The 2014 Photographer of the Year competition, presented by Olympus, closed on Friday with a record 1276 entries and 7656 photos entered across four categories.
Landscape was the most popular category with 389 entries, closely followed by nature with 357, black & white with 288 and portrait with 242.
Judging will take place between now and Christmas, with winners announced in the February 2015 issue of Australian Photography + digital magazine.
The Photographer of the Year, presented by Olympus, is one of the largest amateur photo competitions in Australia with cash and prizes to the value of more than $14,000 up for grabs. The overall winner will receive $5,000 cash plus an Olympus OM-D package valued at $1,495. Further, each category winner will take home $1,000 and share in $5,000 worth of prizes from category sponsors Eizo, Camera House, Manfrotto, and WD.
A line-up of award-winning professional photographers will judging this year's competition:
• Jack Atley (2011 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, Winner)
• Tamara Dean (2013 New York Photo Awards, Fine Art Series Category, First Prize)
• Justin Gilligan (2012 Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, New Guinea (ANZANG) Nature and Landscape Photographer of the Year, First Prize, Underwater Category)
• Paul Hoelen (2014 NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards, Overseas Photographer of the Year)
• Joshua Holko (2014 Australian Professional Photography Awards, AIPP Australian Science Environment & Nature Photographer of the Year)
• David Knight (2013 Olive Cotton Award, Finalist)
• Tim Levy (2013 Head On Landscape Prize, Winner)
• Todd McGaw (2012 Australian Professional Photography Awards, AIPP Australian Travel Photographer of the Year)
• Nick Melidonis (2008 Australian Professional Photography Awards, AIPP Landscape Photographer of the Year)
• Mandarine Montgomery (2013 Australian Professional Photography Awards, Portrait Photographer of the Year 2013)
• Anthony McKee (2014 Australian Professional Photography Awards, AIPP Documentary Photographer of the Year)
• Tom Putt (2014 International Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards, Runner-Up)
• Tobias Titz (2012 Moran Contemporary Photography Prize, Winner)
• Louise Whelan (Head On Portrait Prize 2012, Winner, Critics Choice)
Judges in the 2014 Photographer of the Year competition include (from top left) Tamara Dean (photo by Anna Kucera), Jack Atley, Justin Gilligan, David Knight, Anthony McKee, Tom Putt, Joshua Holko, Tobias Titz, Mandarine Montgomery, Paul Hoelen, Tim Levy and Nick Melidonis.