Australian Photography Awards 2023
View Shortlist and Winners Here
Image © Gaetano Gargiulo / APA 2022
Australian Photography Awards 2023
Now in its eighth edition, APA is a diverse and progressive celebration of Australian photography. Each year we call for original and thought-provoking photography which expands our understanding of the world.
Through a major program taking place in Naarm/Melbourne, we continue to grow on the ways in which we exhibit, foster conversation and bring people together through photography. Alongside a $40,000 prize pool, this program will provide the opportunity to take part in artist talks, a major exhibition and the 2023 APA Annual where selected photographers will be invited to participate as guests and be part of the central program.
Photos can be made anywhere in the world, just as long as the photographs are made by a person residing within Australia or any person living outside of Australia with Australian citizenship or residency.
As an organisation we seek meaning beyond the surface of the photograph, expanding and opening doors for new ways of seeing. In 2023 entrants can submit across seven diverse categories which encourage the different ways we can think about photography. We can’t wait to see what this year’s award will bring, and we’re excited to welcome new and returning photographers to our community.
2023 Categories
People
Image Aletheia Casey
Environment
Image by Glenn Lockitch
Animal
Image by Matthew Bagley
Documentary
Image by Elise Derwin
Experimental
Image by Ilsa Wynne-Hoelscher Kidd
Student
Image by Connor Henderson
Junior
Image by Essi Murray
People’s Choice
Image by Mikaela Martin
Major Partners
APA 2023 Sponsors
Category Prizes
People
Prizes include
• Godox lighting kit to the value of A$4,000 from Kayell Australia
• Prize pack from Urth featuring 1/4 Diffusion filter, a 1/8 Diffusion filter, a ND8 filter, Camera Straps and a Tech Organiser
• A$100 of print credit with Momento Pro
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Environment
Prizes include
• SureColor P906 printer from Epson Australia
• Befree GT XPRO Carbon Fibre Tripod Kit with Compact Head Ball from Manfrotto
• Prize pack from Urth featuring UV, Circular Polarising (CPL), ND64, SGND8 Lens Filter Kit (Plus+) and a Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organiser
• A$100 of print credit with Momento Pro
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Documentary
Prizes include
• The new Z8 camera body from Nikon Australia
• Prize pack from Urth featuring UV+, CPL+, Variable ND2-32 and Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organizer
• A$100 of print credit with Momento Pro
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Animal
Prizes include
• SureColor P906 printer from Epson Australia
• Befree GT XPRO Carbon Fibre Tripod Kit with Compact Head Ball from Manfrotto
• Prize pack from Urth featuring Duet Kit UV, Circular Polarising (CPL), Lens Filter Kit (Plus+) and a Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organiser
• A$100 of print credit with Momento Pro
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Experimental
Prizes include
• Printing and framing exhibition support from HC Pro
• Prize pack from Urth featuring Duet Kit UV, Circular Polarising, Lens Filter Kit (Plus+) and a Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organiser
• A$100 of print credit with Momento Pro
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Student
Prizes include
• Z7II camera body and Nikkor Z 28mm f/2.8 from Nikon Australia
• Consultation to the value of A$1,100 from The Brownbill Effect
• Prize pack from Urth featuring ND Select Kit with Urth ND8, ND64, ND1000 Lens Filter Kit (Plus+) and a Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organiser
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Junior
Prizes include
• Zfc camera body and Nikkor Z 16-50VR SL lens from Nikon Australia
• Prize pack from Urth featuring Urth UV, Circular Polarising (CPL), ND2-400 Lens Filter Kit alongside Camera Straps and a Norite 24L Modular Backpack with Tech Organiser
Additionally the category winner will receive a Photo Collective support package including one year’s subscription to Photo Collective Magazine, a copy of the 2023 APA Annual and a one hour consultation with Photo Collective
Submission Info
Rules
Do I retain copyright?
The copyright of photographs always and unconditionally remains the property of the photographer.
When does the competition close?
Entries close in August 21st, 2023 at 11:59pm AEST
Are there time restrictions on photographs?
We have no time restrictions on when an image was taken, we just can’t have seen it before in APA.
What if my images have been submitted into other competitions?
We accept imagery that has been submitted into other competitions or published through other channels, however we do not accept entries that have been submitted into APA in the past.
