Paul Hill
After he worked as a newspaper reporter and climbing instructor, Paul became a freelance photographer in 1965. He photographed regularly for The Guardian and The Observer and became director of the Creative Photography course at Trent Polytechnic, Nottingham in 1976 - forerunner to all current student-centered higher education courses in the medium. Another notable achievement around this time was the establishment, with his wife, Angela, of The Photographers’ Place – the UK’s first residential photography workshop - at their Peak District home.
He has written two books on photography Approaching Photography and Dialogue with Photography and has had two monographs White Peak Dark Peak and Corridor of Uncertainty published. Exhibiting regularly since 1970 in the British Isles and internationally Paul was the first art photographer to receive an MBE for services to photography and the first professor of photographic practice in a British university.
Richard Maxted
"I hope entries are well thought out, and the brief is read thoroughly - I want to be surprised! The brief sounds easy, but it is quite hard as the photographer has to do proper research with their props and get some really good stuff. I expect images to be technically excellent, and for the photographer to have a think about why they are using that particular prop.
When I was a student, I entered and thought it was a great competition, the only competition of any worth. I went on to win the Assistant Awards in 1999, which helped me to launch my career. This competition is the only one with judges who are all photographers.The AOP are not a magazine or a camera company, they are an organisation for photographers - they know what they're doing!
I know people who have won the student awards, who have gone on to be successful photographers. They don't just talk about it - they do it!."
Tim Flach
Over the past decade, Flach's work has increasingly focused on animals, ranging widely across species but united by a distinctive style that is derived from his concerns with anthropomorphism and anthropocentrism. His interests lie in the way humans shape animals, and shape their meaning. He has three major bodies of work: More Than Human, Dogs Gods, and Equus. Through the related books and exhibitions, Flach has attracted international interest. His images have been acquired by major public and private collections.
Commissions by leading editorial and commercial clients have also garnered multiple awards, including three Cannes Lions. He has won the International Photography Award's Professional Photographer of the Year for fine art, and in 2013 was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from Norwich University of the Arts, in recognition of his contribution to photography.
"I’m looking forward to see the quality of entrants in this year’s award. I’m hoping to see in this category images that demonstrate an understanding of the importance of imagery in conveying the more prominent ideas and concepts today, animal conservation included. The winning image should be one that clearly engages and supports the values of the organisation chosen.”