Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer 2022: Winners, Runners-up and Finalists

A huge congratulations to this year's overall winner, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer 2022, Jodi Weisz. The 19-year-old's captivating portfolio, Tension, took out the Documentary category, and then went on to win the final round of judging between the portfolio category winners in order to take out this year's top honour. You can see the full list of finalists in each category at the end of this article.

Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers, presented by Fujifilm, is now in its 14th year and this year saw the competition boast its biggest panel of judges ever, with a total of 47 leading professional photographers and industry experts from across Australia and around the globe sharing their wisdom and experience to help arrive at the top entries.


© Jodi Weisz. Australasia's Top Emerging Photographer 2022, and winner of the Documentary category.
From the series, 'Tension'.

Along with the highly coveted title of Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer 2022, Weisz takes home the grand prize, a Fujifilm X-T4 and XF18-135mm lens valued at $4,578 from our major sponsor, Fujifilm. As winner of the Documentary category, he also takes home a SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (2TB) valued at $549 plus $1,000 cash. Check out his winning portfolio here. 

Andrew Rovenko, winner of the Portrait category, was named overall runner-up for his entry, The Rocketgirl Chronicles. His prize includes a Fujifilm X100V (body only) valued at $2,349, from our major sponsor, Fujifilm, along with a category prize comprising a $1,000 Camera House Gift Card plus $1,000 cash. Congratulations also to Stephane Thomas, third place overall in this year's competition and winner of the Architecture category with his entry, Lines and Angles. In 2021, Thomas was the runner-up in the Animal category.

 
© Andrew Rovenko. Overall runner-up and winner of the Portrait category.
From the series, 'The Rocketgirl Chronicles'.

Only a handful of points separated the top three overall winners, indicative of just how fantastic their entries were, and also proof of how challenging the final stage of judging turned out to be for the judging panel.

Determining the results

In order to arrive at the final result and determine the category winners, runners-up, and top place-getters, a total of 700 votes were tallied. Across the nine categories, we relied on anywhere from nine to twenty judges. For the eight portfolio categories, judges were asked to rank their top five entries, while the Single Shot category saw judges rank their top ten. The overall winner, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer 2022, along with the overall runner-up and third place were determined following a further 123 votes from judges which were then tallied and weighted, with judges ranking their top three portfolios from a pool consisting of only the portfolio category winners.

© Stephane Thomas. Overall third place and winner of the Architecture category.
From the series, 'Lines and Angles'.

Category winners, runners-up, and top finalists will be revealed on the Capture website later, so please keep an eye out. Alternatively, to learn all the results including the winners, runners-up, and top place-getters across the nine categories, and see their breathtaking work, check out the May/June/July edition online very soon, or track down the paper edition from your favourite newsagent in the next week or so. Entrants whose portfolio submissions were Highly Commended and Commended will be notified via e-mail later this week, along with those in the Top 10, 20, etc.

This year the total prize pool was worth over $30,000, with $21,000 in prizes, plus cash prizes of $9,000. Category winners receive a mix of cash prizes and prizes from our category sponsors. Category runners-up each receive a $200 voucher from Camera House.


Jodi Weisz learns of his result of Overall Winner, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographer 2022.
Image courtesy of Inlighten Photography.

Overall winner – Jodi Weisz: what the judges thought

These images do a wonderful job of capturing the craziness, hedonism, and pure joy of youth in images that are intimate and filled with emotion. Every image gives us something different to think about. For some, we’ll enjoy what they show and make us feel. For others, they will cause us to question what we may have done at that age. There are simple images that hit the viewer in the head – and maybe the gut – while there are also complex images that reward the viewer with repeated viewings.  – William Snyder

What is not to love about these images? They take the viewer on a journey with them in each shot. You are part of the heart and soul of the work; you feel the energy and the music; you taste the booze.
Photography is about transporting you to a place that tells you a story in images; no words are needed. This body of work is candid, yet intimate. It is volatile, yet calming. I love it. – Sally Brownbill

The photographer has successfully immersed themselves into these scenes and given us a close-up and personal view. I love the fact that there is no eye contact with the camera along with the attention to lighting and detail to produce a series of images that are cohesive, believable, and fun to look at. – George Apostolidis

To our supporters and sponsors

A huge thanks to major sponsor, Fujifilm, and all our category sponsors: BenQ, Camera House, EIZO, LaCie, Haida, Hnry, Seagate, SanDisk, The Brownbill Effect, and WD. Competitions like this simply aren’t possible without their incredible generosity and commitment to supporting emerging photographic talent. Thank you!

 Check out the category winners and Top 20 placegetters from the 2022 competition below...

