Sony World Photography Awards Honors South Florida Students Out of All Others in US

Fort Lauderdale, FL, March 07, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Under the guidance of Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale veteran Photography instructor Don Sheffield, students Tim Detert (from Germany and now living in Hollywood, FL) and Grant Goldstein (originally from Chicago, Illinois, and now living in Aventura, FL), both current bachelor’s degree Photography students, were selected as the only United States winners in the Sony World Photography Awards. They were chosen from 14 schools in the United States and Canada as the two North American short-listed winners. They will be representing not only The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, but the United States and Canada.

Students were invited to submit images which highlight an environmental issue specific to their country, resulting in an astonishing overall display. Twelve budding photographers have been chosen - two students from 6 institutions from 6 continents. The North American competition included:

• Canada, Ryerson University
• Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa
• USA, Arizona Northern State University
• USA, Art Center College of Design, California
• USA, Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, FL
• USA, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan
• USA, Georgia State University, Ernest G. Welch School of Art & Design
• USA, James Madison University
• USA, Marylhurst University
• USA, Nossi College of Art, TN
• USA, Rhode Island School of Design
• USA, Tisch School of Art, NYU
• USA, University of Illinois at Chicago
• USA, Yale School of Art

The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale was invited along with 60 universities throughout the world to enter this competition. Sheffield served as the college’s on-site point person for this contest and solicited entries through his Photojournalism class during the fall quarter 2008.

Sony is sending the students and Photography program chair William Cadieux to Cannes, France, to attend the Festival and Awards Ceremony at Sony World Photography Awards from April 13-April 17, 2009. During this week, Detert and Goldstein will be participating in multiple workshops with the other short-listed winners to compete for the grand prizes.

The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Photography, taught by industry professionals with an active career services department. Notable alumni include three-Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Carol Guzy, of The Washington Post and celebrity photographer Carlos Baez.

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