DIGITAL ENTRIES MAY BE SUBJECT TO A PRE-JUDGING ROUND:

If more entries are received than can be judged within the 3 days of live judging then the digital entries will be subject to a pre-judging round. In pre-judging a panel of 5 judges will give each image a score out of 100. Scoring takes place remotely in the judges’ own time, without discussion between the judges. An average score is produced once judging is complete.

A selection of the top scoring entries may go through to live judging. This is largely subject to live judging capacity and is entirely at the discretion of the Honours Council.

Entrants whose images do not go through to live judging will be given a final score. No comment will be given. We suggest if you are looking for feedback that you enter prints. If your digital entry does not go to live judging the final score will be released on Thursday 7th August 2025 and will be available to you by logging into the entry portal – https://nzipp.awardsplatform.com.

Those entrants whose digital images have been successful in making it to the live judging will be notified by 30th July 2025.

Merit points towards NZIPP Distinctions can still be earned on images that are not live judged, provided it scores within an award range.

You may enter digital or print format or a mixture of both. Those images that go through to live judging will have their pre-judging score wiped and will be re-judged live.

IRIS AWARDS LIVE JUDGING

All entries are judged anonymously.
Judging is carried out by panels of five respected judges. A panel chair facilitates the judging, which in turn is overseen by the NZIPP Honours Council.
Judges are selected based on their experience, historical and contemporary photographic and arts knowledge, their genres of expertise, and ability to articulate their thoughts.
Judges independently assess an entry, scoring it out of 100, to reach an average initial score. A debate occurs when one or more judges have scored outside of the initial average range, and they make a challenge to this initial score. During the debate judges present their opinions on the entry. Following debate, the entry is re scored, from which the final score is attained.
Entries receiving a score on the cusp of another award range (79 or 89) are immediately reviewed. Judges are then asked to decide if the entry remains at that score, or moves to the next award range (80 or 90).

FINALISTS & WINNERS

CATEGORY FINALS JUDGING

Finals judging decides the winner of each category. Finals judging happens immediately after category judging has finished. The images that go into finals judging come from the top 3 images from the top 3 highest scoring entrants in the category for New Zealand, and Australia, and are each judged separately.

A panel of five judges is carefully selected from the category panel to be part of the finals judging. Finals judging takes place in a closed room setting.

Images are displayed in the finals room as a set of 3 images – one set from each photographer on each wall (or area if the images are digital entries). The scores received in the judging room are not taken into consideration, and print corners or digital image corners are removed. The judges do not know who the photographer is.

The judges are then invited into the room and each has an opportunity to look at each set. The judges are told “You are here to assess each of these sets as a body of work. You are looking for consistent mastery of technical and aesthetic control, innovation and creativity, originality, diversity, strength of communication, emotion and or concept. Diversity you are looking for is not in content but in the skills of the photographer and the way they have used the tools of their craft. You are looking for a set that overall best represents the categories being awarded.”

They are then each given a 1 minute speaking opportunity to say which set they prefer and why – based on consistent mastery of technical and aesthetic control; innovation and creativity; originality; diversity; strength of communication, emotion and/orconcept.

After considering the feedback of all other judges, each judge is asked to write down their preferred set, 2nd choice and 3rd choice in a secret ballot. The preferences are tallied, and if an overall winner is not found by majority preference, a discussion and secret ballot is held until a winner is decided.

• Categories (excluding Student) – the top three-highest scoring entries from the top three (or more where entrants are tied) highest aggregate entrants within the category. Seperate New Zealand and Australian finalists and winners will be announced for each category.

• Student Category – the top two highest-scoring entries from the top three highest aggregate entrants within the category.

NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, AND INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR FINALS JUDGING

The process for Professional Photographer of the Year finals judging is similar to that of category finals judging.

The top 6 images (4 for International) of the top 3 highest scoring entrants across all categories (excluding the Student category) are set out in the finals judging room, just as they are for category judging. The final scores of each image are not taken into consideration, and any print corners or digital decals are removed. New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year, Australian Professional Photographer of the Year and International Professional Photographer of the Year are judged separately.

• New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year – the six highest-scoring entries from the three NZ entrants with the highest overall aggregate scores across all categories, except the Student Category.

• Australian Professional Photographer of the Year – the six highest-scoring entries from the three Australian entrants with the highest overall aggregate scores across all categories, except the Student Category. We require a minimum of five Australian entrants who have entered six or more images for this to be awarded.

• International Professional Photographer of the Year – the four highest-scoring entries from the top three highest aggregate international entrants, across all categories, except the Student category. We require a minimum of five International entrants who have entered four or more images for this to be awarded.

All winners are determined by a majority decision. Once a decision has been reached it is final.

WHAT THE JUDGES ARE LOOKING FOR

Being a category finalist, category winner, or winning Professional Photographer of the Year is certainly an achievement.
Selection of the winners is carried out in a closed forum, by a panel of five judges who will be looking for:
• Consistent mastery of technical and aesthetic control;
• Innovation and creativity; originality; diversity; strength of communication, emotion and/or concept.