Now in it’s 40th Year. Celebrating excellence in photographic education and continuing to shine a light on the next generation of photographers and image makers
© Natalia Krezel
© Jemma Bloomfield, Finalist 2025 AOP Student Awards, Things category
Whatever your vocation, passion, course or age, we invite you to inspire us with your photography.
This category covers any form of people-photography from portraiture to street photography, photojournalism and beyond. The People category is an opportunity to make visual comments about the human race and its ways. In previous ‘portrait’ categories, animal pictures have been featured but the originators of this category feel that entries this year should feature the human race.
Rather than duplicate possible locations such as landscapes and architecture, we offer this category which provides unlimited opportunities. We promise that we will be as flexible as you need us to be.
This category covers almost everything else. Think Irving Penn’s found objects, Mapplethorpe’s flowers, Ori Gersht’s explosions, cats, dogs, bats and monkeys by Tim Flach, and sublime still-lifes by Richard Maxted and then make something unique and sensational of your own. We can’t wait to see your work.
Alun Callender is an award-winning photographer and film-maker specialising in creating portraits and content of people in the creative industries. His clients include high-end editorial, luxury brands, design and advertising agencies. With a strong technical knowledge and a deep passion for his craft, he works in close collaboration with his subjects, clients and team to plan and deliver definitive and timeless images.
Image © Alun Callender
Photographer Nick Meek, originally from the North of England, has carved a photographic career that has seen him travel the world. With a clear vision of the world that he looks to define throughout his practice, Nick is drawn to a vibrant colour palette, spacious compositions and a craft of light. An antithesis to the scenery of his upbringing, encompassed by grey landscapes and often bleak surroundings.
Alongside his skill to masterfully play with colour, nick constantly demonstrates his ability to wield light and use the conditions of his landscapes to his advantage. With experience in studying his surroundings on his side, as well as expertly paying attention to the detail in which the weather changes and adapts, Nick creates a relationship between the natural world and the observer that translates into playful yet powerful imagery. It’s this essence that burns at the core of his work and outlines his photographic identity.
Advertising campaigns including those for Absolute, Audi, BMW, Heineken, Landrover, Mercedes, Ray-Ban, Smirnoff, Stella Artois & Vespa have earned Nick awards from D&AD, Cannes Lions, Clios and communication arts. His recently released publication, ‘Unreliable Memories’ was shown at this year’s unseen photo festival and selected as one of the best photo books of 2022 at Photo Espãna.
Selected exhibitions
2023 group exhibition, Art Market San Francisco, momentum fine arts.
2022 Unreliable Memories (group exhibition ) best photography books of the year. Phe gallery, Madrid.
2021 Unreliable Memories (solo exhibition), De Soto Gallery, Los Angeles, California.
2020 Summertime ( group exhibition ) Momentum Fine Arts, Miami
2017 Call of the Yeti (solo exhibition), A Chacun Son Everest, Chamonix, France
2016 Call of the Yeti (solo exhibition), Fus Alp, Paris.
2013 Summer Magic (curated by Shelley De Soto), Aran Cravey Gallery, Los Angeles, California.
2012 Adam & Eve DDB (solo exhibition), London.
2011 Young & Rubicam (solo exhibition), New York.
Rsvphrh (curated by Nick Meek and Clarke Edwards), Chi & Partners, London.
2010 Sunshine, TBWA Chiat Day (solo exhibition), Los Angeles, California
Bartle, Bogle, Hegarty (solo exhibition), London.
Selected summers 2006/2009 (solo exhibition), Colette, Paris.
Selected press
2020 “A new print sale is raising funds for domestic abuse charity Refuge”
2016 “Blessed are the meek,” Image magazine, issue 7.
2015 “Nick Meek: just a photographer” (interview), Make magazine: obsession, issue 5, spring
2014 Garrett, Jenna, ”8 million flower petals shower a Costa Rican village in a cascade of color,”
2014 “Nick Meek photographs Costa Rica covered in flower petals for Sony,” Design Boom,
Mar 28 2013 Morel, Severine, “Nick Meek: illuminated transparencies,” l’oeil de la photographie,
March 26 2012 morel, Severine, “Nick Meek: Welcome to Yosemite,” l’oeil de la photographie.
