For the first time ever, five photographers have been shortlisted for the £12,000 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, the major international photography award.
This is the fourth year that Taylor Wessing has sponsored the Prize. The judges have selected 60 portraits for the exhibition from over 6,000 submissions entered by 2,506 photographers.
The exhibition will run from 10th November 2011 – 12th February 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Christina and Mark, 14 months, 2011 by Dona Schwatz. ©Dona Schwatz
Jasper Clarke for Wen – His shortlisted portrait taken in Hackney is of Wen Wu, a Chinese artist and is from a personal project depicting artists, musicians and other creatives who live in their work spaces.
David Knight for Andie – His portrait of 15-year-old Andie Poetschka was commissioned by Loud for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance to raise awareness of the condition throughout Australia.
Dona Schwartz for Christina and Mark, 14 months from the series On the Nest – Her shortlisted portrait is of Christina and Mark Bigelow from Minnesota in their son’s vacated bedroom. The image is from her current series, On the Nest, documenting moments of change in parents’ lives, and this photograph explores the emotions experienced by parents as their children leave home.
Jooney Woodward for Harriet and Gentleman Jack – Her shortlisted portrait is of 13 year old Harriet Power, a steward at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, photographed in the guinea pig judging enclosure.
Jill Wooster for Of Lili – Her portrait is of her friend, Lili Ledbetter and was taken at Wooster’s flat in Peckham. The portrait is part of a series portraying women in their forties and fifties at pivotal stages of their lives.
