THE level of talent and skill shared between Bright photographers Mieke Boynton and Matt Palmer has yet again been applauded on an international stage, with the local couple bringing home 21 awards and a prestigious title each at the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIOPP) Iris Awards.
Over the last week in July and first week of August, Mieke and Matt travelled to New Zealand to judge the awards which, after Australia’s own professional body shut down during COVID-19, also hosts the Australian professional photography awards.
“There were over 1200 entries, and we both judged a number of categories over the three days in Christchurch, but we also entered 21 prints and all 21 prints received awards which we’re just blown away by,” Ms Boynton said.
“Between us, we received five gold awards, seven silver distinction awards, five silver awards and four bronze awards.
“But the big news was that at the awards night, Matt was named 2024 Australian Travel Photographer of the Year and I was named 2024 Australian Landscape Photographer of the Year; it was hugely exciting for both of us.”
Mr Palmer said the it was the duo’s third time judging at the NZIOPP Iris Awards, with both naming their personal conflicts to remove themselves from the judging process for their own works.
“The first time we were asked to judge we initially declined as we were holidaying in New Zealand at the time,” he said.
“But then we got stuck there thanks to COVID-19 so we ended up judging anyway and it was a great way to get involved in that community for the first time.
“These awards are different to a lot of photography awards out there in that we are print-based.
“Most awards now are digital, but you lose so much seeing an image on a screen rather than going through the printing process.
“The judging is done anonymously, so the print is shown at the front of the room and there’s five different judges who will go up and look and then score it.
“Depending on the results there may be a discussion and rescore.
“It’s a really beautiful community in NZ, it’s particularly meaningful now because Australia lost its own professional body during Covid, but NZ has its own feel to it.
“They’re all really good people and it is inspiring to be around truly world class photographers; we see Australia and NZ right up there on the world stage during global awards.
“For myself, I had one image in that was one of my favourites; I’ve won enough awards in the past that I don’t live or die by results but I was happy with this particular image as it meant a lot to me.
“Not only to receive gold but that the judges really connected with everything I had seen in the image myself.
“We’ve both won titles in NZ before but this was the first I could accept live which we were both really grateful for.
“You don’t often get to give acceptance speeches in your life so you savour them.”
Ms Boynton said she was surprised to hear her name called for Landscape Photographer of the Year.
“Usually I’m pretty confident in my favourites but I went into this year thinking I didn’t have any golds, so it was pretty incredible to be proven wrong,” she said.
“I think each year when you get to a certain level of your craft you get more critical of your work but the goal for me was to print my photos beautifully so people noticed that.
“So to hear the judges comment on the quality of our prints; that was an achievement in itself, and then to even be a finalist with Matt and our friend Anne Neiwand, in the landscape photography, I really didn’t mind whose name was called.
“I think Bright is a pretty small blip on the map for the Asia-Paciifc region, so to take out two Australian titles is pretty special.
“My goal is to one day have our region on the map for just how stunning it is.”
