The Portrait of Italians contest officially kicked off on 15 April, establishing itself as a cultural platform that seals the prestigious partnership between the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and Realme. The initiative is aimed directly at the students of the Academy of Rome, forming part of the academic programme as an opportunity for visual exploration based on a fundamental idea: Italy is not defined by its places, but by its people, their faces, their gestures and the rhythms of everyday life.
Through authentic portraits of students, teachers and ordinary people, the project presents a real, intimate and profoundly human vision of contemporary identity. In this story, the realme 16 Pro series is not the centre of attention, but rather becomes the key tool through which the creators capture emotions, meanings and details. The collaboration between the institution and the brand thus transforms technology into a means of expression for the Academy’s young talents, enabling them to document the human fabric that makes up today’s world with journalistic and artistic sensibility.
A Moment of Life
The heart of the project is represented by “moments of life”: spontaneous, unconstructed fragments of reality. Not perfect or staged images, but moments of authentic presence.
Each photograph thus becomes a living testimony to contemporary Italy, where the shot does not merely show what people look like, but reveals their essence at a specific moment.
Participants are invited to explore one of the following themes:
- My Unfiltered Self
An exploration of the most authentic and rebellious side of youth, beyond constructed and filtered identities, where authenticity becomes a genuine statement. - Urban Player
A story of life in motion in the city: dynamic, spontaneous and deeply connected to the everyday energy of urban life. - Eyes on the City
A fresh look at the city through the eyes of the new generations, with fresh, personal and contemporary interpretations of urban spaces.
How to Participate
- All photographs must be taken with devices from the realme 16 Pro series
- Each image must include the watermark of the realme device.
- The works must be posted on Instagram, tagging: @realme.it and @abaroma_+ #realme16ProSeries5G
- All works must be sent to the following email addresses: f.giovanetti@abaroma.it and realme.italia@gmail.com
Shooting Requirements
- The project is dedicated exclusively to portrait photography; other categories such as landscape or still life are excluded.
- A Multi-focal Portrait approach is required
- Each photograph must be taken using one of the following focal lengths: 1x, 3.5x or 10x
Prizes
- Gold Award (1 winner): €800 + a realme 16 Pro series smartphone + realme Air 8 Buds earphones
- Silver Award (1 winner): €400 + a realme 16 Pro series smartphone + realme Air 8 Buds earphones
- Bronze Prize (1 winner): a realme 16 Pro series smartphone + realme Air 8 Buds earphones
Timeline
- The winners will be announced at the end of May
- The selected works will be displayed in a physical photography exhibition in June
On the cover: photograph by Anita D’Errico, Sotto la superficie, 2025, inkjet print on Fine Art baryta paper on Di-Bond mount (detail).