The 2008 Profoto Awards is a combined effort from Sony South Africa and the Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA) to promote professional photographers, and to acknowledge their talents and dedication. This is the only competition for professional photographers and photography students in southern Africa.
According to Pieter de Ras, president of the PPSA, photographers in SA don't have a platform where they can judge their abilities. “It is only when you participate in such a competition that you can really judge the standard of your work and how it compares with that of other professional photographers within the industry,” he says.
The 2008 Profoto Awards attracted the largest number of participants since its inception in 1989, who have submitted more than 4000 images. Entrants had to register online and post their photographs digitally.
The electronic format of the awards enables judges to view entries anywhere in the world. Judging is done in three phases. From 23 January to 3 February, during the first and second phases, preliminary judging has been taking place. On Saturday 7 February, judges from Gauteng will convene at Sony's head office in Midrand, where the final judging will be done live on Sony High Definition BRAVIA LCD TVs. During the judging, the Image of the Year and Portfolio of the Year will also be selected.
The judges are as follows:
Images entered for the competition and selected as award finalists can be viewed from 10 February. The public are invited to vote online for their favourite image, the People's Choice Image of the Year. One person who votes online stands the chance to win a Sony 350 DSLR kit, which include a camera body and a lens.
Winners in the 15 different categories, as well as the People's Choice winner, will be announced at a gala dinner on 19 March. Following the awards ceremony, the finalists' images will be exhibited at local shopping malls in Johannesburg and Cape Town, where members of the public will be able to view the work of southern Africa's photographic talent. These images will also be promoted in leading print publications, as well as online.
For more information, go to www.profotoawards.co.za.