The 4th  Annual International Loupe Awards  consists of 8 open categories, 3 amateur categories and the exciting introduction of the world’s first Medium Format Fine Art Prize (winners to be announced early 2012). It is one of the world’s richest photographic competitions, and this year attracted over 4500 entries from around the world.

The 2011 International Loupe Awards Open Image if the Year, ‘Darter (Anhinga Melanogaster)’  is by Sydney professional photographer Jackie Dean , who receives US$20,000 in cash and a pair of Sonic Blades from Liquid Base.

Jackie Dean

Jackie is a multi award-winning photographer and past Director and National Board member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography 2002-2010. She operates a commercial photographic business specializing in architecture, as well as lecturing part-time in commercial photo imaging. Of the winning photograph Jackie says, ‘I photographed this magnificent female Darter at Doraís Creek, Morisset, NSW whilst on assignment photographing a large architecturally designed house. The creek ran along the bottom of the garden where I was quite mesmerized by the female Darter with her 5 chicks in a tree. I waited patiently for her to walk to the end of the bough of the tree and she opened her wings and just seemed to pose for me. To everyone who entered the International Loupe Awards we are all winners as photography makes us more aware of the world in which we live.’

The 2011 International Loupe Awards Amateur Image of the Year, ‘Lighting the Landscape’ is by amateur photographer Vi Wilson from Queensland, Australia. Vi wins a huge prize package from Kayell Australia consisting of an Elinchrom BX-Ri 500/500 Studio Flash Kit, Epson R3880 A2 Desktop Printer, $500 worth of Canson Infinity Photo and Fine Art Inkjet Papers, Lastolite TriFlip 8 in 1 75cm Deluxe Kit, Drobo 4 Bay Storage Robot data backup, Spyder3Studio SR and a Spyder Checkr by Datacolor. Vi says, ‘The morning I took that photo was unbelievably special. I was alone with nature with no one or anything there to bother me. I had been shooting some landscapes with another photographer for the previous three days, and I almost decided to sleep in. Glad I didn’t as it had snowed during the night and everything was lightly dusted with snow. By the time I got to the location the sun had barely risen, then the light raked across the fields of stubble creating a subtle golden glow. It was magic and I think for the first time I knew what I had to do, how to capture it and what I would do with it later (not a lot I might add).’ Vi adds she has been motivated by comments made by Grand Master of Photography Peter Eastway, who said, ‘Hard to develop a style without pre-visualization…hard to pre-visualize without knowing what you want…hard to create without knowing what is possible.’

Vi Wilson

The 2011 International Loupe Awards is proudly supported by Kayell Australia, Epson Australia, F-Stop, Better Photography Magazine, Genius Printing, Lastolite Professional, Mentem Learn, Datacolor Spyder, Drobo, Elinchrom, AIPP, Canson and Sofitel Luxury Hotels.

Previous winning and highly ranked images from the 2008, 2009 and 2010 competitions can be seen on the website www.loupeawards.com

Below are the top ranked images.