Melbourne photographer wins Sunstudios Emerging Photographer Award

Melbourne photographer and poet Cihan Bektas has won the 2019 SUNSTUDIOS Emerging Photographer Award (SEPA), taking home a $10,000AUD prize. 

Five images from his series Her took out the major award, which was judged anonymously by twelve industry leaders who described the images as "a cohesive series conveying a strong point of view in a provocative, mysterious way." 

Sydney journalist/photojournalist Mridula Amin received the Runner Up prize for her covertly shot series on offshore detention on Nauru, while Sydney based photographer/cinematographer and director Vitor Queiroz received Highly Commended for his work documenting Young Cairo – a South-Sudanese hip-hop artist from the inner-west.

The free-to-enter award offers a $25,000 prize pool, available for redemption in products and services at SUNSTUDIOS.

Twelve finalists across four photographic categories feature in a finalist exhibition running until October 6 at the Atrium Gallery, SUNSTUDIOS Sydney. The exhibition later travels to SUNSTUDIOS Skylight Gallery in Melbourne from November 7-19.