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2012 Judges

Each year, the World Photography Organisation compiles a panel of influential photography professionals from around the world to judge the Sony World Photography Awards.  

The 2012 Jury comprised of the following experts:

 


 

Chaired by W.M.  Bill Hunt, photographic consultant
 

W.M. – Bill - Hunt is a New York-based a champion of photography: collector, curator and consultant.  His collection of photographs is the subject of “The Unseen Eye: Photographs from the Unconscious” published by Thames & Hudson in the UK, Aperture in the US and as “L’Oeil Invisible” by Actes Sud in France.

Highlights of the collection have been exhibited at the George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, NY and at the Rencontres d’Arles, Musée de l'Elysée in Lausanne and FOAM_Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam.

Hunt has been a judge or nominator for World Press Photo, SONY WPO, Prix Pictet, Getty Images, etc.  He has been a longtime board member of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, AIPAD (Association of International Photography and Art Dealers), and The Center for Photography at Woodstock. He also teaches at the School of Visual Arts and for many years he has produced the “Your Picture …” panels for PDN.

He loves fresh talent.  He was one of the principles in Hasted Hunt (and more recently Hasted Hunt Kraeutler) and Ricco/Maresca Gallery responsible for introducing many major contemporary artists in the US, including Luc Delahaye, Julian Faulhaber, Andreas Gefeller, Erwin Olaf, Martin Schoeller, and Paolo Ventura.  He has also written for a number of publications and monographs (Bill Armstrong, Mark Beard, Manuel Geerinck, Bohnchang Koo, Luis Mallo, Jeff Sheng, Phil Toledano and Frank Yamrus among others). 

 

 

 

Commercial Jury


 

Prabuddha Dasgupta,  Photographer (India)
 

Prabuddha Dasgupta is a self-taught photographer who grew up in the cultural chaos of post-colonial India. In his two decades as a photographer, Dasgupta has straddled the twin worlds of commissioned and artistic work with equal ease, bringing to both a bold, individualistic sensibility that placed him very quickly in the ranks of major photographic talent in the country. Dasgupta's work has been exhibited internationally, both in solo and group shows, and published in magazines worldwide. His first book “Women” (Viking Books 1996) consisting of portraits and nudes of urban Indian women, was a radical departure from the then prevalent approach of ‘Indian’ photography, and was hugely controversial for its bold content. His second book 'Ladakh' (Viking Books), a personal exploration of India's frontier wilderness was published in 2000. His work is included in many books and publications from all over the world. He is also the recipient of many grants and awards, including the Yves Saint Laurent grant for photography in 1991, and his work is in the collections of many individuals and institutions, like the Museo Ken Damy, Brescia, Italy, and Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italy. In 2009, Dasgupta’s third book “Edge of Faith” a portrait of the Catholic community in Goa, was published by Seagull Books. He divides his time today, between advertising projects for international clients, editorial work for magazines like Vogue, GQ and others, and his own artistic work driven by personal obsessions.

 

 

 

 

Rebecca Lewis, Vice-President and Senior Agent with Arts & Commerce Agency (US)
 

Rebecca Lewis has been working in the photographic industry for just over 20 years and is currently the Vice-President and Senior Agent with Arts and Commerce Agency in New York, a global platform that specialises in photography for advertising and editorial clients.

Lewis founded the commercial advertising photography division within an existing fashion agency. She managers a team of producers and junior agents and represents a roster of artists for editorial and advertising worldwide. She is also manages global accounts for a creative studio in London, and founded and directed a sales and marketing team and contract departments for the agency.

 

 

James Reid, Photo Director, Wallpaper* magazine (UK)
 

James Reid is involved in many areas of contemporary photography, from working on several highly demanding international magazine titles, to curating and mounting gallery shows, selecting and promoting emerging talent throughout Europe.  As long-standing Photography Director of Wallpaper*, the international design, architecture and lifestyle magazine, James has been instrumental in creating and shaping the visual identity of one of the world’s leading magazines. He is also a partner in Field Projects, a creative studio based in London whose clients include ArtReview. The Modern House, Peter Jensen and The A Foundation. Forging strong links with photographers’ agents, galleries and photographic departments at educational institutes around the world, James has helped promote and further the careers of some of the most interesting and innovative photographers working today. In 2006 he curated The New Landscape at The Leonard Street Gallery in London, a group show of emerging landscape photographers from around the world. He is currently curating a new group show for 2012. Additionally, James has been on the jury or selection committee of numerous international photographic prizes, including Les Recontres d’ArlesPhotoEspaña, the Festival international des Arts de la Mode in Hyères and the International Photography Awards in New York. 

