Celebrating My First IPA Award in Athens
A few days after the 2024 International Photography Awards, I’m still thinking about what a special experience those three days in Athens were.
This was my first time entering the IPA, and Feels surREAL received 1st Place in the Non-Professional Special / AI-Generated Images category. Being able to celebrate that recognition in my own country made it even more meaningful.
The awards were part of a three-day Photo Fest, from November 21 to 23. The programme brought together exhibitions, photography talks, portfolio reviews, a jury panel and opportunities for photographers to meet, exchange ideas and connect beyond their screens. I appreciated how much care had gone into creating space for those conversations. The event felt like a celebration of the people and perspectives behind the images, as well as the work itself.
The final evening at the Basil & Elise Goulandris Museum was wonderful. Seeing photographers from around the world come together to celebrate each other’s work made the scale of the occasion feel real.
There was also a lovely coincidence in the timing: 2024 marked the first time the IPA Photo Fest and awards gala took place in Athens, after years of ceremonies in New York. For that to happen in the same year as my first IPA award meant I could be there in person, at home in Greece, to share the moment.
Thank you to the IPA team for the thoughtful organisation and to the photographers I had the pleasure of meeting. I’m going home with photographs, new connections and a lot of motivation to keep creating.
— Eleanna Tavlikou | Ennoia