The AIPP 2017 Epson Victorian Professional Photography Awards were held in Melbourne Victoria this past week. This was the second time in a row I have been unable to attend due to overseas workshop and expedition commitments. I am actually still currently in Svalbard and have just wrapped up seven days of filming on a snow mobile expedition in the Arctic in winter for a new documentary that will be released later this year on polar photography (more on this later – a quick behind the scenes image below). 
This year for the VPPY awards, I split my print entries across the Documentary and Science, Wildlife and Wild Places categories. I was very pleased to receive word a couple of days ago that not only had the majority of my prints been awarded Silver or Silver with Distinction awards, but that I was also the honoured as the overall winner for the EPSON Victorian 2017 Professional Documentary Photographer of the Year as well as being a finalist in the Science, Wildlife and Wild Places category. I have previously won the Science, Wildlife and Wild Places category in 2014 and was also a finalist in 2015 and 2016.
From my previous post on these awards: The AIPP National and State awards are two of the few remaining competitions to actually judge the finished print and they do so using a panel of judges all deemed experts in their respective genres and accredited as Masters of Photography through their years of success in this arena. Prints are judged in a controlled lighting environment and assessed for their content, originality as well as technical craftsmanship. The judging is enthralling to watch and can be quite nerve wracking if you are a first time entrant as the standard of work is incredibly high. 
All of the prints were printed on Moab Somerset Museum Rag. This wonderful paper has continued to remain my all-time favourite stock for fine art photography prints.
Now its time to put the 2017 VPPY Awards behind me and get some much needed rest. In just a few hours time I will be leaving Longyearbyen to embark on my Winter Svalbard Expedition. If you are interested in travelling and photographing in the Arctic in winter and experiencing what this incredible part of the world has to offer then you can read more about this expedition HERE.
Extraordinary Vision magazine is available fortnightly with a kick start free trial. Best of all its only $1.99 to subscribe per month – less than a cup of coffee. Do yourself and your creativity a favour and check it out. Available exclusively though the 
After I finish in Iceland I am heading to Svalbard for a sold out winter expedition to photograph Polar Bears and the landscape of Svalbard in a winter setting. The 2017 expedition has also been long sold out, but I will be repeating this expedition again in 2018 and you can download a 
In May this year Daniel and I still have a couple of places available on our Ultimate Puffins workshop. The workshop is dedicated to photography of the Atlantic Puffin and other birds of Iceland including Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Guillemots (Murres), Arctic Terns and Razorbills. Iceland is one of the best places in the world to photograph Puffins and other Arctic birds in their natural environment. We will visit a number of different locations during this workshop where we will have outstanding access to the Puffins living in burrows on the edge of sea cliffs. We have timed our 2017 workshop to ensure we are in the best locations at the best times to photograph these wonderful birds. We will have hours of golden light under the spectacular midnight sun – ideal conditions for photography of the Atlantic Puffin. We are also heading out to the remote northern Grimsey Island so this workshop promises to be unique and very special. We are now down to the last few places on this workshop before it will be sold out. If you are interested in photographing Arctic Birds this is not to be missed. 
In July I will be heading back to Svalbard for my annual summer expedition to photograph Polar Bears and other wildlife of the Svalbard archipelago. You can download a complete 
In September Daniel Bergmann and I are leading two back to back expeditions to the Scoresby-Sund fjord system on the remote north west coast of Greenland. Both expeditions are sold out but Daniel and I have just committed to repeat the expedition again in 2019. We will be announcing dates for the expeditions very soon but you can register your interest to be first on the list by dropping me an 
In November I will be leading a new expedition to Antarctica – Antarctica White Nature. This fully dedicated expedition is now almost sold out with only two places remaining. This expedition has been specially timed to be the first of the season to ensure the best possible ice conditions. Be sure to read my recent series of articles on 
As some of you are aware I also recently completed a new 
www.WILDNATUREPHOTOTRAVEL.com 