Student Photography Competition

Sony is once again working with the Advertising & Illustrative Photographers Association to run the Sony / AIPA Assistant & Student Photography Competition.

The annual competition aims to encourage photographic excellence and originality amongst up and coming photographers.

To qualify for entry, candidates must either be a photographer's assistant or a photography student currently enrolled at a recognised tertiary institution anywhere in New Zealand.

Sony and the AIPA invite interested photographers to visit www.aipa.org.nz to download an entry form with submission guidelines and competition terms. Submissions will be judged by a panel of photo industry professionals including Sony New Zealand's Marketing Manager for Digital Imaging Products Sam Williams and AIPA's Executive Director, Aaron K.

Prizes include a top-of-the-line Sony Alpha 850 D-SLR camera and lens kit for the winning photographer's assistant and a Sony Alpha A380 for the winning student.

Last year's competition had a number of high caliber entries making it a difficult task for the judging panel. Photographers assistant Kristian Frires was named the winner of the assistant category with his striking series of photographs of cataracts patients from the Solomon Islands.

Rebekah Robinson was named the winning student. Her portfolio consisted of a series of seven well considered and beautifully captured images that cleverly revealed the care given to domestic pets.

This year Sony and the AIPA expect the quality of entries to be just as high and both organisations are excited to see the talent entering the industry.

"We see a great synergy between Sony Alpha and the AIPA and we are proud to be supporting the competition once again" said Sam Williams.

"I am particularly excited to see all the entries as I know there is some great talent out there."

AIPA's Executive Director Aaron K is equally excited. "It's great that we can work with an organisation like Sony to encourage and promote emerging talent in the industry. This competition is unique in that it allows us to reward outstanding photographic achievement while also better educating young image-makers about the profession itself."

Entries for the competition open on 7 September and winners will be announced on 23 November.