OVERALL WINNER AND RUNNER-UP

Overall winner: Jodi Weisz (Documentary)
Overall runner-up: Andrew Rovenko (Portrait)
Overall third place: Stephane Thomas (Architecture)

© Jodi Weisz. Australasia's Top Emerging Photographer 2022, and winner of the Documentary category.

Overall Winner prize:  Fujifilm X-T4 and XF18-135mm lens valued at $4,578.
Overall Runner-up prize: Fujifilm X100V (body only) valued at $2,349
Category sponsor: Fujifilm

ANIMAL

© Phil de Glanville. Winner, Animal category, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: Phil de Glanville
Runner-up: Renee Doyle

First prize: BenQ Photography Monitor valued at $798, Fujifilm X-T200 valued at $1,300, plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200.
Category sponsor: BenQ.

Top 20

1. Phil de Glanville – Sea the Light
2. Renee Doyle – The Entertainers
3. Nicolas Remy – Grey Nurse Sharks
4. Sharon Jones – Small birds in high key
5. Justine Gordon – The pack
5. Jenny Dettrick – Stand tall, stand out
7. Dani Watson – Roar
7. Lucca Rodriguez Amorim – Alone and Dismayed
9. Tim Burgess – Isolated
9. Stephen Noble – Red Eyed Tree Frogs
9. Nikki Kenwrick – Butterflys Life
12. Ryan Ostrea – Monkey Business
13. Susi Nodding – Tails and Bottoms
14. Chris Hay – Lizards of Arid Australia
14. Phil de Glanville – Sea Life from Above
14. Lynnie Hutchins – Dinner's Ready
14. Kristyn Taylor – Pantanal Dreaming
14. Ketut Suwitra – Backyard macro
14. Ste Everington – Ladies of the Reef
20. Danny Lee – Shy by name, not by nature
20. Sharon Morris – Jelly as Host
20. Merrick Bailey – Robber Fly Banquet
20. Andy Thompson – Native NZ Fauna

ARCHITECTURE

© Stephane Thomas. Third overall, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022. Winner, Architecture category.

Winner: Stephane Thomas
Runner-up: John Twiname

First prize: WD My Passport SSD Drive (2TB) valued at $549 plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor:

Top 20

1. Stephane Thomas – Lines & Angles
2. John Twiname – Concentric
3. Kathy Wallace – Museum Stairlines
4. Kathy Wallace – 1 Denison Lights Up
5. Rosie Steggles – Impressions on Infinity
6. Susi Nodding – Koolangka Bridge
6. Christine Rocher – Urban Impressions
6. Jutta Clough – Ninety Degrees of Difference
9. Kathy Wallace – Newcastle Court
9. David Dahlenburg – Light and Form
9. Alan Coligado – Artifacts
12. Ruth Woodrow – Green Melbourne
12. Altmanly Altmanly – Manly
14. Matthew Tuffield – Streets of Brisbane
14. Kathy Wallace – Wynyard Station Interloop
16. Ruth Woodrow – Stairs of Melbourne
16. John Twiname – Convergence
16. Jane Fitzgerald – un-scene
16. Hugo Begg – Layers of Shape
20. Mary Jo Gomez-Jackson – Urban 3 Dimensional
20. Sue Adorjan – Curves and Spirals

ART

© Allen Koppe. Winner, Art category, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: Allen Koppe
Runner-up: Todd Cleave

First prize: 12-month free access to Hnry tax services valued at up to $1,500, Fujifilm X-T200 valued at $1,300, plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: HNRY

BLACK & WHITE

© Mark Davidson. Winner, Black & White category, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: Mark Davidson
Runner-up: Jessica Wiseman

First prize: EIZO ColorEdge CS2731 monitor valued at $2,300 plus $1,000 cash. 
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: EIZO

1. Mark Davidson – Australians
2. Jessica Wiseman – Rebirth
3. Raquel Aranda – Organic Form
4. Luke Fazekas – Train Stations of Eastern Europe
5. Kym Douglas – Still Life Black V White
5. Kyle Hoffmann – Paper
5. Alan Coligado – Between heaven and earth
5. Graeme Gordon – Bridging the gap
9. Max Maujean – Lockdown Shoot
10. Dean Maguire – Deep end
11. Natalie Perrin – Liminality
12. Dean Maguire – SHELF LIFE
13. Juan Carlos Osma – Timeless Ballet
13. Jill Hardcastle – Shadowlight
13. Dennis Rickard – Straight Lines Reimagined
13. Dani Watson – Roar
13. Brodie Knox – Fishing In Vietnam
18. Alan Coligado – Fibonacci Variations
19. Sue Joy – Roadside Weeds
19. Robyn Hay – Round and Round
19. Aaron Stanley – Light and Dark
19. Nikola Blagojevic – Seeing in Black and White

DOCUMENTARY

© Jodi Weisz. Overall Winner, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022, and winner of the Documentary category.

