Sony World Photography Awards 2010

Press Release:

The shortlist for the 2010 Sony World Photography Awards Student Initiative has been announced.

The Student Focus award is an extended university programme, and has grown from ten universities in Europe in the inaugural year of the awards, to 60 institutions in 2009.  The 2010 competition has attracted a staggering 120 institutions across six continents, creating the world’s most high-profile student photography Award.

Students were asked to submit images which focus on the 2010 Student Focus theme of ‘War and Peace’ as reflected in their country, resulting in an astonishing array of unique images.  12 burgeoning photographers - two students from six institutions from six continents - have now been chosen to take part in the final competition in Cannes.

The six winning institutions are as follows:

Africa/Middle East	Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography	Stellenbosch, South Africa
Asia	Jamia Millia Islamia	New Delhi, India
Australasia	Griffith University	Queensland, Australia
Europe	Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts	Krakow, Poland
North America	SAIT Polytechnic	Alberta, Canada
South America	Escuela Argentina de Fotografía	Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

The shortlist was selected by a prestigious judging panel from the photographic community including:  Adrian Evans – Director of Panos pictures agency, Adrian Boot – Music photographer and co-founder of www.urbanimage.tv, Jonathon Torgovnik – widely exhibited documentary photographer and co-founder of NGO, Foundation Rwanda, Idris Khan – artist and Sue Steward – photography critic, writer, radio broadcaster, photo-editor and journalist.

The 12 shortlisted students will fly to Cannes to compete for the 2010 title.  The Sony World Photography Awards and World Photography Festival runs from 22-27th April 2010, offering students a week of lectures, talks and master classes, including talks led by the judging panel, industry figureheads and Academy members.  There will also be a Sony workshop giving an introduction to cameras presented to those shortlisted, explaining the all essential features for the final part of the competition.  The assignment is entitled Dusk Til Dawn, and students will be asked to submit a series of six images each that capture Cannes at these contrasting moments.

The overall winner will be announced at the Sony World Photography Awards ceremony inside the Grand Lumier Theatre of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes on 22 April.  They will be awarded approximately 50,000 Euros’ worth of photography equipment for individual students and their institution department, courtesy of the sponsor, Sony.

Idris Khan, judge, comments: "It’s hard to judge a photograph of suffering. It shouldn't be commended for technical ability, composition or skill but what captures the emotion and atmosphere of the photographer’s gaze. In the images chosen for the final I feel that the photographers have captured their fears, anxiety and in some a humorous approach to their personal surroundings.”
       
Ania Wadsworth, World Photography Awards Student Focus Award Coordinator comments: "We were delighted with this year’s impressive expansion of Student Focus, from 60 to 120 participating institutions from around the world. Student Focus is a unique international programme for photography students and encourages tutors around the world to passionately promote contemporary photography, engage their students with this discipline and inspire the next generation of photographers."

Key Dates:

• Student shortlist announcement - Monday 8 February 2009
• Dusk Til Dawn Competition - Wednesday 21 April
• Student Winner’s Announcement - Thursday 22 April

For more information please visit the World Photography Awards website.