Australian Photobook of the Year Award winners revealed

The Australian Photobook of the Year Awards are presented by Photobook Melbourne and Momento Pro to celebrate excellence and innovation in photo book creation, and to showcase the work of Australian photo artists to local and international audiences. Stephen Dupont has won the Australian Photobook of the Year 2015 - Trade Published Award for his book, Generation AK: The Afghanistan Wars, 1993-2012. Published by renowned German publisher, Steidl, the judges described it as “a collection of 20 years of photojournalistic work in a war zone – a document of great magnitude and substance. The photographs are forceful, and they’re woven into a design that's sympathetic and doesn't overwhelm the imagery.” Dupont's prize included $1,000 cash and $2,000 in Momento Pro printing credit.

It’s not the first time that Dupont has been honoured in these awards, and in 2012 took out the title with Stoned in Kabul. Dupont’s Generation AK was also simultaneously announced as winner of the Pictures of the Year International (POYi) Photography Book Award in February. Fellow Australian, Sam Harris was also acknowledged in the POYi Awards for his critically acclaimed book, The Middle of Somewhere, published last year by New York independent publisher, Ceiba Foto.

Jordan Madge, a Photographic Studies College graduate, was named as the winner of the Australian Photobook of the Year 2015 - Self Published Award, for his dummy book, Red Herring. Madge won $2,000 and $5,000 Momento Pro credit that will allow him to produce a limited edition book to submit to influential critics and competitions, to share and sell his work beyond Australian shores, and propel his career. He is currently in Japan as an artist-in-residence.

LA-NY by Sam Wong and Jack Shelton and Your love is not safe with me by Ailsa Bowyer were commended in the Self Published category, while Warwick Baker’s Belanglo (published by Perimeter Editions) and Leila Jeffreys’Birdland (published by Hachette) were commended in the Trade Published category.

The next round of Awards opens from 1 November, 2016 until mid-January, 2017. Once again they will be co-hosted with festival partners, Photobook Melbourne & Photobook New Zealand.

A showcase of the winners and finalsits can be viewed at www.photobookoftheyear.com.au