See what’s on offer at the 2023 NZIPP Iris Awards!

We have a number of awards, with most presented at the Gala Dinner. The Gala Dinner in 2023 is held on Saturday 12 August from 7pm at the Majestic on Durham, Christchurch.

Being a category finalist, category winner, or winning the prestigious Professional Photographer of the Year Award, is certainly an achievement. Selection of the winners is carried out in a closed forum, by a panel of five judges. The scores achieved during the open judging round are not taken into consideration as part of this process. During final judging, judges are assessing the images as a body of work representative of both the photographer and the category. The judges will be looking for:
• Consistent mastery of technical and aesthetic control;
• Innovation and creativity; originality; diversity; strength of communication, emotion and/or concept.

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

The title of New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year (NZPOY) is a prestigious and coveted award, and winning it is an achievement of a lifetime.
To determine the NZPOY finalists, we take the six highest-scoring entries from the three NZ entrants with the highest overall aggregate scores across all categories, except the Student Category. The NZPOY winner is determined by a majority decision, and is awarded to the folio that the judges deem to best represent the above criteria. Once a decision has been reached it is final.

The NZ Professional Photographer of the year 2022 will receive:

• • The Rowan Guthrie Trophy
  • A crystal keepsake trophy
  • A certificate
  • A $10,000 SONY NZ prize pack

To be eligible for the NZ Professional Photographer of the Year award the entrant:

• • Must be a New Zealand professional photographer;
  • Must be a permanent resident of New Zealand;
  • Must have entered a minimum of six entries

International and Australian photographers and students are NOT eligible for this award.​

The title of Australian Professional Photographer of the Year (APOY) is a prestigious and coveted award, and winning. it is an achievement of a lifetime.

To determine the APOY finalists, we take the six highest-scoring entries from the three Australian entrants with the highest overall aggregate scores across all categories. The APOY winner is determined by a majority decision, and is awarded to the folio that the judges deem to best represent the above criteria. Once a decision has been reached it is final.

The Australian Professional Photographer of the year 2022 will receive:

• • A crystal keepsake trophy
  • A certificate
  • A $10,000 SONY NZ prize pack

To be eligible for the Australian Professional Photographer of the Year award the entrant:

• • Must be an Australian professional photographer;
  • Must be a permanent resident of Australia;
  • Must have entered a minimum of six entries

International and New Zealand photographers are NOT eligible for this award.

International Photographer of the Year finalists,are the four highest-scoring entries from the top three highest aggregate international entrants, across all categories, except Student Category.

There must be a minimum of five International entrants for this award to be given.

The winner is determined by a majority decision, and is awarded to the folio that the judges deem to best represent the criteria. Once a decision has been reached it is final.

The International Professional Photographer of the year 2022 will receive:

• • A crystal keepsake trophy
  • A certificate

To be eligible for the International Professional Photographer Of The Year award the entrant:

• • Must be a professional photographer;
  • Must reside permanently outside of New Zealand or Australia;
  • Must have entered a minimum of four entries.

New Zealand and Australian photographers and students are NOT eligible for this award.

Awarded to the entrant who receives the highest score across all categories, except the Student Category.

The winner will receive:

• • A certificate
  • A crystal keepsake trophy

To be eligible for the Overall Highest-Scoring Entry Award the entrant must be a New Zealand, Australian or International professional photographer. 

Will be awarded to the top New Zealand entrant & the top Australian entrant of each category separately.  Category finalists are determined based on:

• • The top three highest-scoring entries from the top three (or more where entrants are tied) highest aggregate entrants within each category (provided there are at least five eligible entrants in the category.)
  • Student Category – the top two highest-scoring entries from the top three highest aggregate entrants within the category.

A category winner is determined by a majority decision and is awarded to the folio that the judges deem to best represent the criteria. Once a decision has been reached it is final.

The winner of each category (excluding Student Category) will receive:

• • A certificate
  • A trophy
  • NZ$500 cash prize

To be eligible for a category award the entrant:

• • Must be a professional photographer, except in the Student Category;
  • Must reside permanently in New Zealand or Australia.

Judges, through consensus, have the right not to award a category winner where the finalist folios are deemed not to reflect the standard that would be expected to represent a ‘category’ Photographer of the Year award.

