Amateur and professional photographers alike, have been busy snapping their cameras around the county, for their chance to enter a unique photography competition.
Launched in the East Anglian Daily Times, to coincide with Deaf Awareness Week, “Hear Suffolk” introduced a brand new competition concept, inviting photographers to capture the sounds of Suffolk.
The brainchild of hearing care specialists, The Hearing Care Centre, they wanted the photographs to capture sounds that hard of hearing people may not otherwise hear.
The competition caught the imagination of local people, with just shy of 100 / over 90 entries being received for the adult category alone.
The judging for the competition took place at The Hearing Care Centre’s headquarters in High Street, Ipswich, and there was much deliberation between the wealth of entries.
The competition featured a top-judging panel, including BBC Look East’s Julie Reinger, Vice-President of Ipswich & District Photographic Society, Barry Freeman, Photographic Editor for the East Anglian Daily Times newspaper, Andy Abbott, and Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre, Karen Finch.
After much consideration the top three entries were chosen from the category for adults. First place went to Roy Ward from Stowmarket, (entry pictured on left) second place went to Susane Lees from Leiston, (entry pictured below) and third place went to Matthew Clarke from Ipswich. Roy in first place took home a cash prize of £250, with Susane in second winning £150 and Matthew in third pocketing £100.
In the children’s category Laura Wilding from Holbrook was chosen as entering the best photograph, (band pictured right) also winning a cash prize of £100.
The four selected finalists of the competition were also lucky enough to be presented with tickets to attend an exclusive photographic exhibition in London, by internationally famous musician and photographer Bryan Adams. Adams has been commissioned by the hearing instrument manufacturer Phonak to be official photographer for ‘Hear the World’, the company’s own initiative for hearing awareness.
Adams has photographed many famous musicians who are supporting the Hear the World initiative including Plácido Domingo, Annie Lennox, Amy Winehouse, Michael Bublé, and many others.
Karen Finch, Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre said, “We have been overwhelmed with the response we received to our competition. As it was something a bit different, you never know how it might go, but all the entries we received were fantastic.”
If through this we have raised awareness about hearing loss, and even one person does something about that hearing loss as a result, then we will be more than happy,” Karen said.
Julie Reinger, resident weather presenter for BBC Look East and a fond lover of photography said, “I'd just like to say well done to everyone who took part in the competition - there were some fantastic photographs. I'm now looking forward to showing the winning entry on Look East.”
The top 25 photos will be taking part in a special exhibition tour of the county, which is currently in the planning process. The exhibition is planned to start in Ipswich and visit other towns across the county. Details of the exhibition, when released, will be published in the East Anglian Daily Times.
The winning and the highly commended photos selected by the judges are also featured in an EADT online gallery available to view at www.eadt.co.uk and clicking the link on the homepage.
The competition judges. From left to right, Karen Finch, MD of The Hearing Care Centre, Barry Freeman from Ipswich Photographic Society, Julie Reinger of BBC Look East and Andy Abbott, Head of Photography at the EADT.
Amateur and professional photographers alike, have been busy snapping their cameras around the county, for their chance to enter a unique photography competition.
Launched in the East Anglian Daily Times, to coincide with Deaf Awareness Week, “Hear Suffolk” introduced a brand new competition concept, inviting photographers to capture the sounds of Suffolk.
The brainchild of hearing care specialists, The Hearing Care Centre, they wanted the photographs to capture sounds that hard of hearing people may not otherwise hear.
The competition caught the imagination of local people, with just shy of 100 / over 90 entries being received for the adult category alone.
The judging for the competition took place at The Hearing Care Centre’s headquarters in High Street, Ipswich, and there was much deliberation between the wealth of entries.
The competition featured a top-judging panel, including BBC Look East’s Julie Reinger, Vice-President of Ipswich & District Photographic Society, Barry Freeman, Photographic Editor for the East Anglian Daily Times newspaper, Andy Abbott, and Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre, Karen Finch.
After much consideration the top three entries were chosen from the category for adults. First place went to Roy Ward from Stowmarket, (entry pictured on left) second place went to Susane Lees from Leiston, (entry pictured below) and third place went to Matthew Clarke from Ipswich. Roy in first place took home a cash prize of £250, with Susane in second winning £150 and Matthew in third pocketing £100.
In the children’s category Laura Wilding from Holbrook was chosen as entering the best photograph, (band pictured right) also winning a cash prize of £100.
The four selected finalists of the competition were also lucky enough to be presented with tickets to attend an exclusive photographic exhibition in London, by internationally famous musician and photographer Bryan Adams. Adams has been commissioned by the hearing instrument manufacturer Phonak to be official photographer for ‘Hear the World’, the company’s own initiative for hearing awareness.
Adams has photographed many famous musicians who are supporting the Hear the World initiative including Plácido Domingo, Annie Lennox, Amy Winehouse, Michael Bublé, and many others.
Karen Finch, Managing Director of The Hearing Care Centre said, “We have been overwhelmed with the response we received to our competition. As it was something a bit different, you never know how it might go, but all the entries we received were fantastic.”
If through this we have raised awareness about hearing loss, and even one person does something about that hearing loss as a result, then we will be more than happy,” Karen said.
Julie Reinger, resident weather presenter for BBC Look East and a fond lover of photography said, “I'd just like to say well done to everyone who took part in the competition - there were some fantastic photographs. I'm now looking forward to showing the winning entry on Look East.”
The top 25 photos will be taking part in a special exhibition tour of the county, which is currently in the planning process. The exhibition is planned to start in Ipswich and visit other towns across the county. Details of the exhibition, when released, will be published in the East Anglian Daily Times.
The winning and the highly commended photos selected by the judges are also featured in an EADT online gallery available to view at www.eadt.co.uk and clicking the link on the homepage.
The competition judges. From left to right, Karen Finch, MD of The Hearing Care Centre, Barry Freeman from Ipswich Photographic Society, Julie Reinger of BBC Look East and Andy Abbott, Head of Photography at the EADT.