest ongoing afforestation project with the Department of Forests, the introduction of baseball in Bhutan and the establishment of it as Bhutan’s 17th national sport, and the creation of The Explorers Club Bhutan Chapter, which Matt chairs. Unrelated to his work, Matt also serves as the U.S. State Department Warden of Bhutan. An avid explorer himself, Matt has surveyed some of the most unexplored regions of the Himalayas. His expeditions have reached beyond Bhutan as well. In 2019, Matt was part of the expedition team honored with the Citation of Merit from the Explorers Club for their expedition that covered 1,300 miles of the Gobi Desert with the Mongolian Academy of Sciences in a first to apply NASA imaging and mapping technologies. The expedition made major headlines for discovering 3 new dinosaur species, over 250 new fossil locations and scores of specimens.

Matthew Desantis

Photographic Areas of Focus

People, Photojournalism, Portrait, Sports, Street, Travel

Location

Bhutan

Interview

Matthew Desantis | 2024 Color Photo Contest | 2nd Place Winner | Non-Professional

Interview

Matthew Desantis | 2024 Color Photo Contest | 2nd Place Winner | Non-Professional
Nominee
Christine Kao

Christine Kao

Sports

Nominee
Garrett Mogel

Garrett Mogel

Sports

Bronze +1
People’s Vote Award
David Zlotky

David Zlotky

Sports

Discovery of the Year
Nominee
Nicolas Sebag

Nicolas Sebag

Street

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