OPEN

OPEN marks Bloom’s second submission project and the first to open the submission and selection process to the public.

This year we built an online, interactive photo salon enabling photographers to sign up and upload up to three submissions to make up an online gallery, from which they could view and favourite other photographer’s images. After the submission period, we opened the gallery to the public for a week which saw nearly two-thousand users select their favourite images and award the top three images favourited on the site our three People’s Choice prizes.

Dan Rule & Justine Ellis of Perimeter Books, along with The Heavy Collective’s Jack Harries cast their seasoned eyes over the 902 images submitted, selecting just one to be awarded Judge’s Favourite and featured as the cover image of the publication - which is what this was for after all!

The publication features a total of 55 photographers, selected from the online gallery and will be launched at Printed Matter’s New York Art Book Fair in September 2018.

Featured Photographers

• Pani Paul, Winner of the Judge’s Favourite (Pictured)
• Claire Warren, People’s Choice First Place
• Ana Burenkova, People’s Choice Second Place
• Ruby Pluhar, People’s Choice Third Place
• Abigail Varney, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• Ali Bosworth, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• Alyse Cooper, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• André Viking
• Andy Hatton
• Anne Moffat
• Anthony Pezzotti
• Ashton Papazahariakis
• Boyz Bieber
• Danica Milenkovic
• Emma Phillips
• Evan Allan
• Eve Tagny
• Fraser Stanley
• Fred Lahache, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• Freia Lily
• Garrett Grove, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• Genevieve Walshe
• Gina Nero
• Guy Ferguson
• Henry Butterworth
• Henry King
• Jay Dymock
• Joe Nigel Coleman
• Jonah Scotti
• Joseph Ritchie
• Lola Paprocka
• Luke Van Aurich
• Marcelle Bradbeer
• Marija Strajnic
• Max Searl
• Michael Danischewski
• Michael Garbutt
• Michael Thomas
• Mitch Pinney
• Nic Ojae
• Panisa Ongwat
• Pearce Leal
• Phil Portellos
• Roberto Gramostini
• Samuel W. J. Fordham
• Sarah Pannell
• Shannon May Powell
• Sumeja Tulic
• Thom Gatt, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite
• Tim Salisbury
• Tom Gamon
• Tommy Keith
• Tyler Clarke
• Will Byers
• Zoë Waldman, Shortlisted for Judge’s Favourite

The online aspect of the project was a big experiment that we’re now convinced on repeating for future submission projects. We hope everyone that took part enjoyed it as much as we did!

The judges felt that Pani Paul’s photograph Brunswick was a clear standout amongst some exceptional competition. At once troubling, confrontational, menacing and tender, the portrait speaks to the complexity of masculinity, at a moment in which – more than ever – we need to be asking questions about what it means to be a man. - Dan Rule