A delegation of seven Maltese photographers has just returned from London where it attended the annual convention of the SWPP-BPPA, (the top UK photographic association), carrying off an impressive number of awards in the process.
The convention is spread over four days and apart from various seminars and lectures taking place, there is also a trade show that runs concurrently with all the other events. This year’s trade show had no less than 200 exhibitors, amongst which were Attard & Co. Photo Labs Ltd, which was the first local company to take advantage of this opportunity.
Many international top names in the photographic arena delivered lectures during the convention. Malta was also represented here as three of Malta’s top photographers, Kevin Casha, Joe Smith and Albert Demarco were contracted to deliver seminars during the convention and also to sit on the adjudicating panel of the 20x16 inch print competition. This is a new competition instituted this year by the organisers and over 400 prints were submitted. Participants had to submit prints in different categories, with the overall winner walking off with £1000. Quality was superb across the board and the adjudicating process took two days to complete.
The cherry on the cake arrived at the end of the gala awards dinner when the results of the monthly international competition were announced. This competition consists of entries submitted online by members of the organisation during the year. Tiny Malta held her head high as no less than five awards, including a major one, were brought back home.
In the overseas categories: Joe Zammit was declared fashion photographer of the year, Alan Carville carried off two awards in the architectural and commercial categories, whilst Stephen Busuttil won the award for the press & PR category as well as the accolade for best overall photographer of the year.
Other Maltese competitors also had a considerable number of works in the finals and it was congratulations all round for the Maltese delegation at the end of proceedings.
Asked for his comments, MIPP president Kevin Casha said that this was a red-letter day for Maltese photographic art. Having members of the Maltese institute lecturing and judging alongside established names in such an important event shows that where photographic art is concerned, Malta has steadily garnered respect and recognition and is now regularly working closely with foreign associations.
The handsome number of awards won during this event is also evidence that Maltese photographic artists keep proving that they are on a par with their foreign counterparts. Casha, who has steered the MIPP for the past ten years and who will be voluntarily stepping down as president this February, continued that this was indeed a very proud moment both for himself and Maltese photography. He has always firmly believed that Maltese photography could reach these dizzy heights.