Announced at 8PM (AEST) today, via a SUNSTUDIOS Emerging Photographer Awards video presentation, the winners include James Malone for ‘No Face, Only a Dark Place’ (Photo Faces), Ryan Cantwell for ‘Close Comfort, Distant Trouble’ (Photo Places), Jonathan McIntyre for ‘Just Appreciate’ (Video Faces) and Ryan Andrew-Lee for ‘Wonnarua’ (Video Places). They will each receive $6,0001 to spend across SUNSTUDIOS’ creative services, a customisable prize designed to support their next project. All winners and finalists’ works are featured in a SUNSTUDIOS online exhibition. Community voting kicks off today for the competition’s inaugural People’s Choice awards, with voting closing on 15 November, 2021. The winners for this category will be announced 17 November, 2021 and will each receive $5002 in SUNSTUDIOS’ services.
Now in its 12th year and free-to-enter, SEPA aims to break down the barriers image makers face in establishing a career by offering an opportunity to have work evaluated by industry leaders. The winners were judged anonymously by a specialist panel including photographers Georges Antoni, Nicky Catley and Adam Ferguson for the Photo category, and cinematographers Carolyn Constantine, Dave May and Andy Taylor for the Video category.
Overwhelmed by the calibre of entries this year, SEPA video judge Carolyn Constantine, commented, “I’d like to congratulate everyone who entered SEPA this year, we had a fantastic range of entries. The judges were really impressed by the variety of different places we were taken to and the styles, which made the judging process very difficult … it took us on a real journey.”
“There is an amazing depth of Australian young talent in photography at the moment – and a sophisticated approach.” Georges Antoni
Luke Harrison, Senior Business Manager, SUNSTUDIOS says: “I am delighted to extend a huge congratulations to the winners and finalists. This year we received a record number of entries so everyone who made it to our top 40 works should feel incredibly proud. I am also very grateful to the expert judging panel, who judged without names to give entrants a fair chance, and have the wonderful ability to recognise upcoming talent.”
Mr Harrison continues, “This year the video categories joined SEPA for the first time, a reflection of our growing commitment to the video and cinema market. As we continue to grow our video production offering, including the recent launch of our Studio 7 Sound stage, it’s important to us that the video community feels equally supported by SUNSTUDIOS. We hope by opening up the awards to videographers, in addition to photographers, that we provide even more career opportunities for emerging image makers across Australia.”
To view the SUNSTUDIOS Emerging Photographer Awards video presentation, online finalists’ exhibition or vote for the People’s Choice awards, please visit: https://sunstudiosaustralia.com/sepa/sunstudios-emerging-photographer-award-exhibition-2021