newppsa

Top professional photographers in Southern Africa awarded
(South Africa, 8 April 2010) – Top professional photographers and photography students were presented with the 2009
Sony PROFOTO Awards, at the Wanderers Club in Illovo, Sandton tonight.

At a gala dinner, attended by many luminaries in the photographic industry, 248 single entries were awarded Gold, Silver
and Bronze 2009 PROFOTO Awards certificates in 17 different categories, while 81 portfolios were awarded Gold, Silver
and Bronze certificates in the professional and student categories. Photography students could only enter portfolios.
Antoine de Ras’ portfolio, “The Life of Brian Ngcibi” (Editorial/Documentary Campaign) was awarded Professional
Portfolio of the Year, and Samantha Davis from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth scored the
highest marks with her portfolio “Expression and Perception” (Portraiture Campaign) in the section for full-time
students.

The entry that was judged “Image of the Year” was taken by Michael Meyersfeld, and the “News Image of the Year” was
awarded to James Oatway. Both these images were entered in the Photojournalism category.
The 2009 Sony PROFOTO Awards, the only competition for all categories of professional photography in Southern Africa,
is a combined effort of Sony South Africa and the Professional Photographers of Southern Africa (PPSA) to promote local
professional photographers, and to acknowledge their talents and dedication.
The 2009 Sony PROFOTO Awards attracted the largest number of participants since its inception in 1988. With more than
6 000 images being submitted, it has fully justified its reputation as the most prestigious and influential photographic
competition on the continent.
The electronic format of the Awards enabled judges to view and judge entries anywhere in the world. Nineteen of South
Africa’s finest professional photography experts, as well as 6 highly acclaimed international photographers or art
directors, formed part of the panel that judged images in categories ranging from wildlife to beauty, fashion and
advertising.
South African photographic experts such as Merwelene van der Merwe, renowned for her fashion and beauty
photography, well-known wildlife photographer Dave Hamman, seasoned advertising and TV commercial photographic
guru Gavin Furlonger, and international award-winning stills photography expert and commercial director Michael Doran,
formed part of this formidable team.

According to PPSA President, Pieter de Ras, the 2009 Sony PROFOTO Awards showed some very interesting trends,
such as the Advertising Category taking second place in regards to the number of entries in the Environmental and
Photojournalism categories.
Says De Ras: “Portraiture was very well represented, and many entries submitted in the Wedding Category were
‘competent and safe’, but in future photographers will have to push the boundaries available to them. With the digital era
now fully entrenched, photographers are obliged to spend more time on experimental work.”
He continues: “Judges were very happy with the outcome of their judging, and all the overall winners were way ahead
of their closest competition. It was especially great to see that one of the stalwarts of the PPSA, Michael Meyersfeld
(FPPSA) won the overall ‘Image of the Year’. He had been participating and winning Gold Awards in the PROFOTO Awards
since 1988.
“These awards would not have been possible if Sony did not have faith in professional photography and the PPSA.
We thank them for the two years of fantastic sponsorship, and hope this partnership continues for many years to
come.”