Call to enter Profoto Awards

The Profoto Awards are a showcase of the best images of southern Africa's renowned and undiscovered professional photographers and photography students. From architecture to portraiture and fine art to photojournalism, the Profoto Awards by Sony will be the benchmark of professional excellence that the PPSA aspire to achieve.

Featuring 15 different categories, both professional photographers practising in southern Africa and students enrolled in full-time photography courses that are at least one year in duration may enter images until 15 December 2008. The southern African region includes South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

All entries will be judged by a panel of experts, which will comprise photographers who have expert knowledge of the various fields of photography, picture editors, graphic designers, gallery experts and various luminaries within the photographic industry.

Categories

In all Single Entry categories, gold, silver and bronze awards will be made, depending on the standard of images being entered. In the Professional Portfolio category, as well as the Student Portfolio category, gold and silver awards will be made, also depending on the standard of work being entered. Judges will also select the Image of the Year and Portfolio of the Year. A Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to a selected PPSA professional photographer who has made a significant contribution to photography in Southern Africa.

During the judging of the Profoto Awards by Sony , the public will be invited to predict which image will be voted Image of the Year. The final judging will take place in January 2009, when the finalists' images will be screened on High Definition BRAVIA LCD TVs at Sony's head office in Midrand. The winners will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony in Johannesburg in March 2009.

Following the awards ceremony, the finalists' images will be exhibited at local shopping malls during a roadshow across the country, 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 on the Internet.

Enter online at www.profotoawards.co.za.