Oscars of World Photography in PH searches for nominees

From left to right Bullit Marquez, Hossein Farmani and Ruston Banal.

The International Photography Awards (Philippines) is looking for photographers who have spent more than 30 years of their career documenting subjects that have inspired, influenced and touched the lives of Filipinos.

The IPA Philippines will honor the Masters of Philippine Photography for their exemplary achievements and contributions to Filipino society by helping shape, mold and maintain visual culture across the country and overseas.

“Since I started the collaboration of twin organization IPA (www.photoawards.ph) and Lucie Awards (www.lucies.org) in launching the International photography awards Philippines, we are also making a Philippine Version of the Lucie Awards, like the one in New York, but this time here in Manila,” said Ruston Banal on the forthcoming collaboration of IPA and Lucie Awards.

“It’s a lifetime achievement awards that will be given to a Pilipino Master Photographer. We use Pilipino to make it really local,” Ruston Banal says on the forthcoming collaboration of IPA and Lucie Awards,” Banal said.

In an interview, Hossein Farmani during his visit to the Philippines said he was impressed with the visual culture of the Philippines. “I believe that the Pilipino are one of the best photographers in the world. I’ve seen a lot of portfolio and works of the masters of Philippine photography are fantastic.”

The IPA Philippines Advisory Board will choose regional finalists each year, using the same process as the main Lucie Awards in the US (www.lucies.org). The image makers are chosen for their outstanding dedication to the art of photography and their humanitarian work.

Cat Jimenez, the producer of IPA Philippines said it is high time the master photographers in the Philippines are accorded honors to pay tribute to what they have done and inspire budding lensmen.

The Life Time Achievement Awards are for achievement in Advertising, Fine Art, Documentary, Events Photography, and Press Humanitarian Vision.

Each year, the IPA Philippines will choose three masters to showcase their work in the Best of Show Exhibition. They will each receive a certificate, a medal and a wooden Lucie statue created by the country’s premier sculptor Willy Layug.

The IPA Philippines intends to become the first ever award giving body that and honors Filipino photographers. It was patterned after the Lucie Awards, which honored some of the greatest photographers in the world such as Steve McCurry, Martin Parr of Magnum, Annie Liebovitz, Nick Ut and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Nominations can be done through the website at https://photoawards.ph/masters/ or can submit the names through email at [email protected]. The awarding will take place in December alongside the announcement of winners of the IPA Philippines and exhibitions of “Best Show”.