Neil Cash (Vic), Jonas Peterson (QLD), Jessica Ross (NSW) and Kelly Tunney (ACT) are all first time winners of the 2012 AIPP Epson Photographer of the Year in their respective States.

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The awards recognise and reward the work of the AIPP’s more than 3000 members across Australia and this year’s winners were selected from 2458 prints were submitted by 404 photographers for judging across QLD, NSW, the ACT and VIC with 76.8% of submissions recorded as first time entries.

NSW winner Jessica Ross has been working as a photographer for about 12 years and runs Jessica Ross Photography in Warriewood on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. She specialises in weddings and portraits. Jessica’s work was first recognised when she was awarded the AIPP NSW Student Photographer of the Year in 2002 and she has entered her work every year for the last 10 years.

Victorian winner Neil Cash submitted a series of images from his latest fine art collection “The Shape of Music” which has been 15 months in the making. A talented musician himself, Neil tapped into his musical experience and passion for art to design this latest collection which will go on exhibition in Sydney in May at Head On Photo Festival before heading back to Melbourne for the national AIPP judging.

Queensland Photographer of the Year Jonas Peterson was in Sydney shooting a wedding when he found out that he had won the wedding category of the QLD awards and had also taken out the highest scoring print and overall Photographer of the Year for 2012.

Relatively new to the profession, Jonas shot his first wedding in January 2009 and now spends half his year travelling overseas on wedding assignments.
 Judging for the national awards will take place at the Digital Show, which opens in Melbourne on 25 May. Free entry to the show is available for attendees who pre-register at www.thedigitalshow.com.au website, or visit major retailers such as Camera House, Digital Camera Warehouse, Harvey Norman, Michaels and Teds for a free entry pass.