The Sony Alpha Awards returns for 2019

Grand Prize Winner of the 2018 Sony Alpha Awards, image taken by Ilan Wittenberg (NZ)

AUCKLAND, 27 June 2019 - The 2019 Sony Alpha Awards is now open for a fourth year, celebrating the incredible imagery captured on Sony Alpha cameras and lenses. The award encourages all levels of Australian and New Zealand photographers to enter and showcase their talents and imagery over the last year.

The Sony Alpha Awards has a selection of nine categories to enter in to, including Portrait, Landscape, Nature, Sport and Youth, and for the first time in 2019; Seascape, Astrophotography, Wedding and City / Street.

There is AUD$2,000 of Sony digital imaging gear available to win per category. Each of the category winners will also have the chance to win the overall Grand Prize which is AUD$10,000 worth of Sony digital imaging gear.

Jun Yoon, Head of Digital Imaging, Sony Australia and New Zealand comments: “We are thrilled to bring back another year of the Sony Alpha Awards. Last year saw over 5,000 images entered, and we can’t wait to see what the Alpha community delivers in 2019.

We encourage both amateur and professional photographers alike to enter their incredible imagery into this year’s competition.”

Craig Parry, Sony Digital Imaging Ambassador and official judge for the Nature competition says: “There are stacks of new categories for the 2019 Sony Alpha Awards, including Astrophotography and Seascape, as well as original ones such as Nature which is a personal favourite of mine. Capturing the ocean’s creatures on camera is something I’m extremely passionate about, so let’s see what the category entries, along with all the others, bring this year.”

The standalone Youth competition will run for a second time this year, after a successful 2018, aimed at recognising inspiring young Australian and New Zealand photographers aged 11-18 years old. To enter, applicants can submit photos captured on any device, whether that’s a camera, tablet or smartphone, then upload to Instagram.

Two chosen finalists will each win an Alpha camera and lens and an all-inclusive trip to Sydney, where they will go head to head in an exciting photography challenge to determine the Youth category winner.

Tyson Mayr, Travel Photographer, Sony Digital Imaging Ambassador and official judge for the Youth competition comments: “It’s fantastic to be returning again this year to uncover all of the amazing young photographers across ANZ. Judging last year’s competition was extremely tough, due to the amazing work put forward. I’m particularly excited about this year’s theme, ‘Speed’, and I can’t wait to see what the 2019 entrants bring to the table. The Sony Alpha Awards is such an awesome opportunity and platform for budding young photographers to showcase their talents!”

All applicants can visit the Sony Scene website to find out more information, including how to enter their chosen category or categories. With the exception of the Youth category, eligible images must be taken with Sony Alpha cameras (body and lens). Submissions will close on 31st August 2019.

Finalists from all categories will be invited to attend the Sony Alpha Awards ceremony on 26th September 2019 in Sydney, where the winners will be announced.

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NOTES TO EDITOR:

All entries to the Sony Alpha Awards are free via the Sony Scene website.

Please visit the website for rules and conditions of entry.

The link to the Youth competition can be found via the Sony Scene website or directly via sony.com.au/alphaawardsyouth/

Both the 2018 Sony Alpha Grand Prize Winner (Ilan Wittenberg) and 2018 Sony Alpha Youth Winner (Keely Watson) were from New Zealand.

Key dates

27th June, 2019 - entries for the Alpha Awards open

31st August, 2019 - entries for the Alpha Awards close

16th September - finalists contacted (except Youth)

5th September – shortlisted Youth applicants contacted

9th September – two Youth finalists contacted

25th September – Sydney photography challenge for Youth finalists

26th September 2019 - winners announced

2019 Sony Alpha Awards - Prize and Category Summary

Prizes:

Grand Prize: AUD$10,000 of Sony digital imaging gear

Category Prize Winners: AUD$2,000 of Sony digital imaging gear per category

Youth Award: AUD$2,000 of Sony digital imaging gear

Additionally, the two finalists will each receive a prize package valued at AUD$3,699 which includes an ILCE6400 Premium Digital E-mount APS-C Camera Kit with a SEL1650 Lens and an all-inclusive trip to Sydney for the finalist and their parent or guardian (two return flights to Sydney, two nights of accommodation, travel and food expenses, and two tickets to the Alpha Awards 2019).

Categories:

Astro Photography
A photograph that prominently features the night sky.

• Composite images that do not alter the explicit content of the image are allowed (i.e. exposure blending, colour compositing, dark frame subtraction).
•
• Pure starfield images and night-time landscape images are both considered in this category.
•
• Images captured using a telescope are admissible in this category

City/Street
This category covres any image that documents life in an urban centre. Both people and places will be considered.

Landscape
A photo of a place and/or thing. Photo compositing in this category for technical purposes will not be penalised. Photographs that qualify for consideration in Astrophotography or Seascape are unlikely to receive an award in this category.

Nature
A photo of the living world. Animals, plants, fungi- anything from prokaryotes on up. Images that do not prominently feature living things may be penalised; such images may be submitted as landscape.

Portrait
A photo of a person. Judging in this category will reward photos that reveal more than just the surface of the subject.

Seascape
A landscape photograph that prominently features the sea.

Sports
A photo of a sport being played, or related to the culture of a sport.

Wedding
Photography documenting a wedding. Documentary work related to a wedding will also be considered.

Youth

Photo(s) entered should be inspired by the theme ‘Action’.

To view last year’s winning photographs, including those from New Zealand photographers Ilan Wittenberg and Keely Watson, please visit Alpha Awards 2018.

About Sony: With a diverse portfolio of businesses across electronics, music, film, interactive games and telecommunications, Sony is uniquely positioned to be the world’s largest technology and entertainment company. Sony New Zealand Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Sony Corporation of Japan, and a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Committed to producing innovative and quality electronic products, the range includes BRAVIA TVs, Cyber-shot digital cameras, Handycam camcorders, digital interchangeable lens cameras, Walkman MP3 players, headphones and other audio products, and HD professional broadcast equipment. For more information on Sony New Zealand visit www.sony.co.nz

Product Information: For further Sony product information or stockist details, readers can contact Sony New Zealand on 0800 766 969 or visit www.sony.co.nz.

Images: Product images can be downloaded from the Sony Australia/New Zealand Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonyaustralia/sets. For assistance, please contact the Sony team at Adhesive PR at sony@adhesivepr.nz

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