2009 Winners' Gallery

Biography

Akash’s passion for photography began in 1996. He attended the World Press Photo seminar in Dhaka for 3 years and graduated with a BA in Photojournalism . He has received more than 40 international awards from all around the world and his work has been featured in over 50 major international publications including: Time, Sunday Times, Newsweek, Geo, Stern, Der Spiegel, Brand Ein, The Guardian, Marie Claire, Colors, The Economist, The New Internationalist, Kontinente, Amnesty Journal, Courier International, PDN, Die Zeit, Days Japan, Hello,Lonely planet, and Sunday Telegraph of London.

In 2002 he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass in the Netherlands. In 2004 he received the Young Reporters Award from the Scope Photo Festival in Paris, again being the first Bangladeshi to receive the honour. In 2005 he was awarded Best of Show at the Center for Fine Art Photography’s international competition in Colorado, USA. In 2006 he was awarded World Press Photo award and released his first book “First Light”.

In 2007 again he became the first Bangladeshi to be selected for the 30 Emerging Photographers (PDN 30) by Photo District News Magazine, USA. He won the 7th Vevey international photography grant from Switzerland in 2009

Akash is represented by Panos Pictures, London.

Biography

15 year old Courtney Krawec first became interested in photography after visiting Peter Lik's photo gallery, in Noosa, Australia, four years ago, when she was just 11 years old. The colour and impact of Lik's photographs inspired her to pick up her own camera and begin capturing that elusive image that speaks to the viewer. She enjoys a wide variety of photographic styles and has recently become interested in fashion photography.

Young Travel Photographer of the Year is the fourth International award Courtney has received, giving her very real encouragement to pursue a career in Photography.