Heritage Bank Photographic Awards

Creativity & Resilience captured in time

Entries closed

Entries for the 2020 awards are now closed. The winners and exhibitors will be notified on 31 July 2020.

Into its 32nd year, the Heritage Bank Photographic Awards were open to all professional and amateur photographers. With no cost to enter, this competition encouraged photographers all over Australia to explore their surroundings and capture their own little piece of history.

The awards massive prize money boost to $50,000 through out a creative challenge to photographers facing COVID-19 isolation across the country. The 2020 awards includes the return of the Young Photographer Award along with the addition of a brand new Mobile Phone Award, making it even more accessible than ever to enter.

This year’s awards had two main categories:

Open Category

The choice of subject is yours, so it can be anything you like. Photographers of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels were invited to enter this category where great imagery is everything and creativity is the key ingredient.

Theme Category - Resilience

This year’s theme of “resilience” opens up a huge range of possibilities, limited only by your creativity and imagination. The theme lends itself to a variety of interpretations. It could be the landscape springing back to life after rain; an athlete returning after injury; a community responding after tragedy; or someone’s perseverance in the face of adversity. Put your own twist on the subject – it’s totally up to you.

USQ Exhibition of Winners & Top 50 subject to change due to COVID-19 restrictions

Prizes

Overall Winners

One image from the Open Category & one image from the Themed Category will be purchased by Heritage Bank for a $15,000 purchase price. The winner will also receive their work displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition and a Owen Camera House voucher to the value of $150.

Runners Up

One image from the Open Category & one image from the Themed Category will be awarded a $2,000 prize and a Owen Camera House voucher to the value of $100. The image will be also displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition.

Highly Commended

One image from the Open Category & one image from the Themed Category will be awarded a $1,000 prize and a Owen Camera House voucher to the value of $75. The image will also be displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition.

CEO's Choice

From all entries received, one image will be selected by our Chief Executive Officer, Peter Lock and purchased by Heritage Bank for $5,000. The winner will also receive their work displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition and a Owen Camera House voucher to the value of $100.

NEW - Mobile Phone Award

One image from either the Open or Theme categories, selected that it has been taken on a mobile device, will be purchased by Heritage Bank for $5,000. The image will also be displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition and receive a $100 Owen Camera House voucher.

Alwyn Kucks Memorial Award

One image will be selected from all entries received from entrants residing within a 50km radius of Toowoomba to receive a $2,000 prize, their work displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition and a $100 Owen Camera House voucher

Young Photographer Prizes

Young Photographer age categories:

14-17 years
10-13 years
9 years and younger

One image will be selected from the three age categories to receive a $500 prize, a Owen Camera House voucher to the value of $100, their work displayed at USQ Arts Gallery Top 50 Exhibition and a certificate of merit.

FAQ's

How many images can I enter?

Each individual can submit up to four images.

The images must be submitted at the same time and duplicate submissions will not be accepted.

You can select for your image to be judged under the Open category, Resilience (theme) category, depending on what suits your subject.

What are the image rules and restrictions?

Images must have been taken within the last 12 months (i.e. after 8 May 2019) and must not have been previously submitted to these awards.

Images must be the original work of the entrant and should be formatted to JPG Format in RGB colour mode in either portrait or landscape orientation.

The images must be no more than 2MB in size with a minimum of 3000x2000 pixels (or 2000x3000 in portrait mode).

Please ensure you read the awards full terms & conditions.

How are the images judged and when will I know if I have won?

A panel of three judges will assess the photographs based on the criteria of aesthetics, creativity, technical skill, uniqueness and in relation to the Theme category, how well the photography captures the theme of Resilience.

The judges will select approximately 50 images which will comprise the 2020 Heritage Bank Photographic Awards Exhibition to be displayed at USQ Art Gallery Toowoomba between 1 September- 23 September 2020.

The CEO's choice will be selected from these Top 50 images.

The Winners and Top 50 photographers will be advised of their success via email on 31 July 2020.

I get an error message saying my image does not meet the size requirements when I try to upload my image.

Your image must meet the minimum 3000x2000 pixels (or 2000x3000) pixel dimensions required.
The image must also be no more than 2MB in size.
You will need to adjust the pixel quality of your image and the file size before you can submit it into the competition.
You can do this in most photo editing programs.

I don't have any photo editing software on my computer. How can I adjust my image?

If you don't have any photo editing software, you may like to use a free online editing platform like Pixlr which will enable you to adjust the file size and pixel dimensions.

How do I know if my image has been submitted successfully?

When you press submit, you will see a confirmation screen on your browser advising your submission ID.
You can record this ID for your own records.

I am trying to submit an entry for my child but it won’t let me. It keeps going back to the entry I submitted for myself

If you have already completed a submission for yourself, and then go back to try and process one for your child, it might end up taking you directly to your own submission 'Completed' page. If this is happening for you, please contact the Heritage Bank Sponsorship Team at heritagephotographicawards@heritage.com.au or on (07) 46 949 420.

I would like to receive email notifications about the awards

To opt in for email reminders and notifications about the awards, please email heritagephotographicawards@heritage.com.au.

Who do I contact for further information?

You can contact the Heritage Bank Sponsorship Team at heritagephotographicawards@heritage.com.au or on (07) 46 949 420.

Exhibition Gallery 2019

Download the Photographic Awards History Catalogue (pdf 11MB)

Thank you to our sponsors

Heritage Bank would like to thank the Toowoomba Photographic Society for their ongoing support and assistance with the awards.