Photography News Issue 46

Interview 16

Photography News Issue 46 absolutephoto.com

Terry Fuller

Environmental Photographer of theYear

We catch up with Terry Fuller, CIWEM’s chief executive, on one of the fastest growing photo contests and one that is aiming to make a difference

InterviewbyWill Cheung

Please give our readers an insight into CIWEM and its connection with EPOTY. Few readers will know about CIWEM so what is this organisation all about and what is your role within it? The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is the institution of choice for water and environmental professionals. We are a vibrant, creative and dynamic organisationwithboldambitions for growth to support our aim, which is to nurture a safer sustainable world and our mission, which is to build a global community of professionals dedicated to serving the public. As CIWEM’s chief executive, I am responsible for the delivery of the institution’s strategic aims, its services to members and the public interest. How did CIWEM get involved with EPOTY and what is your personal involvement with the contest? CIWEM’s EPOTY competition was the creation of the late Nick Reeves OBE, the chief executvie of CIWEM from 1998 to 2013. Nick was a tireless advocate for the environment and also had a lifelong interest in the arts. The EPOTY competition brought his two passions together and enables CIWEM to communicate humankind’s fragile relationship with our environment to an international audience. Since it began, I have been awestruck by the stunning, engaging and challenging images submitted every year and I am very excited, as CIWEM’s current Chief Executive, to continue to grow the

Above Talking about stars by Bolucevschi Vitali Nicolai, winner in 2009. Left Hard world by Sudipto Das, winner in 2007.

competition into its next decade and cultivate the legacy left by Nick.

How long has EPOTY been going andwhat was the thinking behind its original launch? This year we are celebrating EPOTY’s 10th anniversary and have just announced the 2017 esteemed judging panel, including Stephen Fry, Ben Fogle and Steve Backshall. The competition plays a vital role in enhancing our understanding of the causes, consequences and solutions to our most pressing global environmental problems, and is now one of the fastest growing photographic competitions in the world. Since its inception are you happy with the contest’s progress and do you think it has fulfilled its original objectives? Absolutely. The competition has grown to a renowned international photographic competition that engages photographers of all ages, providing an opportunity for environmental champions to share images with international audiences. Viewing the images from the past 10 years together gives a unique view on humanity’s relationship with nature and the scale of the impact human development has had on our environment. Attracting 60,000 entries since its inception in 2007, every single image depicts an individual story and their collective impact truly inspires stewardship of the environment. The wealth of themes portrayed not only communicates the intricate links humans have with the environment but also the

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