Off to Work Event Photography Awards 2023 winners announced

An intimate wedding shot was the Overall Winner at the ninth edition of Off to Work Event Photography Awards 2023. The celebrations culminated in a highly enjoyable gallery viewing and awards ceremony at the stunning RIBA at 66 Portland Place in London on Monday 5^th June before Off to Work Event Photography 2023 winners were announced.

Some 200 event photographers and professionals mingled amongst a display of over 120 short-listed shots in the venue’s grand Florence Hall, while enjoying canapes and bowl food by Company of Cooks, before moving to the Jarvis Hall auditorium for a fun and fast-paced awards ceremony. PA Life’s Editor was lucky to attend as a member of the panel of judges.

The prestigious Overall Winner trophy and a cheque for £1,000 was won by Manchester-based wedding photographer, Steve Grogan, whose intimate shot of a bride breast feeding her baby while in turn being fed by her sister was a clear winner having gladdened the hearts of the judges. It was also awards’ guests favourite and won the Weddings category as well. Entitled ‘Feeding Time’, the image was captured at Eaves Hall in Clitheroe.

Battersea Power Station’s relaunch event was the subject of the Overall Runner-up, brilliantly captured by Noah Goodrich, while last year’s overall winner, Luke Dyson, picked up a Highly-Commended trophy with his Music Events – Concerts category winner of Chris Martin and the crowd at one of Coldplay’s Wembley Stadium shows. He also won the Christmas Parties category.

The other Overall Highly-Commended trophy went to Katja Ogrin for her colourful shot of the Pride Birmingham parade that won the Cultural Events category. The midlands-based photographer had a very successful evening as she also won the coveted Best Portfolio award.

Venue specialist, Matt Chung, had a good night too, not only collecting the Venues category trophy for the third time with a shot of The Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, but also won the Catering category with a shot taken at the Science Museum. Contrastingly, first time entrant, Emily Appleton, won the Trade Shows & Exhibition category, while James Bridle won the new A Listers category, which featured celebrities captured in an events context, with a shot of boxer Anthony Joshua. Cath Dupuy was named Best Amateur.

All the winning photos will be on the Event Photography Awards website soon.

Off to Work Event Photography Awards are growing year on year

Despite being hastily relaunched last year after a pandemic-enforced hiatus, the not-for-profit competition attracted a record number of entries – over 1,700 images from nearly 200 event photographers. Indeed, the weight of entries for Music Events led to the category being split in two – Concerts and Performers. Moreover, the high quantity pushed-up the quality quotient, making judging more difficult than ever for the plethora of industry leaders on the panel, which numbered over 50 this year.

A further progression saw last year’s one-off Covid Chronicles category replaced by a new Royal Occasions class, which after the Queen’s passing ended up being equally poignant, but also as heartening, with shots from her majesty’s 75^th Jubilee also featuring in the shortlist. The category was won by Jack Boskett with a stunning shot of the now Princess of Wales looking straight down his lens from a car during the Queen’s funeral.

As ever, there was a plethora of pleasing, insightful and inspiring images on display at the awards event, thanks to smart kit provided by trade show suppliers X-Hibit, coupled with the expertise and superb efficiency of EPA production partner Vision Group.

Competition founder, Philip Atkins, MD of staffing agency Off to Work, commented: “Photography does so much to amplify, justify and sustain the events industry, so it’s heartening that the competition is now attracting so many entries, including from agencies, caterers and venues, as investment in photography is given increasing importance. The competition was the toughest ever and the images entered encapsulated the impact, both societal and commercial, of a durable and effervescent events sector, which contributes over £42 billion a year to the UK economy.”

Competition & Event Director, Graham Hill, commented: “We owe huge debts of gratitude to our sponsors and event partners for making the competition and awards event possible. Also, to our array of industry leading judges, who had over 400 photos to review. The competition has been a great success and we are already making plans for the 10^th Anniversary competition, for which entries will open in October.”

Full list of Off to Work Event Photography Awards 2023 winners

More about the Off to Work Event Photography Awards

Off to Work Event Photography Awards were founded in 2014 by Philip Atkins, Managing Director of premier event staffing agency Off to Work, to celebrate the (often unsung) photographers who contribute so much to the validity, sustenance and marketability of the events industry.

EPA 2023 is the 9th edition of the not-for-profit exercise.

The competition was again organised in just 6 months instead of the usual 12, as it gets back on track after a pandemic-enforced hiatus.

Well over 1,700 shots were entered by nearly 200 event photographers – more than double the numbers from last year and the highest entry level in the history of the competition.

The awards are open to both professionals and amateurs.

Entries for EPA 2024 will open in October 2023 and the awards event will be in May/June 2024.