The winner of the 2008 Fujifilm Student Awards is David Wala from Newcastle College. This year’s Awards were run in conjunction with Penguin Books and the brief was to provide a cover for the re-issued version of Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece, Invisible Man. David’s winning image will now grace the cover when the book is released as part of Penguin’s Modern Classics series, and he also wins £200 of Fujifilm Professional film, a library of 100 Penguin Classics titles and a copy of the book, ‘Seven Hundred Penguins’. The 2009 Fujifilm Student Awards will be launched in September.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Fujifilm Student Awards winner ‘delighted’

The winner of the 2008 Fujifilm Student Awards, David Wala from Newcastle College has given his reaction to his triumph.

This year’s Awards were run in conjunction with Penguin Books and the brief was to provide a cover for the re-issued version of Ralph Ellison’s 1952 masterpiece, Invisible Man. David’s winning image will now grace the cover when the book is released as part of Penguin’s Modern Classics series. In addition to this amazing prize, David has been named as Fujifilm Student Photographer of the Year 2008. He also collects £200 of Fujifilm Professional film, a library of 100 Penguin Classics titles and a copy of the book, ‘Seven Hundred Penguins’.

David, a mature student, has just finished the first year of a two-year Foundation Degree in Commercial Photographic Practice. Before starting his degree David worked within the textile industry but has always had aspirations to become a full-time photographer.

David was presented with his award at the packed ceremony, held at Direct Lighting’s base in London. He was understandably delighted: “If someone had told me when I started my course 12 months ago that one of my images would be on the cover of a Penguin book I simply wouldn’t have believed them! I’m sure the kudos of winning such a respected award will help my career, I feel really honoured that my work has been recognised by Fujifilm and Penguin Books.”

Fujifilm used the awards evening to announce the continuation of the tie-in with Penguin Books. The companies have selected ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson for next year’s competition and students will be invited to submit images for the book’s cover when the title is re-launched. The 2009 Fujifilm Student Awards will be launched in September.

Students from Sandwell College won their college £250 worth of Fujifilm Professional film and 100 Penguin Classics titles for their library by submitting the most entries. Ian Fletcher, tutor from Sandwell was grateful to Fujifilm for its continued backing of student photographers: “On behalf of Sandwell College and all our photography students, I’d like to thank Fujifilm and Penguin Books for their generous prizes, which are much appreciated. My photography group was stimulated and challenged by the brief and I’m very pleased that it will be running again next year. There are so many benefits to the students’ learning and to the development of their coursework that I will definitely be setting it as an assignment again. The £250 worth of Fujifilm Professional film will be very useful to the students next term and what better prize to give to an educational institute than free books, and not just any books but 100 Penguin Classics.”

The winning image, together with those of the Merit winners are available to view at www.fujifilmstudentawards.co.uk

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