Warwickshire, UK based photographer Sophia Hutchinson has been awarded the title of International PhoTOGrapher of the Year 2022, after achieving one of the top scores in the annual TOG Awards photography competition.
Winning Hutchinson the competition and crown was a beautiful shot of her Dalmatian, Amber. This adorable woofer looks regal surrounded by faded foliage and a sky backdrop that matches her fur in the subtlest way.
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The TOG Awards is an international photography competition that is organized and administrated by That Photography Spot (opens in new tab), a tool created to provide members with resources, online and in-person training courses and insider tips from multi-award-winning portrait photographer Jessica McGovern.
Judges of the competition comprise Sigma and Profoto Ambassador, Meg Loeks, multi-award winning wildlife photographer Tracey Lund, and competition founder McGovern herself.
With an extensive background in pet photography, lots of images submitted and selected as finalists featured animal subjects, but it's worth noting that the competition is welcoming to any and all forms of photography that fit into the three core categories of Natural Light, Artificial Light, and Fine Art.
The TOG Awards website (opens in new tab) states that there is no subject restriction for entries, and submissions can be of any subject, genre, niche and style. Simply, "We are looking for the best of photography."
The winning image, originally entered into the Natural Light category, was the only image that scored more than 85 points, achieving a unanimous score from the trio of judges, resulting in a strong average in the high 90s.
The grand prize consists of $500 (approximately £380 / AU$665) in cash, a 20×16 Competition Class printed product of the winner's choice from Digitalab, an engraved overall The TOG Awards Winners Trophy, along with a certificate and PR trimmings.
Category and sub-category winners also receive a winner's badge, trophy and certificate, with specific category PhoTOGraphers of the year receiving a 1 x 16 x 12 printed product of choice from Digitalab. Entries that receive a Merit status and score will receive a Merit Certificate and badge.
For more information on the TOG awards visit its website and be sure to check out the image galleries (opens in new tab) and results archive to see the fantastic and highly commended entries from this year's competition.
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