Media Release: Winners announced: 155th International Print Exhibition, by The Royal Photographic Society and Allen & Overy LLP

The Royal Photographic Society and Allen & Overy LLP have announced the winners of the 155th International Print Exhibition. This exhibition showcases a wide variety of established, emerging and amateur photography taken by some of the world's most talented photographers. The selectors viewed over 3,000 prints from nearly 800 photographers worldwide. Entrants competed for a share of the £6,500 total prize fund and Gold, Silver, Bronze medals as well as the special Allen & Overy award, which this year has the theme of Change.

RPS President, Roy Robertson Hon FRPS says: “The International Print Exhibition, one of the oldest annual exhibitions in the world, is a highlight of The Society’s calendar. It is open to all photographers – amateur and professional, and attracts a range of photography from across the globe. It was reassuring this year, to see a significantly increased entry from younger photographers, With such a diverse entry, the exhibition each year takes on a very different character, combining traditional images with very contemporary art and documentary work. Thank you to everyone who entered and congratulations go to all the successful photographers".

The opening exhibition will run until 9 September 2012 at the Allen & Overy offices in Bishops Square, London. Opening hours are from Monday - Friday 9.30am-5.30pm; Weekends 10am-5pm. After London it will tour the UK.

The winning images – Gold, Silver, Bronze and Allen & Overy

Gold Award (£2000) Dead Deer,  Gaby Wood

This photo was taken last summer in Princeton, New Jersey, the day before Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast. I went for a run early one morning and found this beautiful young stag, very recently dead. When I went back to get my camera I also hauled my children out of their game of dressing up – which is how my eldest ended up here: a little scared, a little devastated, wearing a tutu and not too close.

Gold – Under 25 (Olympus PEN camera) Fencer,  Matthew Town (22 years old) 

The portrait ‘Fencer’ was part of a series I shot at a Fencing Club in Bournemouth, Dorset. I had been looking into how class affects sport, and after doing some research I found that fencing was generally perceived as an elitist sport. Whether it is an elitist sport or not does not matter to me, what I am interested in is how people portray themselves within various sports.

Silver (£1000) Poppy & Honey at Pett Level, Winchelsea Beach, Amanda-Jane Bollini

Pett Level, Winchelsea beach is an image which encompasses simplicity.  My identical twin daughters Honey & Poppy had been playing on the almost empty beach for some while, watching the tide retreat.  It was early evening, with a perfect blue sky.  Quietly in the distance we heard the sound of the light aircraft and awaited its approach.  I viewed the scene, waited for the right moment, silently planning when I should press the shutter.  The result was a wonderful memory of the British coastline.

Silver (£1000) Snorkeler, Daniel Lilley  (22 years old) 

This photograph is of a man snorkelling off the coast of the isle of Portland, Dorset. Named ‘Vindelis’ by the Romans the isle nowadays is a place of mystery. The image is part of a larger documentary project about the area, looking at the inhabitants and the relationships they hold to their surroundings.

Bronze (£500) Watching the Band, Chrissie Westgate FRPS

Another of those Cartier Bresson decisive moments! I had been asked to take some official photos for a band called ‘The Scary Bitches’  and had travelled with them to a gig.  The bands were rehearsing and being sound checked when people started to arrive. The decisive moment here, was when the air guitar appeared; the faces and actions say it all!

Bronze (£500) Rain Raven,  Gordon Bramham ARPS

The image was taken from a hide at Aloos in the French Pyrenees. The hide was in a position that could offer sightings of Lammergeier and Golden Eagle, but it was far too small. I could not move and I had seen nothing but rain all day. The Raven landed and I pressed the shutter - it looked almost as fed up as me, but it made my day!

Bronze (£500) The Bathing Festival, Yao Wei

The hot spring in Tibet contains various minerals and is believed to be therapeutic.  It is pure enjoyment to take a bath with the whole family in these wonderful natural hot pools; a feeling of being in Paradise!

A&O award (£1000) on the theme of Change. Urban Renewal,  Bill Cooper

This multi-layered and colourful scene encapsulates the constant change and adaptation of living space in a busy inner city: street art at the base commemorates the Shoreditch Festival; paving overhangs an underground car park; wooden railings are littered with graffiti tags; a mural, created by artist Neil Irons and ceramicist Stephen Bird, depicts the history of Charles Square; behind and above, the apartments are receiving a welcome face-lift.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

The judging panel consisted of:

• Tom Hunter Hon FRPS  Professor of Photography,  London College of Communication, University of the Arts London. www.tomhunter.org
• Roger Tooth (Head of Photography) The Guardian and Observer www.guardian.co.uk/profile/rogertooth
• Ian Beesley (Social Documentary Photographer) Course Leader MA Photography at University of Bolton www.ianbeesley.com
• RPS judges - Sandy Cleland FRPS (Chairman) Nature and Pictorial Photographer
• Vanessa Slawson FRPS Documentary & Creative Photographer

After its London run, the exhibition will tour the UK. The full listings of the successful photographers and the tour dates and venues are available on The Royal Photographic Society’s website, www.rps.org at www.rps.org/155print 

A full colour catalogue of the entire exhibition is available from the RPS at: https://www.rps.org/store/index.php?view=category&path=40

For further information contact: Dr Michael Pritchard, Director-General by email: michael@rps.org or tel: 01225 325730; or Lesley Goode, Exhibitions Manager by email: lesley@rps.org or tel: 01225 325720.