Outsiders from Warwick Farm storm home in photo finish: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 13 Feb 2006: 3.
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Abstract
The jury gave prizes in 10 theme categories to 63 photographers from 25 countries including Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the US.
[Mark Evans] said yesterday he was on holidays, bored and lonely while his wife was working taking photographs at Warwick Farm racecourse in southwestern Sydney, when he decided to go out and take some behind the scenes shots. “Normally we just do the action, the finish of the race,” he said. “But at Warwick Farm there are all these characters, some look like they’re still in the 1950s. It is more like a country course, it is full of die-hards. I wanted to catch all these faces of the people who go to the races.”
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Mark and Jenny Evans only entered the World Press Photo Awards to receive a free copy of the glossy book of award winners sent to each entrant.
Instead the husband-and-wife team walked away with the coveted award for best Sports Feature Stories for their black and white series on a Warwick Farm race meet on the outskirts of Sydney.
For a photographer, the award is akin to a Pulitzer Prize and only rarely won by Australians.
While Mark Evans has previously secured a Walkley Award for sports photography the only thing the pair had won together was for a netball photography competition two years ago.
The beautiful series depict die-hard racegoers and one with a delicate silhouette of a horse against a troubled sky.
The award means that the couple’s work will receive international attention in a pantheon of some of the world’s best photographers.
“We were totally shocked at winning,” he said. “It is the pinnacle of world photography. It is the best photography in the world. We submitted in black and white because that gives it a more timeless quality.”
Mark said yesterday he was on holidays, bored and lonely while his wife was working taking photographs at Warwick Farm racecourse in southwestern Sydney, when he decided to go out and take some behind the scenes shots. “Normally we just do the action, the finish of the race,” he said. “But at Warwick Farm there are all these characters, some look like they’re still in the 1950s. It is more like a country course, it is full of die-hards. I wanted to catch all these faces of thepeople who go to the races.”
Mark Evans’ boss, picture editor for The Daily Telegraph Andrew Darby, said his best attribute was his dedication and passion for photography.
“His photographs consistently reflect the emotion and true atmosphere in any situation; as seen in this award winning series,” he said.
“We are very proud of him.”
This year 4448 professional photographers from 122 countries entered 83,044 images in the awards, the most prestigious annual international press photography competition.
The judging sessions took place in Amsterdam from January 28 to February 9 and were completely digital.
The jury gave prizes in 10 theme categories to 63 photographers from 25 countries including Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the US.