‘The William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize‘ – (known more briefly as the ‘Bowness Photography Prize’) – was established just ten short years ago by the Monash Gallery of Art but has grown to be one of the most important … and lucrative … photography prizes in Australia. It is an ‘open’ prize and attracts all forms of photography with no thematic restrictions – and entries this year numbered nearly two and a half thousand from around six hundred artists.
So … to receive the email today from Bowness with the news that one of my images has been selected as a ‘Finalist’ was something of a shock and a buzz!
My ‘Beef Barons’ image – of Daintree cattle farmers 71 year old Janice and husband 84 year old Keith Osborne – made the shortlist cut, along with a truly extraordinary collection of work by fellow finalists. (After checking out the rest I’m under no illusions that ‘Beef Barons’ will progress any further in the prize.)
I notice that two of my matey photographer colleagues – Stephen Dupont and Russell Shakespeare – are also ‘shortlisted’, but many others on the ‘list’ are unfamiliar to me which can only point to the wealth of photographic talent that abounds in this country.
The work of all finalists will show at the Monash Gallery of Art in Victoria from September 1st till October 16th – and the big night opening and award of the 25 grand prize money and other prizes will be on Wednesday September 7th.
‘Beef Barons’ is shown below … Thanks to my subjects Janice and Keith ! (The pic has already picked up an earlier win in a remarkably different prize – the ‘2016 Rural Press Club – Excellence in Rural Photography Award’ – and was originally published in the Courier Mail)
(Press Update – since the Bowness announcement various stories have been published about the work of the finalists – including this one at ‘The Creators Project’ which features eight of the shortlisted images including ‘Beef Barons’. Click here to view.)
UPDATE … 23rd July … this pic ran today in the ‘Weekend Australian Magazine’ as a double page spread in the weekly feature ‘Heart of the Nation’ … with a great story by Ross Bilton. You can read Ross’s revealing interview with charming cattle farmer Janice, and see the pic in larger format, at … http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/weekend-australian-magazine/heart-of-the-nation-daintree-4873/news-story/9095105782e96acff07346c557c50306
Image © Brian Cassey