The James White Award was originally an overseas study grant, established by the 1975 management committee, as a memorial to James and the work he did for the NZIPP. Not only was James a past NZIPP President, but he was also instrumental in setting up the awards programme. Although this is no longer a study grant, it remains a memorial award presented to a first time NZIPP entrant who achieves the highest aggregate score from their top four entries across any of the open categories. The winner will receive:

• • The James White Memorial Award trophy
  • A certificate

To be eligible for the James White Memorial Award the entrant:

• • Must be a professional photographer who resides in New Zealand;
  • Must be a full financial member of the NZIPP (Affiliate or Accredited Member) at the time of entry
  • Must be a first-time entrant in the main categories of the awards (excluding the Student Category);
  • Must have entered a minimum of four entries, with the winner determined based on their top four entries.

The Curtis / Poole Award started in 2009, in memory of two long-standing and colourful characters of the NZIPP, Brian Curtis and Richard Poole. Both were Honorary Fellows of the organisation and contributed much to both the Institute and New Zealand photography in general.

Each year the Curtis / Poole Award is presented to the NZIPP region that scores the highest aggregate from their four top-performing members’ highest-scoring entries, across any of the main categories.

Fully financial NZIPP Accredited and Affiliate Members are eligible to represent their region for this award, excluding Student Category entrants.

The representatives of the winning NZIPP region will each receive a certificate.

NZIPP member Janay Johnstone began her working life as a graphic designer, then launched her newborn photography career in 2015 after the birth of her own son.

A talented photographer, Janay was a vivacious person with a heart of gold. She became part of the Heartfelt volunteer network, visiting hospitals to photograph babies who were seriously ill or had died during birth. Janay and her own unborn baby girl sadly passed away together on March 6, 2019.

This award has been established by the NZIPP in conjunction with Janay’s husband Mark, and her family, to honour Janay.

Finalists are determined based on the top three highest-scoring newborn entries in any of the main categories, excluding the Student Category. The entry that judges deem to best represent the profession of newborn photography is the award winner.

Once a decision has been reached it is final.

The winner will receive a certificate and be presented with the Janay Johnstone Memorial Award trophy.

For the purpose of this award, a newborn is defined as an infant up to three months of age; as calculated from the date of delivery if full term (37–42 weeks), or from the due date if premature.

The World Photographic Cup (WPC) was founded in 2013 as a cooperative effort by The Federation of European Photographers (FEP) and Professional Photographers of America (PPA). Its singular goal is to unite photographers in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. Professional photographic bodies from around the world are each year invited to select and enter images, in a range of genres, to represent their organisation and country.

WORLD PHOTOGRAPHIC CUP (NZ ONLY)

World Photographic Cup Entry Selection – NEW ZEALAND

The NZIPP Team entries are selected from the top-scoring images from the current year’s Iris Awards, and based on the WPC category and overall entry criteria. Where an entry does not meet this criteria, a prospective entrant chooses not to participate, or an entrant does not respond to an invitation within the specified time frame, the next eligible entry is considered.

Three images per WPC category are entered. Only one entry per person, per category, is allowed, but an entrant may have an entry in multiple WPC categories.

WPC entry selection, made by members of the NZIPP Honours Council and/or their nominated person(s), is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

To be eligible to represent the NZIPP and  NZ in the WPC, an entrant:

• • Must be a fully financial Accredited Professional Member of the NZIPP, at both the time of entry into the Iris Awards and the time of final WPC selection.
  • Must be a New Zealand citizen and reside permanently in New Zealand.
  • International and Australian photographers and students are NOT eligible for entry selection.

WORLD PHOTOGRAPHIC CUP (AUSTRALIA ONLY)

World Photographic Cup Entry Selection – AUSTRALIA

In early 2022, NZIPP entered into agreement with the World Photographic Cup Team Australia Association (WPCTAA) to share information from the 2022 Iris Awards results.

NZIPP has agreed to share the image and entrant contact details to the WPCTAA of the top 10 Australian entrants in each category. These photographers will be eligible to submit for selection into the World Photographic Cup Team.

The NZIPP Iris Awards will be a platform for Australia to make selection – however NZIPP will not be involved in the selection or entry process for the Australian World Photographic Cup Team.