Winner: Jodi Weisz
Runner-up: Carole Mills Naronha

First prize: SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (2TB) valued at $549 plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: SanDisk

Top 20

1. Jodi Weisz – Tension
2. Carole Mills Noronha – Covid positive
3. Paul Bartlett – Visitor
4. Matthew Maguire – Island In My Head
5. Nadja Arold – Sisterhood
6. Cesar Carrasco – Through my window
7. Cesar Carrasco – Looking for a place
8. Carole Mills Noronha – Dementia, Alzheimer's and a pandemic
9. Gem Clipsham – Boys
9. Nadja Arold – As time collapsed in Melbourne
11. Romola Nocum – THE PONTOON
11. Jade Soldati – Frozen In Time
11. Alice Mariette – Coco in hospital
14. Matthew Bedford – Katherine
14. Kwok Aun Tan – Bright Lights Dark City
16. Louise Faulkner – Layne at the beach
16. Allie Lee – Bush days
18. Megan Lewis – Pixi Hut
19. Jerusha McDowell – Horsemen
19. James Russell – Surgery number 4
19. Bec Lowe – Soul Train

LANDSCAPE

© William Murray. Winner, Landscape category, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: William Murray
Runner-up: Dani Watson

First prize: $1,000 voucher from Haida filters, Fujifilm X-T200 valued at $1,300, plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: Haida

Top 20

1. William Murray – East Peak
2. Dani Watson – Land Of Elemental Beauty
3. David Munro – Glacial Art
4. Stephen Milner – Hiding in the Fog
4. Joanne Piechota – Pink Lake
6. Julie Kenny – Jettification
7. Julie Kenny – Harvest in the Wheatbelt
7. Alan Coligado – The dry
9. Julien Visse – Winter in The Rockies
9. Alan Coligado – Deep in the shadows
11. Marley Butler – Mountain Mist
12. Shaan Herbert – Millennial perceptions of the Australian bush
12. Francesca Donnoli – In the Valley of Heart's Delight
14. Dominique Ryan – Look at what the light did now
15. Stephen Milner – VOLCANIC AOTEAROA (Colour)
15. David Dahlenburg – Sand Dune Beauty
17. Zol Straub – By the Lake
17. Niall Chang – Shifting sands through time
17. Kerry Lorimer – Karijini
17. Julie Kenny – Tidal Patterns
17. Heather Mcneice – Changing Light on the Moroccan Dunes

OPEN

© Adrian Donoghue. Winner, Open category, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: Adrian Donoghue
Runner-up: Suzanne Nelson

First prize: Seagate One Touch 2TB Portable SSD valued at $549, LaCie Rugged 2TB USB-C Portable Drive valued at $179, plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: LaCie, Seagate

Top 20

1. Adrian Donoghue – The adventures of young Matilda
2. Suzanne Nelson – Salt 'n' Spice
3. Tim Burgess – Focus
4. Jessica Wiseman – Rebirth
5. Elijah Clarke – Linger
5. David Chiodo – Archiminimal
7. Dani Watson – Lux Artem
8. Victor Hawk – Unity with nature
8. Steven Algie – Footsteps
10. Glenda Gore – Bubbly
11. Jessica Wiseman – Life and Death
11. Ellie Morris – Golden Harvest
11. Damien Drew – Shikoku No Seijaku (Shikoku Silence)
14. Sally Hulse – Food & Beverage
14. Jessica Blacklow – Life at the Baths
16. Phil de Glanville – Chasing Giants
16. Brendan Berryman – Storms Sea and Swells
16. Allen Koppe – Surface Fiction
19. Louise Faulkner – Suspended X
20. Odell Harris – It all happens beneath - what you don't see
20. Debbie Hartley – Winter Wonderland
20. Cathie Thomas – Flowers in Bloom
20. Tony Barbour – Mornington Pier Storm

PORTRAIT

© Andy Rovenko. Runner-Up, Australasia's Top Emerging Photographer 2022, and Winner of the Portrait category.

