#PiBinterview

7 QUESTIONS FOR…
Scott Gray

PiB Interview Nº20 | December 2022

Enjoy the #PiBinterview Nº20 in the series »7 Questions for…«, this time with Scott Gray, founder & CEO of the World Photography Organisation.

The interview was conducted by Oliver Schneider for PiB and was created to accompany the exhibition »Sony World Photography Awards 2022« on display from October 21, 2022 to January 15, 2023 at the Willy-Brandt-Haus in Berlin.

PiB: A warm welcome, dear Scott. What has changed in 16 years of Sony World Photography Awards?

Scott Gray: I launched the Sony World Photography Awards sixteen years ago with the mission of providing meaningful opportunities for photographers, and to help elevate the conversation around photography. Since then the Awards have gone from strength to strength, and in our last edition, astonishingly we had over 340,000 entries. Our reach extends to every corner of the globe; last year we had entries from over 200 territories and our 2022 exhibition has toured to more than 10 locations around the world.

We are always looking to help push the careers of photographers to the next level, which is why from 2023 onwards we will be introducing a new solo presentation for the Photographer of the Year at our London exhibition of the Awards in the year following their win, giving them important further exposure. Over the years our competitions have also expanded, to encompass photographers from their first forays into the medium as teenagers, to student photographers and established professionals, and right through to masters of the craft.

How has the pandemic changed the Awards?

During the pandemic, we were driven to find new ways to reach our audiences. We introduced our Stay Connected digital programme through which we hosted Instagram Lives, portfolio reviews, and produced extra blog content to help guide and support photographers. We also created a fantastic film called A Year in Photos to explore the work of our winners in 2021. Of course though, there is no substitute for physical exhibitions and we are so excited to be back this year – the Berlin exhibition is a fantastic opportunity to see the work in person and make new discoveries.

What do you enjoy most about organizing the competition?

Every year it is so exciting to witness the sheer diversity and originality of these stories from across the world. The competition runs for over six months, and we then stagger our announcements over several more months in the lead up to the final winners announcement.

It is always amazing to see how it all comes together, culminating in our Awards ceremony and the exhibitions, where we get to meet the photographers face to face and see how audiences engage with the work. Seeing the Awards act as a catalyst for a photographer’s career progression brings us huge personal satisfaction and it is incredibly rewarding to watch photographers go on to participate in major exhibitions, publish photobooks, and be picked up by the press internationally.

How can photography be the best it can be?

There are several factors which contribute to taking a great photograph – among these are of course technical and editing skills, but an ability to storytell in a unique way is also crucial. Often we see issues that have been covered many times before, but it is the individual photographer’s original perspective and way of telling this story that can make it strike a particular chord.

Do you think photography can help inspire action and change?

Absolutely, photography has a phenomenal capacity to tell important stories and to reach people in a particularly direct way. This is why for 2023 we’ve introduced the Sustainability Prize, a new award which recognises the stories, people and organisations whose actions highlight one of eight of the United Nations’ environmental Sustainable Development Goals. In the past we have also helped support climate initiatives through the Prince’s Rainforests Project Professional Award, and have worked together with UNICEF to help raise awareness of children’s rights.

Many of the images entered into the Awards each year have gone on to inspire positive change and create impact – in our 2019 Awards, for instance, a series documenting the deforestation of Ethiopia caught the attention of the Ethiopian embassy in London, and helped spark a dialogue about how to get these images shown in the country itself.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to win the competition?

Our competitions are blind judged each year, so every photo is assessed purely on its own merits. In terms of practical advice, it is always worth giving real thought to the category into which you enter your work – you might have a great image or series that could end up being disqualified if it is not entered into the right category.

For the Professional and Student competitions which award a series of works, I would say that it is really crucial to think about the way you edit down a project – your series needs to have a compelling narrative, and it needs to tell us something in your own distinct voice. My final advice would be that if you don’t make it into one of the shortlists, the Awards are free to enter so we really encourage you to try again next year.

How do you filter the massive amount of competition entries?

We have an expert in-house team who carry out our initial culling process. It then passes to the Jury Chair who brings the list down further before moving to the panel of judges, who are the ultimate decision makers. Our panel changes every year, and we aspire to ensure a great diversity of backgrounds, nationalities, and professional expertise.

PiB: Thanks a lot for the interview, Scott!

Related links

Exhibition »Sony World Photography Awards 2022« at Willy-Brandt-Haus
Sony World Photography Awards: Website | Instagram
All features on PiB for Freundeskreis Willy-Brandt-Haus e.V. (FkWBH)