The winners of this year’s Association of Photographers Awards have been announced in an online video. Following thousands of entries from both professionals and emerging photographers, the winners were chosen in each category by a panel of esteemed judges.
Emerging Talent
Curated by Katy Niker, Director, Katy Niker Ltd.
“It was a huge honour to be asked to judge the first ever AOP Emerging Talent Award. The sheer diversity and & high standard of the work entered across all categories made judging it very difficult.”
Gold – Zula Rabikowska
Silver – Joshua J Sneade
Open Awards
Curated by Anne Mannion (AOP Chair) and Tim Flach (AOP President and Photographer)
“The Open Award is open to everyone – both professional and amateur – and are about championing exquisite imagery. There are no categories or restrictions in the Open Award, the image is the star, and exciting and innovative work is encouraged.”
Gold – Lewis Khan
Silver – Kristina Varaksina
See also: Winners of Fifth Annual Zeiss Photography Awards Announced
Environment
Curated by Jane Record, Creative Director at BBC Creative
“I was honoured to be invited to judge this category, as I have always loved this genre of photography. I’m drawn to artworks that surround the viewer and have the ability to pull you deep into the image, I also enjoy that there is scope to push an image towards abstraction, using location and light to create a photograph that denies the true subject and creates an image of intrigue and beauty. Therefore this category was an absolute joy to judge, but also incredibly challenging, what an array of amazing work to have to choose from. The Gold and silver choices are both works that I found truly absorbing, they made me want to stop and really experience the image and they were both images that I would find myself recollecting weeks later.”
Gold – Simon Puschmann
Silver – Nick Howe
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Fashion & Beauty
Curated by Nick Knight, Photographer, Director of SHOWStudios
“I am always excited about the opportunity to see other image makers work so I was honoured to be asked to be a judge on this year’s competition. We are living in really exciting times for image making, new frontiers are being crossed all the time so I was very encouraged at the promise I saw in the entries to the 2020 Fashion and Beauty category.”
Gold – Matthew Shave
Silver – JC Candanedo
Food & Drink
Curated by Elisa Merlo, Photography Creative Director
“When judging this year’s Food & Drink category I was looking for images that used photography techniques to show food and drink in a new distinctive light without compromising the subjects. All the entries were incredibly strong, which made judging very difficult, in the end the images chosen represent, in my opinion, strong photography craftsmanship and a true understanding of how photography techniques can elevate food and drinks.”
Gold – Aaron Graubart
Silver – Tai Silverman
Lifestyle
Curated by Rachel Wickham, Senior Creative Producer, Prodigious London
“It has been a huge honour to be asked to curate Lifestyle in this year of all years, an intensely challenging one across the board. My spirits were lifted when looking through so much great imagery. I was blown away and moved by both my winners.”
Gold – Todd Antony
Silver – Sophie Ebrard
Photojournalism
Curated by Karin Rehn-kaufman, Art Buyer & Chief representative, Leica Galleries
“I was deeply impressed by the quality of the images that have been sent in. Therefore the judgement process was enlightened and enjoyable.”
Gold – Nick David & Jack Flynn
Silver – Euan Myles
Portrait
Curated by Karen McQuaid, Senior Curator, The Photographers Gallery
“The subject (human or animal) is the primary focus of the image.
Judging this year’s AOP portrait award was a challenge and a pleasure. The portrait subjects and photographic approaches were refreshingly broad. The silver and gold winners are very different but share an intelligent response to how their sitters occupy, command even, their surroundings.”
Gold – Alun Callender
Silver – Sam Robinson
See also: Sony World Photography Awards 2020 Winners Announced
Project
Curated by Daniel Moorey, Former Head of Photography & Illustration at adam&eveDDB
“Judges always say the standard of work was very high but I can honestly say that in the project category this year there were 4 or 5 really wonderful projects. What I really liked was that they were all properly thought through projects with some intellectual depth that made a statement or revealed something about the world we live in. This is what elevated them beyond commercial work.”
There are two Gold winners in this category.
Gold – Matthew Joseph
Gold – Simon Puschmann
Still Life & Object
Curated by Kathy Howes, Freelance Senior Creative Producer/Art Buyer
“Inanimate object(s) or still life. It can be any object in any place, the emphasis being the object rather than its surroundings.”
Gold – Wendy Carrig
Silver – Florian W. Mueller
Discovery Award
Winners
Felicity Crawshaw – Environment (see top of page, A View from the Window)
Ian Kirby – Environment
The AOP was formed in 1968, by photographers, for photographers. Originally named The Association of Fashion and Advertising Photographers it has continued to evolve into one of the most prestigious professional photographer associations in the world.
The AOP’s aims remain the same today as they were over 50 years ago: to support, protect and inspire its members and to vigorously defend and lobby for the interests and rights of all photographers.
Membership is open to all professional and assisting photographers working in the creative sector, as well as agents, service providers, educational establishments and companies working in the photographic industry. As well as our professional memberships we also offer alternate ways to join our community, for students and individuals simply wanting to learn more about this amazing industry.
www.the-aop.org
www.aopawards.com
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Twitter: @assocphoto
Facebook: facebook.com/AssociationOfPhotographers.
