UCOL photography ākonga and kaimahi have achieved outstanding success at this year's New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP) Iris Awards competition, earning an impressive 53 awards including gold, silver and bronze placings.

NZIPP are one of the country’s premier photography competitions, recognising excellence across a range of photographic disciplines.

Among the awards, ākonga Racheal Young, who is currently studying the New Zealand Certificate in Art & Design, was also crowned Student of the Year for the third year running after receiving top placings for all six of her awards entries, including a Gold in the Mixed Media category for her piece Fire Starter.

“Winning this title again is incredible and such an honour! It has made me stop and think how far I've come and how much I’ve developed as an artist and photographer since my journey began only four years ago. It also makes me think about how much more I want to learn and the areas I plan to develop and grow further.”

Young says she decided her aim this year was to be even braver with her entries than previous years.

“I chose to enter images I thought would fly or die - images people would either understand and love, or just not. Two of my images were photos taken three years ago too when I first started studying photography at UCOL. I knew they were special, but I didn’t have the skills to edit them as I wanted to present them until now. To be able to enter them this year and receive awards for them was really exciting.”

For Young, highlights of entering are the challenge of pushing herself beyond standard photography and the invaluable feedback provided by judges.

“In order to grow, we must be brave and do things that scare us a little. Thanks to the support from my lecturers, I was able to produce my vision. I've really had some incredible UCOL lecturers over the last few years and to them I'm very grateful!"

“To be recognised by the award-winning judges from New Zealand and Australia for all the hard work that goes into my images is an amazing feeling!”

Taking inspiration from a mix of experimenting, appreciation, sightseeing and her documentary assignment last year, Bachelor of Creative Media student Amelia Fitzpatrick not only joined Young as a finalist for Student of the Year, but also received gold, silver and bronze awards for her work.

“This year I further pushed myself away from what I’m comfortable with and took on another set of various styles compared to my last few years entering. It feels very validating to have not only all nine of my images awarded, but also my first (and second) gold award. It’s safe to say I’m pretty proud of all my awards I’ve obtained while studying at UCOL.”

For Fitzpatrick, UCOL’s supportive learning environment has helped immensely with her growth within the creative spaces.

“The things I’ve managed to do over my time at UCOL is amazing, especially when I choose to do imagery that isn’t conventional for students. Being able to continue to grow and do more through the support of my lecturers is empowering.”

Tricia Falkner, Senior Lecturer – Photography, and Gerry Le Roux, Lecturer - Creative Media, also took out a host of top spots with Falkner winning gold in the Creative category for the second year in a row.

“Golds are hard to come by, so I’m really chuffed,” says Falkner. “I’m extra chuffed too as I have achieved gold later in my career. I feel I have finally cracked the code with what it takes to achieve this award, and it shows as lecturers, we are on point with what’s on trend.”

As well as relishing the freedom to work her creative magic on projects with subjects she loves, including insects and landscapes, Falkner says the awards are an imperative part of teaching.

“We use the awards as professional development. As lecturers, we have to be new and innovative by using new technologies. By entering we are able to explore and put into practice what is on trend and current and then take this knowledge straight into the classroom. The week after I received my awards, I demonstrated the techniques I used to our students.”

Le Roux, who gained silver and bronze awards for his narrative photography style entries, agrees.

“Although the ground rules are still at the heart of photography, new technologies and ideas within this creative space are forever evolving, so the awards enable us to remain at the top of our game and ensure our students are at the highest skill level to work and succeed within the industry.”

He believes the opportunity to be visible in front of the judges and part of the photography scene is highly beneficial for ākonga during their studies.

“For the students, the awards are worth so much! They received invaluable critiquing outside of the classroom from professionals and get that external validation that what they are doing is worthwhile. The awards are their first step into the industry and getting their name out there.”

Le Roux says lecturer success at the awards also benefits ākonga.

“When staff enter and do well, it's rewarding for us professionally, but it also shows our students that we are active practitioners in the industry. Sometimes teachers teach without regularly practising their craft, but awards like these help ensure we stay current, connected and in touch with what we're teaching.”

Explore UCOL photography programmes here.