Does the content of the imagery need to be Australian?
No. Photos can be taken anywhere in the world, just as long as the photographs are made by a person residing within Australia or any person living outside of Australia with Australian citizenship or Australian permanent residency.
How do I supply my files?
Images should be in JPEG format. Do not watermark or put any identifying branding on the images. These will not be considered for judging.
How do I name my files?
We don’t require your files to be named a certain way. When you submit an entry, our system generates an associated file name. Photographer information, category and descriptive text can all be added along with the image in the entry process.
Can I get feedback on my entries?
Entrants who submit eight or more entries will be entitled to a Personalised Feedback Session. In these sessions, a member of the APA committee will provide personal feedback in a one-on-one online setting.
Does APA accept AI Imagery?
APA does not accept AI and/or computational imagery across any of the 2023 categories. Whilst we are excited to see the changing ways in which our community utilise these new technologies, we feel we need further time and clarity to understand the issues around copyright, authorship and how AI is viewed in the greater context of photography. As an organisation which embraces the changing ways photographers harness technology, we feel other outlets through the Photo Collective platform such as our biannual magazine are better suited to explore this new form of image making.
Your Rights
As always our main priority is to support photographers. Photographers will retain all and unconditional copyright to their imagery. We will only use the photographer’s imagery to promote Australian Photography Awards, Stories, Australian Photobook Awards or Photo Collective and to celebrate and feature the photographer’s work. Imagery is always credited and for features we will work with the photographers for selection. If a photographer doesn’t want us to use imagery we will happily comply.
Judging Process
Initial Judging
Once entries close, Photo Collective administration will consider all submissions through a scoring system. During scoring the panel is free to discuss anything that may aid in judging. For example this may include explaining an uncommon technique used or identifying subject matter. The highest scoring 50 submissions across each category will then be shortlisted for the next round of judging. In the event of multiple submissions being tied, the panel may re-score the submissions in the tie, and discuss the merits of each image to come to a final decision. Once they have selected the top 50 submissions across each category, they will manually review all entries to ensure nothing was overlooked. If they feel there are more than 50 submissions in any category which are serious contenders they will bring them in for the next round. All shortlisted entrants will then be contacted by email and a public announcement will be made via email, social channels and through our website.
Final Judging
Following initial judging, the external APA committee members will discuss and review each of the shortlisted submissions. The committee will have the opportunity to preview all submissions before judging commences. Each entry is then scored and deliberated over to determine the final outcome. In the event of multiple entries being tied, the judging committee will discuss the merits of each of the entries to come to a final decision.
Winners Announcements
The winning entry from each category will be announced at the APA Event at Bodriggy Brewpub and through our social media platforms, email database and website. The top 10 submissions from each category will also be published in the 2023 APA Annual.
Other judging considerations
Administrators and employees of Photo Collective are not allowed to enter Australian Photography Awards. Neither is the judging committee for Australian Photography Awards allowed to enter. We are committed to ensuring that all entrants are treated equally regardless of their background or notoriety. We ensure our committee is held to the highest standard of ethics and every submission is treated with the same amount of time and respect. When discussing the shortlist, if committee members know the image or creator, they will acknowledge this briefly before presenting their ideas and thoughts so that this can be taken into consideration.
Pricing
Single entry cost is AUD$28
To enter Student or Junior, entrants complete a paid submission in any of the other categories. During the submission process, you can opt into the Student or Junior Award by selecting the check box. At this point entries will be automatically submitted to the Student or Junior Award alongside the chosen category at no additional cost. E.g. an image entered into the Portrait Category will cost AUD$28 and will also go into the Student or Junior Category at no additional cost.
2023 Committee
APA Annual Publication
Cover images by Chris Round and Claudia Messenger, APA 2021 & 2020 Finalists.
The APA Annual is a publication highlighting the best from Australian photographers around the world.
Featured in 2023 APA Annual will be the top 10 winning and finalist imagery from the 2023 Australian Photography Awards. Through the seven main categories, the APA Annual will present a diverse range of perspectives and photographic practices to form a thorough survey of contemporary Australian photography. The APA Annual is as much a celebration of photography as it is a documentation of the year that was.
The APA Annual is created in collaboration with Momento Pro.
