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Official News Release from Master Photographers Association
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Release Date: 13 October 2009

Image downloads for editorial use: www.newsfeeduk.com/mpa

2009 Master Photographer of the Year announced

Kris Dickson has been awarded the coveted title of UK Master Photographer of the Year 2009.

The announcement was made at the Master Photography Awards in Newcastle this weekend. The Awards are run by the Master Photographers Association (MPA). A packed audience of professional photographers and trade representatives attended the prestigious event held at the Gatsehead Hilton on the banks of the River Tyne. Dozens of the world’s top photographers were presented with major accolades.

Kris, based in Coleraine, County Londonderry already has a host of awards to his name and has quickly gathered a reputation as being one of the brightest young stars of modern photography. His victory this year follows a similar triumph at the 2006 Awards.

It was a great night for Kris - in addition to the main prize of the evening, he was awarded firsts in the following categories: UK Fashion and Beauty, the Mario Acerboni Northern Ireland Award and the overall Mario Acerboni Award. He was also crowned UK Fashion & Press Photographer of the Year.

Qualified MPA members from around the world submitted images for the annual competition and only the very best were short-listed. MPA Chief executive, Colin Buck was delighted with this year’s entries and paid tribute to Kris's success: “There was a great diversity of imagery, and all were judged on the same criteria - artistic merit, good use of lighting, composition and print quality - all the winners were of a very high overall standard. Winning the Master Photographer of the Year title is a huge honour and I’m sure Kris will be delighted with his new accolade!”

He continued: “The Master Photography Awards are a showcase of everything that is great about today's professional photography – creativity, technical brilliance and a willingness to push the  boundaries and show that our industry has a very bright and exciting future.”

Examples of Kris’s work can be viewed at www.lifephotography.co.uk

Jingna Zhang, from Singapore, was named Overseas Master Photographer of the Year 2009. For further information on Jingna go to www.zemotion.net

The other awards presented at the event were:

UK Parent & Child - Clare Louise                            
UK Portrait - Lisa Visser                                                                   
UK Family Portrait - Hossain Mahdavi                                 
David Mathias Portrait - David Armour                                                                    
UK Under 5’s - Lisa Visser                                                                
UK Pets - Chris Astbury                                                                    
UK Wedding - Philippa Double                                            
Dennis Hylander Wedding - David Bryce                                                    
UK Commercial/Advertising - Ian Pickering                                    
UK Landscapes/Pictorial/Illustrative - Roy McKeown         
UK Industrial/Architectural - Chris Astbury                         
UK Travel - Neil Horne                                             
UK Press/PR/Stock - David Kilpatrick                                                                                             
UK Events - Chris Martin

UK Portrait Photographer of the Year - Lisa Visser                                                  
UK Wedding Photographer of the Year - David Bryce                                 
UK Commercial Photographer of the Year - Ian Pickering                                                                           
You and Your Wedding Magazine, 'Bride's Choice' – Paul Maddison
Cosmopolitan Bride Magazine, 'Bride & Groom' – Ewen Forsyth
Cherubs – Chris Astbury
David Facey Memorial Award – Christopher Bradbury
Open Category – Lynsey Thompson
Silver Imaging Award – Dennis Hylander
Epson Award – Christopher Bradbury
Licentiate Competition  - Manuel Thome and Steve Ramsden

Mario Acerboni Awards:
Overall Winner – Kris Dickson
Runners Up - Ian Pickering and Gary Roebuck

Overseas Portrait - Jingna Zhang                                                                   
Overseas Wedding - Stephen Loh                                                     
Overseas Commercial/Advertising - Costas Kyriakides                                
Overseas Landscapes/Pictorial/Illustrative - Stu Williamson 
Overseas Industrial & Architectural - Albert Lam                             
Overseas Travel - William Chua                                                                                 
Overseas Press/PR/Stock - Ryan Wong Teck Yan                              
Overseas Fashion & Beauty - Jingna Zhang

Overseas Portrait Photographer of the Year - Jingna Zhang                                      
Overseas Wedding Photographer of the Year - Stephen Loh                        
Overseas Commercial Photographer of the Year - Costas Kyriakides                       
Overseas Fashion & Press Photographer of the Year - Jingna Zhang

Editor's note:

A CD containing hi-res versions of all the winning images is available from MPA head office.

* Note: this news release is issued electronically and will not be duplicated with a posted copy.

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Issued on behalf of:
Master Photographers Association
Jubilee House, 1 Chancery Lane, Darlington DL1 5QP
Tel: 0845 130 9700 Fax: 01325 357813
E-mail: enquiries@mpauk.com
http://www.thempa.com
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Written and distributed by WPS Media. Tel. 01323 749400
Contact: Darron Hartas