The exhibition for the 2018 Sigma D-Photo Amateur Photographer of the Year competition opened Thursday 26 July at Metro Gallery in Auckland and saw many from the photographic community come together in appreciation of our new winners.

The 2018 Sigma D-Photo Amateur Photographer of the Year has achieved unprecedented success, with 13,329 photographs entered. The judges have had the mammoth task of sifting through these images, making some very tough decisions along the way. We have narrowed it down to the top ten images in each category — and here they are.

If you follow D-Photo, you are no doubt familiar with the beautiful black-and-white portrait that graces the cover of issue 84. The image, taken by photographer Ilan Wittenberg in his Auckland studio, won the Portrait category at the 2018 Sony Alpha Awards, and went on to take out the Grand Prize.

With over 110 exhibitions and events across 60 venues citywide, the festival is certainly bountiful, but it can also be a little overwhelming. We have picked some of our favourite events in this year’s line-up to help you plan your own festival experience.

Check out your competition with some of our favourite recent entries below, and take a look at the full galleries and entry details here.

Featured in issue 84, and recipient of the sought-after Auckland Festival of Photography commission, Alex's work is not to be missed.

With just over a month to go until the Sigma D-Photo Amateur Photographer of the Year competition closes, we're now letting you in on what you're in to win!

Have a look at our latest batch of stunning entries — and with nearly 2,500 images entered so far, this is definitely just the tip of the iceberg.

Returning for its second year is Wellington’s documentary photography festival, Photival, which is running 26–29 April.

The entries continue to stream in, and we continue to be impressed by the variety and skill of the images entered.