Friday 26th - Sunday 28th June 2009
This year's Photography Awards I went in with a goal, to gain enough points to get my Associates in Photography. After being awarded two Silver's in the awards last year, all I needed was to get three silvers and I would be associate designate, earning me my Associates next year. With a goal in mind I was ten times more nervous come judging time as I had higher hopes than the previous year. Three silver awards later I was over the moon and ready to party, and I still had one more print to be judged. This one I was assured was my strongest print and thought 'Silver Distinction and I'll be dancing on the moon', My print came up and I was a bundle of nerves. The panel chair girls invited me to sit up the front so I could see each individual score the judges gave me. This was great but extremely difficult, the audience and judges could see me so whatever the score, I had to keep a straight face, not look the judges in the eye or give away any signs that it was my print. It was one of the hardest things I had to do. The minute the scores were locked in and the result called out 'Gold with Distinction at 96' I had launched myself into my boyfriend's arms in a fit of giggles and excitement. I spent the rest of the day in a trance. One I don't think I've yet recovered from.
Monday night was the Awards night. I'd booked the tickets long before the awards as it's a lovely night and good way to see everyone and talk to all the photographers. Category winners were called out and I knew that some of the awards mentioned runner's up and some didn't. I already knew from others that my print was the second highest print in the awards so for 'Highest Scoring Print' category I may or may not be mentioned as runner up. I didn't know however that there were awards also for highest scoring print in each category. It came as a complete surprise when the award 'Highest Scoring Print for Portrait Environmental Category' was called out followed by my name. For a couple of seconds I thought '...hang on...what?...are you sure?'...'. It was the strangest most exciting night.
I think I'm still dreaming.
Here are the photographs...
(All photographs are Copyright © Alexis Wessling 2009)
Gold Distinction - Portrait Environmental 2009
Silver Award - Documentary 2009
Silver Award - Documentary 2009
Silver Award - Self Commissioned 2009
(All photographs are Copyright © Alexis Wessling 2009)
Silver Award - Documentary 2009
Silver Award - Documentary 2009
Silver Award - Self Commissioned 2009(All photographs are Copyright © Alexis Wessling 2009)
And a couple of websites it was mentioned...
Photo Imaging Council of Australia
News.com.au
Pine Rivers Newspaper
