ADAM GETS HIS MASTERS!

The Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPAs) came to Brisbane this year.   I always love the awards.   To me they are a chance to test myself against the best in the industry and against the hot new talent entering the industry.   They have been pivotal in pushing me further with my photography, and I always love seeing people receive awards that have worked truly hard for them.

This year was very special for Studio Impressions.

First of all, my good friend, business colleague and a photographer I truly respect – Adam Finch – received his Master of Photography.    To put this in perspective, Adam is only 24 years of age, and has already achieved this professional milestone.  His creative talent is far beyond his years and I am proud to say I work with him.   Congratulations Adam.  It is a testament to your talent, consistency and dedication to your craft.

Adam has been an integral part of Studio Impressions for the past 8 years, and on a personal note it is a wonderful to see him achieve his Masters.  He really is one of the best in the business.

Nitai’s  GOLD

The first gold award in a photographers career is always the most rewarding.  Congratulations to Nitai Whitehurst for being awarded his first Gold award in the first APPAs he has ever entered!  Nitai is a digital artist and second shooter here at the studio and I have to say his natural photographic talent blows me away.   Outside the Studio Nitai is a well respected BMX photographer and it was this awesome BMX shot that got him his gold.   That was not all though….  Nitai also was awarded a silver with distinction and a silver award.   If only I had done so well in my first awards!!  Watch out for this guy – he is going to be famous one day.

MARCUS BELL – the 2008 Australian Wedding photographer of the YEAR

Personally I didn’t do too bad either.   Like always I got nervous and didn’t think my stuff was up to the competition – and I was honestly surprised (and a little overwhelmed) to be awarded the prestigious title of 2008 Australian Wedding photographer of the Year.  One of my prints was also the highest scoring Wedding photojournalism print of the year.    The competition was tough this year with only a point or two between Yervant, Rocco & me.  It never fails to astound me that my images can be compared on the same level as guys like Yervant & Rocco ( www.imagesbyrocco.com.au).

While I was away on the Adobe Lightroom Adventure the Queensland Professional Photography Awards were judged.

It was a very special honour to this time not only be awarded Queensland Wedding Photographer of the Year, but to also take out Queensland Landscape Photographer of the Year – particularly as I was off shooting landscapes.  For me, these two awards together symbolise how the different aspects of my photography have come together over the years.  I started taking landscapes and ‘peoplescapes’, and then began photographing weddings as if they were an entirely different thing.    It was only when I began to approach my weddings the same way I approached my landscapes that my “style” (which funnily enough some called ‘weddingscapes’) emerged, and I began to succeed as a photographer and really start to love shooting weddings.

To top it off, I achieved the overall Queensland Professional Photographer of the Year.   More info can be found at www.qaipp.com.au

Queensland Professional Photographer of the Year prints

Queensland Wedding Photographer of the Year

Queensland Professional Photographer of the Year prints

More Studio Impressions Awards

Not to be outdone, the third wedding photographer and our amazing album designer at Studio Impressions, Rachel Marsden, was awarded Photographic Artist of the Year, with her very personal collection of images.   Rachel is no newcomer to these awards – last year taking out Runner Up Wedding Photographer of the Year.   It really is great to be surrounded by so much talent.   Congrats Rachel, well done!

Landscape Award Images