2023 Heritage Bank Photographic Award winners announced
Heritage Bank has today announced the talented photographers recognised in its 2023 Photographic Awards.
15 September 2023
Heritage Bank has announced the talented photographers who will share in a massive $50,000 prize pool as part of its 2023 Photographic Awards.
The annual Heritage Bank Photographic Awards are now in their 35th year and are one of the most lucrative, and longest running, in the country. The competition’s popularity shows no signs of slowing, attracting over 2,750 entries from across Australia, up 20 per cent from last year.
Rochelle James from Brightview in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley took out the $15,000 main prize in the Open Category for her image, ‘Bonded Three’, showing the close bond between three sisters.
In the other overall ‘Firsts’ Theme Category, Melissa Crisa from Brooklyn Park in South Australia impressed judges with ‘First Taste of Summer’, capturing the joy of her sons playing outside on a hot day.
Meanwhile, Lyn Abernethy from Moura in Queensland was named winner of the Mobile Phone Award, for best image taken with a mobile phone. Showing the national reach of competition, “Day in the Life” by New South Wales photographer, Frances Terlich was named winner of the Illustrative Category for digitally-manipulated images, while Steve Day From Cremorne in Victoria was selected as CEO’s Choice for his image “The Can of Ham”.
Heritage and People's Choice CEO Mr Peter Lock said the awards celebrated the art of photography, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to share their unique perspectives and stories.
“We have run this competition for the past 35 years because we are all about making a positive contribution to the lives of people in the communities that we serve,” Mr Lock said.
“These images serve as a record of our social fabric; one of the reasons why the Heritage Bank Photographic Awards now stands as a significant national competition that inspires creativity around the nation.”
This year also marks the first Photographic Awards as a combined entity since the merger of Heritage and People’s Choice in March.
“Fittingly, the themed category in this year’s awards was ‘Firsts’,” Mr Lock said.
“While there have been lots of firsts, what hasn’t changed is the commitment we have to honouring the legacies that both Heritage and People’s Choice have brought into our merger.
“The Photographic Awards is part of our now shared history and legacy.”
Once again, Heritage has acquired the top five winning entries – Open Category, Themed Category ‘Firsts’, Illustrative Category, CEO’s Choice, Mobile Phone Award - to become part of its corporate art collection.
The 2023 Heritage Bank Photographic Awards exhibition will be on display at the University of Southern Queensland’s Arts Gallery in Toowoomba until 20 October.
An online gallery of all the winners and finalists from this year’s awards can be viewed here.