Bag, 2007 © Hendrik Kerstens

LONDON.- The National Portrait Gallery announced the Call for Entries for the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009, a major international photographic award. Entry forms are now available and the closing date for entries is 24 July 2009.

The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize is open to all photographers over the age of 18 and provides an important platform for portrait photographers including gifted amateurs, students and professionals of all ages. Around 60 photographers will be selected for the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery which in 2008 received a record 273,236 visitors. The winner of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 will receive £12,000.

New for 2009, Elle magazine will commission a photographer selected for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibition to shoot a feature story. The Elle Commission will be judged by the fashion magazine's editor-in-chief, Lorraine Candy, creative director, Marissa Bourke and picture editor, Marina Ansell.

There will also be the Godfrey Argent Award for either the most outstanding black and white photograph or the best photographer aged twenty-five and under. The Award, in its final year is named in honour of British photographer Godfrey Argent (1937-2006). The winner will receive £2,500.

Last year the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize received 6,758 entries and was won by Lottie Davies for Quints, a portrait inspired by her friend's dream of giving birth to Quintuplets. Prizes were also awarded to Hendrik Kerstens, Catherine Balet, Tom Stoddart and Vanessa Winship.

The judging panel for 2009 will include:

Sandy Nairne, Director, National Portrait Gallery (Chair)
Terence Pepper, Curator of Photographs, National Portrait Gallery
Steve Snoddy, Director, New Art Gallery, Walsall

Michael Frawley, Managing Partner of Taylor Wessing says: 'The photographs that were entered for last years Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize were of a very high standard and encompassed black and white and colour portraits printed in number of diverse and innovative ways. We are confident that this year's competition will raise the bar further and we would encourage all amateur and professional photographers to take this opportunity to showcase their artistic talent and skill and to provide pleasure and inspiration to all those who take part and view exhibition.'

Lorraine Candy, Editor-in-Chief of Elle Magazine says: 'We're very excited to be involved in such a prestigious and iconic exhibition and photography competition. For ELLE, we will be looking for a creative and original portrait photographer; someone with their own style who can bring something innovative to the genre. This is the first time in ELLE magazine's 23 year history we have embarked on such a project and I have high hopes of the talent discovered by this prize. We will be running the ELLE Commission in the magazine along side some of the biggest names in the world of photography.'

Quints, 2008 © Lottie Davies. Winner of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2008