284 photographers contend for China Photography Gold Prize

Application for the 9th China Photography Gold Prize was concluded on April 6. Since the start of the project on January 17, the organizing committee has received application materials from 284 photographers from 27 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities.

The applicants comprised 116 for documentary photographs, 114 for artistic photographs, 17 for commercial photographs, 21 for theoretical criticism, 4 for photo editing, and 12 for photography books.

Since releasing the application notice, the organizing committee has received countless consulting telephone calls and e-mails. One week before the deadline, many people, afraid of missing the application opportunity, came all the way from other hometowns to personally submit application materials. Some even queued for up to three hours.

About 20 percent of the judging panel of the China Photographer Association presented their photographs for the prize. The organizing committee had to rearrange the adjudicators. Nearly 10 percent of previous Gold Prize winners entered into rivalry for the 9th China Photography Gold Prize. Many directors of the China Photographer Association, experts and famous photographers participated in the appraisal.

The 9th China Photography Gold Prize will be awarded to 31 persons, in a ratio of 9.2 applicants for one medal. The awards for creative works are 12 candidates for one. In contrast, the 8th prize was awarded in a ratio of 6.8 candidates for one, and the 7th in a ratio of 5.6 candidates to one.