WPPI Judge and Speaker Luke Edmonson Wins Big in Australia

September 25, 2014

By Laura Brauer

All Photos © Luke Edmonson

All Photos © Luke Edmonson

One of WPPI‘s own Luke Edmonson defied the odds recently in becoming the only American to receive an “International Photographer of the Year” award at the 2014 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards held in Melbourne, September 12 to 14. Congratulations, Luke! (And let us send belated kudos to Malaysian photographer and WPPI member Edward Tan, who won the same award last year.) Way to go, WPPI shooters!

The award-winning images submitted by the Dallas-based photographer, a veteran WPPI speaker and Print Comp judge, included a mix of wedding, portrait and fashion entries.

EdmonsonLOS-004“I never would have entered this competition if it weren’t for the relationships we’ve made with the Aussies through WPPI,” Edmonson says. “I know that winning had a great deal to do with what I’ve learned through competing and judging for WPPI. It goes hand in hand.”

EdmonsonLOS-003Edmonson recalls sitting at the WPPI awards night year after year and hearing all of the Grand and top award winners’ names being announced and that time after time, they were from Australia.

“Names like Ghionis, Ancora, Schembri, Yervant, Bell, Adamopoulos, Brown, Hewitt, Eastway and on and on and on,” Edmonson says with a laugh. But, he adds more seriously, “This passionate collective of artists weren’t just setting the bar higher for themselves, they were setting it higher for all of us!

EdmonsonLOS-001“While the ‘International Photographer of the Year’ award is meant to honor one photographer, to me it’s much more representative of the tremendous impact all of us can have on each other,” Edmonson says. “Look, for example, at the opportunities WPPI has provided for us—either through relationships we make by getting involved in WPPI or the incredible partnerships they’ve built (most recently with our English compadres in the SWPP). I encourage every member to ask themselves this simple question: If your goal is to be the best photographer you can be, can you afford to sit on the sidelines and not to get involved and participate? Print competition is an investment in yourself. It’s difficult and challenging. However, the rewards will far surpass any award you will ever win.”

Well said, Luke — especially as WPPI’s Second Half Competition deadline is looming (click here for deadlines and more information).

In the meantime, here is the full list of winners of the  2014 Canon AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards. To see all of the winning images, click here. Congratulations to all!

Professional Photographer of the Year – James Simmons
Advertising Photographer of the Year – Matthew Everingham
Australian Birth Photographer of the Year – Victoria Berekmeri
Australian Fashion Photographer of the Year – Peter Coulson
Australian Commercial Photographer of the Year – Aran Anderson
Sport Photographer of the Year – Matt Palmer
Travel Photographer of the Year – Nick Rains
Landscape Photographer of the Year – Ricardo Da Cunha
Science Environment & Nature Photographer of the Year – Joshua Holko
Documentary Photographer of the Year – Anthony McKee
Illustrative Photographer of the Year – Keren Dobia
Portrait Photographer of the Year – Peter Rossi
Family Photographer of the Year – Kelly Brown
Wedding Photographer of the Year – James Simmons
Creative Photographer of the Year – Kirsten Graham
Student Photographer Of The Year – Jacqui Hogan
Emerging Photographer Of The Year – Adam Williams
International Photographer Of The Year – Luke Edmonson
Tertiary Photography Institution Of The Year – Photography Studies College – Melbourne
Highest Scoring Image Award – Kelly Gerdes
Album of the Year Award – Nadine Saacks
Book Award – Peter Eastway