Photography Judges

Steve Parish

Steve is a passionate and highly motivational speaker, writer, teacher and digital artist, and one of few Australian photographers who can look back over five-plus decades of photography across a range of Australian social and natural history subjects.

Steve pioneered underwater nature photography in association with the Australian Museum which led to his first publishing ventures in the late ’60s and now manages the largest and most comprehensive privately owned photographic library in the nation; it is from this vast resource that he has created all his projects. While many of his featured images are now iconic, others are being seen here in this website and associated Fine Art Gallery and Stock Libraries for the first time.

Kris Anderson

Kris is a commercial and fine-art photographer, speaker and photographic judge. Based in Brisbane, Kris draws on his experience as a performer and musician to focus on photography for the performing arts: commercial work on branding for performing arts companies, actor headshots, dance photography, and live theatre production photography.

For his personal illustrative photographic work, Kris often explores themes concerned with modern life, mental health, and the impact of technology on people and relationships. 

A Master of Photography with the AIPP, NZIPP and WPPI, and a Fellow of the SWPP, Kris was recognised in 2017 as the AIPP Australian Illustrative Professional Photographer of the Year.

He has judged print awards for professional photography organisations in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA, as well as a wide variety of online image competitions including the Sony Alpha Awards, Rise International Photography Awards and the Asia Pacific Photography Awards. Kris is also a proud EIZO Ambassador.

Katie Kolenberg

Katie is a portrait photographer, coach and entrepreneur. She is the founder/director of two businesses; Heartstory Photography, a family photography studio based in Canberra, and Katie K, her personal brand specialising in holistic business and creative coaching. 

Born to two artist parents, and growing up in art galleries and studios, surrounded by books, paintings and eccentrics paved the way for a life of creativity and self-expression. Katie studied both theatre and graphic design, and started various careers before moving into family portrait photography after the birth of her first child in 2007.  Her personal work is mostly based around self portraiture and documenting everyday life.   

Katie is passionate about creativity and self exploration as a pathway to wellness, regulation, joy, growth, healing, self-love, and connection. She has studied polyvagal theory, internal family systems and somatics as part of her coaching work. 

Katie has been awarded AIPP ACT Family photography of the Year three times, as well as AIPP Australian Family Photographer of the Year in 2015 and 2017. She has judged print awards in Australia as well as online photographic competitions for over 10 years.