Winner: Andy Rovenko
Runner-Up: Michael Miller

First prize: $1,000 Camera House Gift Card plus $1,000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: Camera House

Top 20

1. Andrew Rovenko – The Rocketgirl Chronicles
2. Michael Miller – Hair
3. Jennifer Blau – Patricia's Room
4. KAREN SHARMAN – '75', 'A Serious Boy' & 'Not Overly Confident'
5. Bec Lowe – Shades of Self-Acceptance
6. Kate Stock – Cool Down
7. Natalie Finney – Frames from their childhood
8. Aaron Lee Noyes – Reprise
8. Nicole Kearney – Lockdown blues
10. Alice Mariette – Untitled
10. Allie Lee – Growing
12. Luke Mayze – Prayer
13. Asif Hussein – Aftermath
13. Aaron Lee Noyes – The Negative One
15. Steph Pedersen – Performance Room
15. Mark Zaglas – African Life
15. Natalie Finney – Maia Abbas
15. Paddy Foss – A Dance with Light
15. Kerry-Anne de Klerk – BOB THE COLLECTOR
15. Juan Carlos Osma – Timeless Ballet
15. Zol Straub – Mr Fixit

SINGLE SHOT

© Theresa Lee. Winner, Single Shot – Australasia's Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

Winner: Theresa Lee
Runner-up: Carole mills Naronha

First prize: Professional Photo Consultation with Sally Brownbill valued at $440 plus $1000 cash.
Runner-up prize: Camera House voucher valued at $200. 
Category sponsor: The Brownbill Effect

Top 20

1. Theresa Lee – Calvin's World
2. Carole Mills Noronha – Wonder
3. Julie Kenny – Tree of Life
4. Tim Burgess – Colour Splash
5. Madelyn Stein – Skin Deep
6. Richard Tonkin – Still
7. Melissa Crisa – Beating The Heat - Aussie Style
8. Dani Watson – Orbit
9. Kerrie Burow – Sarah's Underwater World
10. Sarah Cusack – PPE Portraits
11. Louise Faulkner – Girls at the waterhole
12. James Cole – Falcon in flight
12. Natalie Finney – Emergence
14. Ashleigh Wood – Mega Catch
15. Greg McMillan – Eyes Wide Apart
16. Nikola Blagojevic – Backroads
17. Steven Manolakis – Archetypal
18. Suzanne Nelson – Mallee Eucalypt
19. Aaron Lee Noyes – Danny
19. Suzanne Nelson – Flourish

OUR JUDGES

We’re thrilled to boast the rather impressive group of top professionals and industry leaders who helped determine the winners of Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2022.

2022 judging panel

Adrian Cook – www.tintypecentral.com
Alan McFetridge – www.alan-mcfetridge.com
Alex Cearns – www.houndstoothstudio.com.au
Amy Toensing – www.amytoensing.com
Anne Zahalka – zahalkaworld.com.au
Anthony McKee – www.anthonymckee.com.au
Belinda Richards – www.frogdogstudios.com.au
Chris Budgeon – www.chrisbudgeon.com
Chris Ireland – www.christopherireland.net
Chris Tovo – www.christophertovo.com
Danny Eastwood – www.dannyeastwood.com
Eolo Perfido – www.eoloperfido.com
George Apostolidis – georgeapostolidis.com.au
Hilary Wardhaugh – www.hwp.com.au
Howard Schatz – www.howardschatz.com
Hugh Peachey – www.hughpeachey.com
Isamu Sawa – www.isamusawa.com.au
John Gollings – www.gollings.com.au
John Moore – www.instagram.com/jbmoorephoto
Josh Holko – jholko.com
Karen Alsop – storyart.com.au
Ken Duncan – www.kenduncan.com
Krystle Wright – www.krystlewright.com
Lisa Maree Williams – www.lisamareewilliams.com
Lori Cicchini – www.loriana.com.au
Lynton Crabb – www.crabb.com.au
Natalie Grono –nataliegrono.com
Patrick Brown – www.patrickbrownphoto.com
Paul Hoelen – www.paulhoelen.com
Peter Brew-Bevan – www.peterbrew-bevan.com
Rankin – www.rankin.co.uk
Ricardo Da Cunha – www.ricardodacunha.com.au
Roland Halbe – www.rolandhalbe.de
Sally Brownbill – www.thebrownbilleffect.com
Samantha Everton – samanthaeverton.com
Simon Harsent – www.simonharsent.com
Steve Greenaway – www.stevegreenaway.com
Steve Winter – www.stevewinterphoto.com
Tim Booth – www.timbooth.com
Tim Griffith – www.timgriffith.com
Tim Tadder – www.timtadder.com
Toby Meagher – www.michaelreid.com.au
Tony Hewitt – www.tonyhewitt.com
Troy Goodall – www.troygoodall.com
Vincent J Musi – vincentjmusi.com
William Long – www.longshots.com.au
William Snyder – www.williamsnyderphotography.com