Australia takes 2019 World Photographic Cup

First Cup Win for Team Australia; the United States and Mexico Take Second and Third Place in Competition Co-founded by Professional Photographers of America

The World Photographic Cup (WPC) was organized in cooperation with the Federation of European Professional Photographers (FEP) along with the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the Professional Photographers of Japan Association (PPJ), and United Asian Professional Photography (UAPP). ChromaLuxe and Koy Lab are the sponsors of the WPC.

David Trust, CEO of PPA and Chief Advisor for the WPC, was on hand to announce the rules and explain the competition to the crowd gathered in the historic Drammen’s Theater. “PPA is one of the two founding members of the World Photographic Cup, which continues to get bigger and bigger every year,” Trust noted. “Its purpose is to build friendships and to unite photographers worldwide, and it is doing just that.”

32 national photographic teams entered this sixth edition of the Olympics-styled competition in the spirit of friendship and unity, from four continents. Teams have three images competing in each of six categories. Judges from all over the world – no more than one per country- are specially trained to judge on four criteria: impact, vision, technical excellence, and composition. No judge knows the maker or the country of the image. The top three scores in each category receive medals of Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Top 10 scores in each category count towards their team’s total. The team with the most points at the end of the judging wins the World Photographic Cup. This year, that winner is Team Australia.

Giuseppe Scozzi, CEO of WPC, presided over the show. “All of these images have been judged to be the best of the best in their categories,” he said. “The truth is that everyone has already won because they have been selected to represent their homeland on the world stage.”

The U.S. photographers earning medals and placing in the top-10 in the categories are:

  • Erich Caparas (Gold Medal Portrait)
  • Dan Francis (Top 10 Illustration)
  • Michael Loizzi (Gold Medal Wedding, Best of Nation Recipient)
  • Mario Munoz (Top 10 Wedding)
  • Ben Shirk (Top 10 Illustration)
  • Chris Vander Velde (Top 10 Nature)

For more information and to see the entire list of medalists head to WorldPhotographicCup.org.

About the World Photographic Cup

Founded in 2013 as a cooperative effort by The Federation of European Photographers (FEP) and Professional Photographers of America (PPA), the WPC’s singular goal is to unite photographers in a spirit of friendship and cooperation. A Governing Committee (from seven different countries) has been created to conduct the ongoing affairs of the competition, also supported by UAPP (United Asian Professional Photography) and AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography).

About PPA

Professional Photographers of America (PPA) is the largest and longest-standing nonprofit photography trade association with a 150-year history. It currently helps 30,000+ pros elevate their craft and grow their business with resources, protection, and education, all under PPA’s core guiding principle of closing the gap between what photographers do as artists and entrepreneurs and what consumers want