The inaugural World Photography Awards, sponsored by Sony, are open for submissions from today
The inaugural World Photography Awards (WPA), plus World Photographic Academy, sponsored by Sony, were launched this morning in London. From today and until the end of January 2008, photographers will be able enter their images in various categories, though professionals and amateurs will be segregated. There are 11 professional categories and 8 amateur categories. An overall 'Photograph of the Year' will be chosen, though amateurs are not eligible to compete for this honour.
At today's launch press conference DPNow asked Scott Gray, WPA founder, why amateurs weren't allowed to compete for the top honour. Gray explained that while he could envisage a situation where an amateur entry might be considered critically superior to the best professional entry, he felt it necessary to separate professionals from amateurs. In a light-hearted aside, he wondered if the winning professional might hand his winner's cheque to an amateur photographer if he or she felt their picture wasn't quite as good as the other's.
From the left: Scott Gray, founder World Photography Awards, photographer Tom Stoddart, Alan Sparrow - chairman of the UK Picture Editors Guild, and Shaun Dorrington - General Manager Digital Still Cameras for Sony Europe.
Besides the competition, which will become an annual feature, an associated World Photographic Academy has been set up to develop and promote the talents of up and coming photographers who have been identified as having the necessary potential.
In the style of the Cannes Film Festival, an annual WPA event will be held in April - in Cannes, France. The 2008 awards night date for your diary is 24th April. while the accompanying exhibition of the finalists' work takes place between 21st and 25th April.
For full details, check out the official WPA website.
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