2012 Chalet, Stéphanie, “America Life size,” Le Monde.
2010 Wedgwood, Sophie, “Martin Creed, Colette and Botulism,” Another magazine.
2010 “Nick Meek photography exhibition @ Colette,” Hypebeast.
Books
2022 ‘A High Light Flash of Time,’ designed by Sandrine Mace Krabal.
Self published 2021 Unreliable Memories, published by Editorial RM
Hello, I’m Louise, a photographic agent at Flock, a London-based agency representing a select roster of inspiring and innovative artists.
Before launching Flock, I was fortunate to spend over 15 years working in some of London’s top advertising agencies, which gave me a deep appreciation for the creative process and the power of great imagery. That experience has shaped how I work today — with care, collaboration, and an eye for detail.
At Flock, I take pride in supporting the creation of beautifully crafted imagery commissioned across a wide range of sectors including advertising, food, publishing, healthcare, and the arts. I’m also passionate about sustainable production as we as an industry, move towards more environmentally responsible practices.
Stills
A single image, or series of up to 4 images can be entered, created by a person.
Moving image
A piece of moving imagery up to 15 minutes in length, content is up to you but must demonstrate your understanding and skills within the medium. All entries in this category must reference whether the work is collaboration with another artist be it a director, editor, colour-grader, musician etc., or whether it’s the independent work of the photographer. You may wish to illustrate the creative use of technologies for example AR, VR, CGI or any other technique created by a person.
Innovation
You can enter works of innovation with an example of excellence that illustrates the creative use of technologies and innovations in the production of still images. This can be AR, VR, CGI or any other technique created by a person.
Stills Images or Series submitted online should be:
Only the following format will be accepted for judging:
Finalists’ entries will be displayed indefinitely on the AOP Awards website.
No copyright is transferred to the AOP in respect of any works entered or accepted
"Fujifilm is proud to support the next generation of photographers through our association with the AOP’s student awards. We believe in nurturing creativity and innovation in the field of imaging, and we look forward to seeing the incredible talent that emerges from this competition. The overall winner can expect a prize that reflects our commitment to excellence in imaging solutions."
Denouement , (Series) © Karo Birger, University of South Wales. SILVER Things 2022
© John Buchanan
AOP Student members receive a discounted entry fee.
Gold and Silver winners, along with finalists, may also feature in The AOP Photography Awards book.
I visited Bempton Cliffs for the first time in July 2021, and I was completely blown away by what I witnessed there. The sound was immense. Crashing waves and erratic bird calls seemed to surround me and engulfed the entire cliff tops. As I looked down from the cliff tops, I was absolutely astonished. The sky, the sea, and every inch of cliffs and outcrops seemed to be dominated by Seabirds. The sky was filled with Gannets flying back and forth with food and nesting materials, the cliff faces saw Gannets feeding young, mating, building nests, clashing beaks and fighting for territory. I immediately fell in love with this almost prehistoric looking scene and decided that I wanted to recreate this emotive experience, so I came up with the idea of my multi-screen short film, Bempton. Bempton was filmed over the course of a year, from March 2022 – March 2023 and documents the entire breeding season of the Northern Gannet at RSPB Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire. Each year these cliffs are brought to life with the incredible sights and sounds of over 200,000 seabirds who use them as a space to raise their chicks between the months of March and October. The film, spread over three screens, captures the changing landscape of the cliffs, the fight for territory, and the beauty of the Gannets’ courtship over the course of a year. The imagery is accompanied by an incredibly immersive soundtrack, which is comprised of both an emotive score (composed by Simon Turner) and the natural sounds of the landscape and birdlife.
The AOP Photography Awards are known as the ‘Oscars’ of the photography world. They celebrate excellence in the creative photography and image-making industry.
This is your chance to be seen by leading commissioners and names within the photographic industry.
Check out our 39th AOP Awards FINALISTS and WINNERS
