Maltese photographers won 11 awards during the final night of the largest photo convention in Europe, organised annually by The Societies – formerly the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers.

Maltese ... at the top, with the very best

Their work was shortlisted for the finals of the international monthly online competition and the 20x16 inch print competition.

Christopher Azzopardi carried off four awards in the Commercial Photographer of the Year, Architectural (Interiors) Photographer of the Year, Digital Photographer of the Year and for the most Gold scores obtained during the year with a total of 54.

Alan Carville won the Advertising Photographer of the Year category.

Sport photographer Domenic Aquilina was overall winner in the general sports category and Martin Agius came out tops in the press and news category.

Duncan Cauchi triumphed in the macro category and Aaron Bonnici was the overall winner in the pictorial category.

Joe P. Smith won the natural world category of the 20x16 print competition with an image of the interior of the Luminarium that was set up in St George’s Square, Valletta for World Children’s Day.

To round off a perfect night for the Maltese contingent, Mr Smith was among four photographers who was bestowed with the title of Master Photographer of The Societies. This makes him the second Maltese photographer to hold this distinction. The other is Kevin Casha.

Speaking on behalf of the contingent, Mr Casha, president of the Malta Institute of Professional Photography, said that, again, tiny Malta demonstrated it stood head to head with the more established names in the field and that Maltese photographic art was indeed there at the top, with the very best.

A group of Maltese photographers was invited to deliver master classes during the convention that welcomed 12,000 delegates.