 

 

Photojournalism & Documentary Jury


 

Jon Jones,   Director of Photography, Sunday Times (UK) 
 

As a photojournalist for the Sygma Photo Agency in Paris, Jones covered conflict all over the world, including in Bosnia, Chechnya, Iraq, Iran, Somalia and Sudan. His work appeared in such leading publications as TimeNewsweekThe New York Times Magazine and theSunday Times Magazine. In 1999, Jones joined the BBC as a cameraman and producer. In 2007, he joined The Times as the Deputy Picture Editor, before moving to the Sunday Times Magazine as Director of Photography. He is a regular photographic judge and lecturer has taught the Joop Swart Masterclass and has won numerous international awards including two World Press Photo Awards.

 

 

Jodi Bibier, Photographer (South Africa)
 

After completing three short photographic courses at the the Market Photography Workshop in Johannesburg - Jodi was selected to participate on a photographic training programme at the Star newspaper under the late Ken Oosterbroek in September 1993. She continued to work there as a photographer.

Leading up to and during South Africa’s first democratic elections, 1996 was a turning point. She was chosen to participate in the World Press Masterclass held in Holland and started working on assignments for publications like the NY Times Magazine. She also works for non- profit organisations like Medicins San Frontiers on special projects for booklets and exhibitions. Over a ten-year period (1994 – 2004) her own project focused on the country of her birth, South Africa - photographing youth living on the fringes of South African society. This work finally found itself a home in a book - “Between Dogs and Wolves – Growing up with South Africa”. It has been published and released in five countries in 2006. 

 

 

 

Claudia Hinterseer, Managing Director and Founding Member | NOOR (Netherlands)
 

Claudia Hinterseer (Netherlands, 1975) - Hinterseer is the managing director and co-owner of NOOR; an international photo agency and foundation. The NOOR Foundation is a non-profit organization creating and distributing compelling photojournalistic works with the aim to raise awareness, enhance an understanding of the world and to contribute to the visual history of mankind. Previous to founding NOOR in September 2007, Hinterseer worked for over six years at the World Press Photo Foundation. First in communications, and later as coordinator of educational projects all over the world - next to supervising the Joop Swart Masterclass exhibition program and World Press Photo exhibitions. Hinterseer has an academic background in Visual Anthropology and is based in Amsterdam. 

 

 

Fine Art Jury


 

Michael Benson, Director Prix Pictet and Managing Director Candlestar (UK)
 

From 1993 – 2003 Michael Benson was Director of Communications and Marketing at the London Institute (now the University of the Arts, London). He was responsible for establishing the London Institute gallery and for building an exhibition programme that mixed outstanding student work with work by leading contemporary artists, designers and photographers. In this role he created Signatures of the Invisible a ground breaking collaboration with CERN in Geneva that lead to the production of an exhibition of contemporary art that toured the world between 2000 and 2003 when it completed its run at PS1 MOMA in New York. He also led the campaign to secure a new site for Chelsea College of Art and Design at the site of the old Royal Army Medical College on Millbank. He devised Young at Art - a programme of Saturday classes and Summer Schools for London children.

Michael Benson is also a writer and film producer. His book ‘1000 years 1000 words’ was awarded a D&AD silver award in 2001. His play ‘Life’s A Monkey’ was performed at the Cochrane Theatre in London in the autumn of 2002.  His DVDs on Gustav Metzger and John Berger were released in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

In July 2003 Michael Benson left the London Institute to set up Candlestar Ltd whose clients have included Frieze Arts Fair, the Gulf Art Fair (now Art Dubai), the Sovereign European Art Prize and a major project to establish the Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design.  Candlestar’s exhibitions programme includes projects by both emerging and established artists with a particular emphasis on artists from Iran.   Michael Benson is currently the Director of the Prix Pictet in which role he is responsible for all aspects of the development of the award. He has also this year served as a member of the jury for the fringe Art Fair 'Show Off' (Paris)

 

 

Shizuka Yokomizo, Photographer (Japan/UK)
 

Shizuka Yokomizo was born in Tokyo and lives and works in London. After studying philosophy at Chuo University, Japan, Shizuka Yokomizo went on to complete a B.A. at Chelsea College of Art and Design, London and an M.F.A. from Goldsmith’s College, London.

Most well known for her portrait series Strangers, Yokomizo ‘s photographs have been exhibited at Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rome; Spacex Gallery, Exeter, UK; The San Diego Museum of Art; and Wako Works of Art, Tokyo; as well as other venues in Europe, the United States, and Japan. This year, Shizuka's work has been included in contemporary exhibitions such as 'Texture of the Image’, Yokohama Civic Gallery Azamino, Yokohama, Japan and ‘Talent Show’, MoMA PS1, New York,  USF Contemporary Art Museum, Florida.