Congratulation to the class of 2013. Good luck to all of you.

From the press release email I received:

Photo District News (PDN) has just announced their list of the top 30 emerging photographers for 2013. Selected from more than 300 photographers nominated from around the world, this year’s list represents 12 nationalities and virtually every genre of photography.  To qualify for the award, photographers must be shooting professionally for five years or less.

I like how they define “emerging photographer” as someone who has been shooting professional for five years or less. Everyone has a different definition and of course we can debate “shooting professionally” but this one I like.

PDN’s gallery of the winners:

http://pdn30.pdnevents.com/gallery/2013/

My links to their sites:

Ian Allen
Evgenia Arbugaeva
Olivia Bee
Bharat Choudhary
Ty Cole
Delphine Diaw Diallo
Bon Duke
Jessica Eaton
Lisa Elmaleh
Michael Friberg
Adam Golfer
Meg Griffiths
Nicholas Haggard
Michael Hanson
Tobias Hutzler
Alessandro Imbriaco
Rush Jagoe
James Michelfelder& Therese Sommerseth
Muge
Katie Orlinsky
John Francis Peters
Tatiana Plotnikova
Andrew Querner
Jessica Sample
Sim Chi Yin
Toby Smith
Jonathan Snyder
Nicole Tung
NadyaWasylko
Geordie Wood

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18 Comments

  1. You should add Loreal Prystaj to this list. (http://lorealprystaj.com/) She is graduating with me this semester and she is going to do amazing things for the Fine Art photography world.

    -B

  2. A few stood out this year, but I am left feeling slightly underwhelmed….

  3. Olivia Bee is definitely very interesting. 18 years old seems young, until you remember what people like Rembrandt were doing at that age. As an old art teacher of mine used to point out, artists got a lot done, a lot younger, before TV.

    • Totally agree… Really liked her work a lot. I was blown away when I saw that she was only 18. That said, I kind of agree with Victor (below)… Each year it always has the same kind of feel. I would be absolutely blown away to be featured as a ’30’, but I based off of what I have seen win over the past few years, I doubt I would ever be selected. (5 years left!)

      • Seth, you have more than 5 years left, they don’t do the “under 30” part anymore. It’s just PDN 30. It was ageist I guess ;)

      • Oh, or were you referring to this part “To qualify for the award, photographers must be shooting professionally for five years or less.”?

        • I thought it was still ‘under 30’, my bad. Ive been shooting professionally for 1 year now, so I guess 4 left. Thanks for letting me know.

          • Sadly you are most likely right that you won’t make the list. I was just checking out your site though, looks like really good work to me. Good luck.

  4. Same old soup re-heated.
    I’m not saying they are not good photographers, it’s just that the “up-in-coming” seems to look the same every year. PDN definitely has a style they are aiming for.
    Technically proficient but artistically lacking.

    Just my ignorant opinion

    • I don’t know if I would agree with your last line but I would definitely agree that they have a style they like.

  5. Actually, I feel like the PDN 30 has changed a lot in recent years. A lot less flashy over-retouched work and a more quiet and understated feel–commissioned work with a fine art slant. Maybe I’m just biased because I like that style. And it’s always good to see my hardworking friends get recognition! Love, a fellow PDN -er (class of 2010)

  6. i don’t get it. how are some of these consider new and emerging when they obviously have already established themselves?

  7. I’m definitely impressed with some of them, but others still look like they are shooting their art school portfolio. And yes, the PDN look for sure. The “virtually every genre of photography” line kind of cracks me up because photojournalism, fine art, fashion, and commercial do not make up every genre – well maybe the genres PDN cares about.

  8. Some nice stuff, no doubt. As to PDN 30, its just a marketing tool for recently established shooters, and a revenue generator for sad old PDN. “Emerging” has little to do with it.

  9. a collective of photographers should do an annual “top 30 emerging editors & curators.” …

    and see anyone at PDN would make the list.

  10. There is definitely some decent work here. I agree with Victor that some may be lacking in the artistic department.

  11. Worldwide as in mostly from New York?

  12. How do you get nominated? New York only?

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