Congratulations to the winners of the 2020 Youth Photographic Award & Short Film Prize

Beautifully-composed landscapes, evocative expressions of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent bushfires and mature, sophisticated portraits captured by creative and talented young photographers and filmmakers have been recognised in our 2020 Youth Photographic Award & Short Film Prize.

More than 200 photo and short film entries were submitted by students from nine eastern suburbs high schools for the annual competition, now in its 27th year.

Photographic entries representing broad themes, including new category Strange Days, introduced to represent the unusual circumstances 2020 has brought, were judged by artist and photographer Steven Cavanagh, while short film entries were judged by film and television director and editor Shawn Seet.

This year's winners were:

• Senior Photography Prize - Jessica Mulligan, Ascham School, for her work Channel – from the Water Series.
• Junior Prize - Charlie Bickerstaff, Cranbrook School, for My Brother Henry.
• Strange Days - James Lane, Cranbrook School, for his image Red Days.
• Short Film Prize - Safiya Jadwat, St Vincent’s College, for her work Beauty in the Destruction.
• Mayor’s Choice Award - Charlie Crowe, Cranbrook School, for George at the Diner in June.

Click here to view the winning entries or keep reading to see the full list of winners below.

Photography judge Steven Cavanagh described the compelling winning images as, “Contemporary but timeless, epic in emotional content, totally honest expressions of time and experience and a wonderful tribute to Australian resilience.

“All of the winners are very well deserved. It’s been a wonderful experience judging the prize.”

“It’s great to see so many young filmmakers coming up,” Short Film judge Shawn Seet said. “It was very hard to choose a winner from amongst all of these wonderful films, they were all of such a great standard.”

Woollahra Mayor Susan Wynne praised the creativity of all the students who submitted entries in this year’s competition.

“I’m so impressed by the standard of entries – they are all utterly captivating. We have so many talented local students,” Mayor Wynne said.

“While we have been unable to hold our usual physical exhibition as this year, I’m delighted that we are able to host a great online exhibition to celebrate all of their incredible work.”

The Youth Photographic Award & Short Film Prize is proudly supported by the Australian Centre for Photography.

Youth Photographic Prize and Short Film Award winners 2020

Mayor’s Choice

Highly commended

Check Mate by D’Arcy Richardson Yr 7, Cranbrook School

First Prize

George at the Diner in June by Charlie Crowe Yr 11, Cranbrook School

Junior Category (Yr 7-9)

Highly Commended

The Things We Hide by Sabrina Stitt Yr 9, Ascham School

Highly Commended

Locked In by Romy Ziegler Yr 9, Moriah College

First Prize

My Brother Henry by Charlie Bickerstaff Yr 9, Cranbrook School

Senior Category (Yr 10-12)

Highly Commended

Self-portrait by Hugo Walsh Yr 10, Cranbrook School

Highly Commended

Lost by Arthur Taylor Yr 10, the Scots College

First Prize

Channel – from the Water Series by Jessica Mulligan Yr 10, Ascham School

Strange Days Prize (awarded across junior and senior)

Highly Commended

Winter Shadows by Jimmy Kerr Yr 11, Cranbrook School

Highly Commended

Floating in the Abyss by Sebastian Dunn-Lewis Yr 11, Cranbrook School

First Prize

Red Days by James Lane Yr 10, Cranbrook School

Short Film Award

Highly Commended

(500) Days of Isolation by Isaia Park Yr 9, Sydney Boys High School

First Prize

Beauty in the Destruction by Safiya Jadwat Yr 12, St Vincent’s College