Apple brand Pink Lady has announced the winners of its annual amateur photography awards with Romanian restaurateur Alexandrina Paduretu named Photographer of the Year.
Paduretu’s tender portrait of her grandfather, which clinched the overall top spot, was an entry into the An Apple A Day category. The competition is a global one, with over 5,500 entries coming in from 140 countries.
Also announced at the awards ceremony, held in London’s the Mall Galleries, were the winners and runners-up in each of the 17 categories, which included Food Sn-apping for images taken on mobile phones, Food for Celebration for festive and three different age categories for children under 18. UK-based Tim Clinch was the overall winner of the new Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year category.
The judging panel, chaired by food writer and broadcaster Jay Rayner, included Antonio Carluccio, Prue Leith and food photographer David Loftus.
“We eat with our eyes first. And to be presented with so many extraordinarily delicious images has at times been challenging for a greedy man,” commented Rayner.“These days, technology enables almost anyone to take a technically perfect picture. But what's key about the images we’ve judged and awarded is the content. They genuinely do represent the full reach of the edible world.”
Andy Macdonald, managing director of Pink Lady UK, added: “I truly believe these awards have connected with a growing cultural trend that brings together vast talent and interest in all aspects of food photography. I am very impressed by the quality and range of the work submitted this year.”
The competition opens again in June 2013 for entries into the 2014 awards.
