The Istanbul Photo Awards 2022, organized by Anadolu Agency (AA), has announced its prestigious jury for its eighth iteration.
This year’s jury for the international photo contest includes NOOR Agency photojournalist Yuri Kozyrev, Reuters photojournalist Goran Tomasevic, visual storyteller Marion Mertens, former director of photo business development at Agence France-Presse (AFP) Michel Scotto, Getty Images chief sports photojournalist Cameron Spencer, photojournalist Ahmet Sel and Fırat Yurdakul, the editor-in-chief of AA’s visual news department. National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale, who has worked in more than 100 countries, and photojournalist Carol Guzy, who has over 40 years of experience in the field of photography, also joined the jury this year.
Guzy is respected for her work in many countries around the world, from Africa to the Balkans, since starting in the photography business in 1980. Specializing in long-term projects, including documentaries, human interest pieces, news and feature stories, Guzy is currently a contract photographer with ZUMA Press. In addition to being the first photojournalist to win the Pulitzer Prize four times, Guzy has won numerous other international awards.
"Photographers should consider entering this prestigious competition. Awards bring recognition and give images a second life," she said.
"With a newfound awareness of the critical impact of climate change on the environment, the addition of the new nature category is immensely relevant."
She added: "Cash prizes and camera offer assistance for future photographic endeavors."
Vitale, who has devoted half of her professional life to publicizing to the world what is happening in international war zones, has recently been working on compelling wildlife stories.
A National Geographic photographer and member of the Advisory Board of Photographers, Vitale is actively involved in organizations aimed at protecting wildlife habitats.
The photographer, who often shares her experiences in talks and workshops programs, has racked up six World Press Photo awards along with many international awards.
The jury of the contest, which attracts hundreds of entries from professional photographers worldwide annually, will meet online on March 17-19.
The winners will be announced at the end of March after the selection process, done through a platform specially prepared for the contest by AA's dedicated tech team.
Information on all the jury members, all of whom are prestigious members of the world of photography, can be accessed at the website of the Istanbul Photo Awards.
Deadline for entries Feb. 15
Applications are also open for professional photographers until Feb. 15 on the event's website.
Participants can apply with photographs relevant to the year 2021 in seven different categories: single news, story news, single sports, story sports, single nature and environment, Canon story daily life, and story portrait.
The winner of the photo of the year – the first placed winner of the single news category – will be awarded $6,000 (TL 81,300).
The winners in other categories will be awarded $3,000 for first prize, $1,500 for second prize and $1,000 for third. Only first place will be awarded in the story daily life and story portrait categories.
In addition to the awards, this year the winners of single news and story sports will receive Canon EOS R3 camera, while winners of other categories will be awarded Canon EOS R5 cameras.
This year the contest is supported by Canon, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and Turkish Airlines, the nation’s flag carrier.