Isabella Doherty’s gem wins the 2017 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize for Women

Following a successful launch in 2015, the Maggie Diaz Photography Prize for Women (MDPPfW) returns. The biennial prize celebrates the life of Maggie Diaz, a commercial, portrait and street photographer, recognised for her use of ambient light. In appreciation of her work, the prize aims to attract a wide scope of photographers from photography graduates to enthusiasts with an eye, with the one aim: to impress the judges with their use of available light and compelling content; and, as BRIGHTSPACE Director, Kylie Greer said, “display a bit of ‘Maggie’ flair.”

Isabella Doherty, Pearl – 2017 Maggie Diaz Photography Prize for Women winner

The judging panel included notable photographers Hoda Afshar, Robert Imhoff and Julie Millowick, who selected the winner from 53 shortlisted finalists. On Friday 1 September Isabella Doherty was announced the recipient of the $5,000 non-acquisitive 2017 MDPPfW, to a full crowd at St Kilda’s BRIGHTSPACE Gallery, Melbourne. Doherty’s winning entry, Pearl, is a black and white portrait of her sister.

Doherty she said that 2016 had been a very challenging year and after missing her family for 10 months, they were reunited in the Pyrenees; “I’d been taking photos of my little brother.  My little sister has the most amazing blue eyes – they’re really captivating… and the light from the sunset just hit her eyes and I asked her if I could take her photo and she’s always, ‘No, no I don’t want to have my photo taken!’ But she let me do it and I got the photo and that’s the one we have here today.  It’s funny because it seems like it’s always the last photo to take that’s the winner – that captures everything it’s supposed to.”

Alana Holmberg, Portrait of Natalia – Highly Commended

Highly Commended:
Portrait of Natalia by Alana Holmberg
You and I by Ebony Finck
The Smoke by Sarah J Walker

Ebony Finck, You and I – Highly Commended

Maggie Diaz’s photographs grace the edges of the display of 53 finalists at BRIGHTSPACE, on show from 1 to 17 September. Accompanying the exhibition is an audiovisual presentation tribute to the artist, who died last October.

Sarah J Walker, The Smoke – Highly Commended

www.maggiediazprize.com

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