Commonwealth Photographic Awards

The Commonwealth Foundation is a sponsor of the Commonwealth Photographic Awards.

Overall winning photo by Brenton Edwards, Australia2007 Commonwealth Photographic Awards winners

Harry Wilson of the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) writes:

They arrived in battered envelopes, smartly wrapped CD jewel cases, as 4x6 and 8x10 prints, as newspaper clippings and, above all, in huge numbers. What you see when you look at them is a variation on one theme - Achievement - that runs the gamut from simple survival to ecstatic victory and on to quiet celebration and dignity.

After an intense afternoon of sifting through and debating the merits of photographs from across the Commonwealth, judges have now chosen the winners of the 2007 Commonwealth Photographic Awards.

Australian Brenton Edwards, a photographer with The Advertiser in Adelaide, was named the overall winner of the competition, as well as regional winner for Australasia.

'It's quite a surreal feeling to have my entry considered the best of the Commonwealth nations,' Mr Edwards said. 'I've won state and national awards before, but nothing of this calibre. I'm sure the reality of it all won't be apparent until the reception in London. I am very proud.'

Masi Losi, a young South African photographer with the community newspaper Daily Dispatch, has been awarded The Canberra Times/CPU Young Photographer prize and will travel to Australia for a four-week attachment at The Canberra Times.

'Winning this award has made me realise that it does not matter where one comes from or how one grew up,' he said. 'What matters is the passion and the determination one has to succeed in their chosen art form.

'Winning this prize scares me as it will open doors that I never thought I could open. It has also made me realise that by not limiting one's ability and making sacrifices and also having realistic dreams, one does go far in life."

Judges said Mr Losi edged out fellow South African Roxanne van Winsen in a closely fought contest for the prize. Ms van Winsen's entry was 'Highly Commended' and she will receive a cash prize of £250.

Malaysia's Sam Lim Kien Hock won the 'Three Pictures - One Story' prize, where entrants submitted three photographs in sequence that told a story of achievement. Sam's photos show an old lady with her grandson to whom she is telling the story of independence in Malaysia, at the same time making the finishing touches to the national flag and then planting it.

The winning photographs were judged in London by photographer Vanley Burke, who has been recording the community of life of Birmingham since 1965; Dan Chung, a photographer with The Guardian who has been commended for his work in Pakistan, Indonesia and Iraq; Jonathan Eastland, a photographer and author with 38 years experience; and Sarju Kaul, Senior London Correspondent for the Asian Age, India. 

Of the winning image, the judges unanimously agreed that it deserved the overall prize. 'It is a bell ringer of a picture.' (Jonathan Eastland). 'The photographer achieved everything we set him.' (Dan Chung). 'It fulfils the brief.' (Vanley Burke). 'The kid's expression is the best bit – it is the "achievement" moment.' (Sarju Kaul).

The Awards are sponsored by The Canberra Times, the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association, the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth Secretariat, The Globe and Mail of Canada, the Guardian Foundation and the Royal Commonwealth Society. 

List of winners

Overall winner
Brenton Edwards (Australia)

Regional winners
Africa: Abel Mwambe Chibu (Zambia)
Pacific: Brenton Edwards (Australia)
Europe: Caroline Irby (UK)
South Asia: Suresh Narayanan (India)
South East Asia: Lee Ee Cheng (Malaysia)

Highly commended 

Africa: Vladimira Bajerovska (South Africa)
Pius Utomi Ekpei (Nigeria)
Pillay Vythilingum Kadrewvel (Mauritius)

Pacific: Lee Griffith (Australia)
Marie Micallef (Australia)
Andrew Sole (Australia) 

Caribbean and Canada: Todd Van Sickle (British Virgin Islands)

Europe: John Angerson (UK)
Simon Renilson (UK)
Rene Rossignaud (Malta)

South Asia: Debesh Mukhopadhyay (India)
Srinivasa Reddy (India)
Pranabendu Samajpati (India)

Runners up 

Africa: Mkhulisi Magongo (Swaziland)
Michael Nsubuga (Uganda)
Raymond Preston (South Africa)

South Asia: Shafayet Hoosain Apollo (Bangladesh)
D N Baraskar (India)
Arindam Datta (India)
Dheeraj Paul (India)
Sukanta Sinha (India) 

Europe: Brian Harris (UK)
Allen Markey (UK)
Louis McCullagh (UK)

Special prizes

'The Canberra Times/CPU Young Photographer' Prize 

Winner: Masi Losi (South Africa)

Highly commended: Roxanne van Winsen (South Africa)

Runner up: Amit Madheshiya (India)

'Three Pictures – One Story' 

Winner: Sam Lim Kien Hock (Malaysia)

Highly commended: Chetan Soni (India)

Runners-up: Richard Human (UK)
Susan MacCleod (UK)
Astrid Volzke (Australia)

Full details of the winners and winning photographs can be found at www.cpu.org.uk/photoawards.