2014 Sony World Photography Awards Judge shares what she’s looking for in this year’s competition
You have seen the call for entries to the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards but how can you make sure yours is the photograph that the judges choose? WPO gives you an exclusive insight into the thoughts of our 2014 Honorary Jury members and exactly what they are looking for in an award-winning image.
This week, WPO interviews jury member Isabella Icoz, Art Consultant, Turkey.
To enter the competition, go here.
In your opinion, what makes an award-winning image? What key elements will you look for in the entries to the 2014 Sony World Photography Awards?
I generally respond to difficult work, by that I mean work that is intellectually and politically charged. I like when an artist pushes the creative envelope and takes the medium a step further. The work does need to interest me aesthetically, but I then need to be challenged by it. A work that could capture this would be award-worthy.
What are you hoping to see in this year’s entries?
I am excited and honoured to be a part of the jury this year and to have the chance to see some first-rate photography. I would love to see more entries from Eastern Europe and South America.
What practical tips can you give photographers entering a competition for the first time? Why do you think it is important for amateur and professional photographers to enter their work into competitions?
Given that there is a proliferation of photographers I think it is important for someone entering the competition to carve out a niche for themselves. The work submitted needs to be creative and fresh. Works that are too obvious or derivative would most likely not capture the attention of the judges. I think it is important for a photographer, or any artist, to first ask themselves questions such as: what do they want to achieve in their work? Why are they attracted to a particular topic or theme? How will they capture what they wish to express? How will this body of work lend itself to their overall portfolio, and how can it be developed and remain relevant and still be appreciated down the road? I believe competitions like this are crucial for the discovery of new talent and to afford opportunities to photographers to have their work seen and critiqued by people they may not otherwise have had a chance to meet.
Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter is a British photography journalist, editor, curator, and the founder of *TheAppWhisperer.com*, one of the world’s leading platforms dedicated to mobile photography and art. Since its launch in 2009, TheAppWhisperer has become an international hub for artists of all levels to discover, learn, exhibit, and engage with contemporary photographic practice.Built on principles of inclusivity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, Joanne has spent almost two decades championing mobile photography as a serious artistic medium. Through interviews, critical essays, exhibitions, competitions, and education, she has helped shape and document the evolution of mobile art on a global scale.Her work has taken her internationally, lecturing on photography and mobile art at institutions and events including the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, alongside appearances in the UK and Europe. She has served as a juror for international photography and mobile art awards across Portugal, Canada, the United States, South Korea, Italy, and the UK.Joanne is also the founder of *TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com*, one of the first online galleries dedicated exclusively to collectible mobile art, connecting artists with collectors across Europe, the United States, and Asia.Before founding TheAppWhisperer, Joanne worked extensively in print journalism and photographic publishing, including roles at a paparazzi photo agency and as deputy editor of a leading photography magazine. Her freelance journalism, criticism, and commentary have been published widely in both the UK and the US, with bylines in *The Times*, *The Sunday Times*, *The Guardian*, *Popular Photography*, *NikonPro*, *DPReview*, *Which?*, *Vogue Italia*, *LensCulture*, the *BBC*, and more recently, the *Financial Times*, where her published letters on photography continue to contribute to wider conversations around the medium.Alongside her editorial and curatorial work, Joanne’s own photographic practice has been exhibited internationally across the UK, Europe, South Korea, and the United States. Her work increasingly explores themes of grief, loss, death, memory, and the body.Her current research interests centre on grief, death, and poverty, with forthcoming postgraduate study leading towards doctoral research in these areas.Joanne is currently developing new long-form writing and photographic projects and is available for commissions, editorial projects, speaking engagements, and collaborations.Contact: joannetheappwhisperer@gmail.com)
