Photography students win Gold and Silver at AOP Student Awards

First year Photography student Alexander Norman and graduating student Olivia Eden have won Gold and Silver respectively in the 2023 AOP Student Awards.  

The Association of Photographers (AOP) Awards are known as the ‘Oscars’ of the photography world. They celebrate excellence in the creative photography and image-making industry. 

Recognising emerging photographic talent in further and high education institutions across the UK, the AOP Student Awards offer the opportunity for students’ work to be seen by leading commissioners and names within the photographic industry. 

Alexander Norman and Olivia Eden, Falmouth University Photography students, were awarded Gold and Silver respectively in the ‘Things’ category, which was judged by photographer and Agent & Producer at Miss Jones, Ian Potter. Ian has worked with publications and brands including British Vogue, The Guardian, Ikea and Ford. 

On judging the category, Ian said: “It is always a huge honour to be asked to judge any kind of photographic competition, but having little clue what I might be in for, and little forethought as to how I might judge something as broad as ‘Things’, it was daunting in equal measure. However, I needn’t have worried. As soon as I started looking at the entries online, it immediately became apparent what my starting point would be. Does it interest me? Does it force me to stop and look and read further?” 

Alexander and Olivia’s work, which you can view on the AOP website, clearly ticked those boxes. Alexander’s Gold-winning work, entitled I Float Alone, left a lasting and somewhat eerie impression on the judge. Describing the work as “a darkly compelling set of images,” Ian went on to say: 

“This set of images, as unworldly as they are, grabbed me from the very start. What was this? They haunted me a little if I’m honest. There’s something festering and sinister about them, which made an immediate and subsequently lingering impact.” 

Ian was impressed by the quality of storytelling in Olivia’s Silver-winning set of images, Sea Change. He said: “It felt like a positive reaction to recent history, and indeed a reaction to our forecasted future. I found the images intriguing, beautiful and the story of their creation engaging and uplifting.” 

Alexander and Olivia’s work is being exhibited alongside all other finalists, including yet another talented Falmouth Photography student Maya Brasington, at the Free Range Graduate Shows until 2 July. 

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