JUDGES

Susan Stripling

Susan has been shooting for over 20 years and her work has been published in Inside Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Grace Ormonde Wedding Style, Modern Bride, Town and Country Weddings, the New York Times, New York Post, Rangerfinder, PDN, and in ads and advertorials for Nikon USA, Epson and Canon USA.

Susan has been named an Explorer of Light by Canon USA, an educator for Photo Plus, WPPI, PPA, Mystic Seminars, Portrait Masters, and Creative Live. She has been named one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world by American Photo Magazine.
Susan also the founder of The Wedding School, which strives to bring real, honest education to wedding photographers worldwide.

Website: www.susanstripling.com
Instagram: @susanstriplingphotography

Lakin Ogunbanwo

Working at the confluence of fashion photography and classical portraiture, Nigerian photographer Lakin Ogunbanwo creates enigmatic portraits with an erotic and subversive undertone. His subjects exist defiantly in the frame often framed by shadow, drapery and foliage.

His use of colour and bold compositions are influenced by the traditions African studio photography although form and silhouette are also key stylistic traits. Central to Ogunbanwo’s artistic investigation, is his desire to document the culture of Lagos; expand the contemporary African visual archive; and portray self-represented African narratives.

Website: www.lakinogunbanwo.com
Instagram: @lakinogunbanwo

Matt Granger

Matt is an Australian portrait and travel photographer and photo educator. Over the past 15 years Matt has built an international audience via his YouTube channel, and now runs photo tours, workshops and events year-round.

He also runs two online photography schools with thousands of students from beginner to advanced.

Website: www.learn.mattgranger.com
Instagram: @_mattgranger
YouTube: youtube.com/mattgranger

 

Sofiia Vinnichenko

Sofiia is a Ukrainian artist born and raised in Kyiv Ukraine, though is currently living and working in London, UK. Her artistic practice, which includes collage and alternative printing techniques, is primarily based on photography. 

Sofiia's work has been showcased in solo exhibitions in Germany and Ukraine, including "fiftyfifty" in Düsseldorf and the Gallery at the Kyiv School of Photography, and is held in private collections worldwide. She has also participated in group exhibitions, including TYME x Art Biesenthal in Berlin,  Im Impro97-Photo+ Düsseldorf – Biennale for Visual and Sonic Media in Düsseldorf, and "New Seeds" by Float Magazine in the USA. Her work was also featured in an auction at Laube Gallery in Karlsruhe, Germany (2022).

Instagram: @vnnchenko

 

Matthew Ho

Matthew is a multi-disciplinary artist with a reputation for working in the fashion space and with creative brands.
With a background in architecture, this discipline continues to inform and craft his work in photography.
Being British-Born Chinese, his work aims to bring more representation to the BESEA Creative community.

Website: www.matthewho.co.uk
Instagram: @itsmatthewho

 

Michael Chinnici

Michael is a New York-based photographer, author, creative director, and designer. He specializes in documentary photography, including visual storytelling, environmental portraits, and people. He has recently published his first book Vanishing Cuba that consists of over 300 images from 24 trips.

Michael is also the founder and CEO of Photo Workshop Adventures, a premier photography workshop and tour company offering photo-centric cultural adventures in over 150 destinations in over 50 countries.

Website: www.michaelchinnici.com
Instagram: @michaelchinnici

Alice Zilberberg

Alice is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning Israeli artist, recognized by curators, collectors, and art patrons across the globe.
The winner of numerous prestigious competitions, her accolades include receiving the Hasselblad Masters award, as well as 1st place titles in competitions such as the International Photography Awards, the Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, and the Fine Art Photography Awards.

Her work has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, next to renowned artists such as Ansel Adams, and Imogen Cunningham. She has been interviewed and featured in publications and platforms such as MTV, Breakfast Television, and CBC.

Website: www.alicezilberberg.com
Instagram: @alicezilberberg

 

Michael Schulz

Michael started his Instagram account “Berlinstagram” in 2010, quickly gaining a following with his candid photos of Berlin. As he transitioned to travel photography, visiting over 40 countries, his account grew to over half a million followers.

With expertise in marketing, art direction, and photography, Michael now combines content creation with consulting. He assists various brands in developing effective social media strategies while continuing to grow his own account.

Website: www.michael-schulz.com     www.fill-the-feed.com
Instagram: @berlinstagram

 

Paul Blackmore

Paul is an Australian based photojournalist who is renowned for covering social and political issues in Australia and abroad. Blackmore’s books, work and essays have been exhibited and published widely.

In his latest body of work Heat, Blackmore’s exposes a culture laid bare under an ever hotter sun. Against the backdrop of Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Heat explores the intimate relationship between humanity and the ocean. While Blackmore’s images seeks beauty, they are vibrant and at times haunting reminders of our cultural and spiritual reliance on our beaches. Heat was published as a monograph and was featured in the exhibition Water at GOMA.

Website: www.paulblackmore.com
Instagram: @paulblackmorephoto

Karen Ishiguro

Karen has built a career capturing primarily fashion images for clients that she once only dreamed of. Although her path has had its challenges, Karen is glad she persevered and is now finding her unique voice in the field.

She takes pride in her role as a storyteller, whether working with an ad agency or documenting personal moments, always aiming to convey a story, mood, or vibe. For Karen, photography is more than a profession; it’s a source of deep satisfaction and a way to share meaningful experiences.

Website: www.karenishiguro.com
Instagram: @karenishigurophoto

Carly Earl

As the Picture Editor for Guardian Australia, Carly Earl works with the best photojournalists in the country, and is an award-winning photojournalist herself with over 12 years experience.

Carly's own photography has accompanied some of the Guardian's biggest stories. Her passion is connecting an audience to the voiceless people of real news stories while fostering a creative space for artists to showcase their best work to a global audience. 

Instagram: @piceditor.theguardian.au

 

Yan Zhang

Yan Zhang is a highly regarded, award-winning landscape photographer and a mountaineering enthusiast. In recent years, Zhang has devoted his time and efforts to mountain and alpine landscape photography. Alongside the pursuit of capturing the sublime beauty of nature, Zhang hopes to use his photography works to inspire the conservation of our natural resources and environment.

Yan is the winner of 2022 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Landscape).

Website: www.yanzhangphotography.com

 

Ben Hopper

BenHopper is a nomadic / London-based artist, portraitist and conceptual photographer travelling and working around the world.

His work centres on the human figure. From his first days arriving in London to document the city’s underground fetish clubs, to photographing circus artists dusted in carbon and chalk, to more recent projects investigating shame, conflict and human transfiguration, his work gets to the heart of who we are beneath our masks - and why we wear them.

Website: www.therealbenhopper.com
Instagram: @benhopper