Blurb has announced the grand prize winner of this year’s Photography Book Now competition. The $25,000 prize goes to Valerio Spada, a professional photographer from Milan, Italy, for his book, “Gomorrah Girl.” Spada’s work, the story of adolescence, choices and chance in the land of the Camorrah (the name of the Mafia in Naples), was chosen by an international panel of judges, from more than 2,300 submissions. The photographer will be honoured along with 12 other category winners on 15th September at the Aperture Gallery in New York City.

Website: Valerio Spada

Blurb Press Release

Italian Photographer Chosen as Grand Prize Winner in Blurb’s Photography Book Now Competition

Valerio Spada’s ‘Gomorrah Girl’ chosen from 2,300 international submissions

London, UK – 1st September 2011 — Valerio Spada, a professional photographer from Milan, Italy, won the $25,000 grand prize in Blurb’s fourth annual Photography Book Now competition for his book, “Gomorrah Girl.” Spada’s work, the story of adolescence, choices and chance in the land of the Camorrah (the name of the Mafia in Naples), was chosen by an international panel of judges, from more than 2,300 submissions.

“We were blown away by ‘Gomorrah Girl. You can’t be human and not be moved by this very powerful story that captures in pictures and words what it is like to become a woman in a dangerous, crime ridden area,” said Blurb Founder and CEO Eileen Gittins. “Our entrants and winners came from all over the world, and by far, the quality and range of books submitted this year surpassed all previous years.  We congratulate Mr Spada. His powerful, innovative, and beautifully designed book embodies the very best that self-publishing inspires. “

Spada will be honored along with 12 other category winners on 15th September at the Aperture Gallery in New York City. The Photography Book Now competition and awards event is hosted by Blurb®, the creative publishing platform that allows anyone to design, publish, market, and sell professional-quality books. While many of the winning entries were published using the Blurb platform, some, including “Gomorrah Girl,” were not.

“The book is simply the sum of a long time spent in the streets of Naples and a short time in the bookmaking phase, but what came after that is pure happiness,” said Valerio Spada. “I am honoured that ‘Gomorrah Girl’ was selected by the judges to receive this esteemed award.”

“Valerio Spada’s ‘Gomorrah Girl’ stood apart as this year’s Grand Prize winner,” said Darius Himes, lead judge for the 2011 Photography Book Now. “Mr Spada’s self-published book is a strong embodiment of the complex criteria the judges used: strong photography, important subject matter, vigorous edit and intelligent sequencing, combined with a thoughtful attention to those elements that are specifically book-centric.”

A full list of the winners and honourable mention selections, including the four People’s Choice awards voted on by the public, can be found at http://bit.ly/qBlfoL and in the table below. A number of the books submitted into the competition are also available for purchase in the Photography Book Now bookstore at http://bit.ly/9ZdrTQ.

Top Photography Book Now winners:

Grand Prize Winner: Valerio Spada, “Gomorrah Girl” (Italy)
Fine Art Category Winner: Rene Nuljens, “Yuri Gagarin, 50 Years of Human Space Flight” (Netherlands)
Documentary Category Winner: Rafal Milach, “In The Car with R” (Poland)
Travel Category Winner: Thomas Michael Alleman, “Sunshine & Noir” (United States)
Student Category Winner: Goseong Choi, “Umma” (United States)

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