National Award For Underwater Artistic Nude Portrait

Commended award in the 2022 Australian Photographic Prize

The Australian Photographic Prize was a four-day photography conference and awards event held in Melbourne. The aim was to bring professional and amateur groups together in an inclusive environment to build a stronger photographic community in Australia. The event was attended by hundreds and livestreamed to thousands.

The awards side of the event included five divisions:

• The Nikon Digital Awards for amateur photographers
• The Epsom Print Awards for working professional photographers
• The EIZO Photographic Artist Prize for digital artistry
• The Village Cinema Moving Image Award for filmmakers
• The Student Photographic Prize for primary and secondary school students

I entered the Epsom Print Awards and earned a Commended award for this artistic black-and-white underwater female portrait. Entries in the Print Awards are judged by a panel of five award winning professional photographers; they judge the technical and aesthetic merits, and also the print quality. As a photographer who delivers printed artwork to my clients, and working in a time when the printed art form seems to have lost it value to some, this award had very special meaning to me.

I made this portrait at dusk. There was a trace of daylight remaining, and it was fading fast. I set up one waterproof light on a tripod above water at the pool’s edge, pointing down and towards me. My subject was backlight, making the portrait seem like it was created under moonlight. I have a large framed print of this portrait, and it makes my heart sing every time I see it.

The smaller print that I entered into the awards was donated to Museums Victoria as part of an archival collection of Australian Professional Photography.

—Liz

Find out all about the underwater female empowerment photoshoot experience…