The Winner of the 4th biennial Fremantle International Portrait Prize (FiPP 2017) for portrait photography was announced at a standing room only event in Fremantle’s historic Moores Art Gallery on Saturday night (21 October 2017).

The 2017 award attracted 1600 images from 22 countries.

Hungarian photojournalist Istvan Kerekes won the first prize of $5,000 cash (courtesy of the event’s organiser, Freo Faces Inc) for an astoundingly complex and heartrending image of poor gypsy children peering through the window of their rudimentary home in Romania.

Mr Frigyes Schaffer, President of the Hungarian Association of Western Australia, accepted the award on Mr Kerekes’ behalf.

In 2017 for the first time, Freo Faces Inc offered a $1,000 prize for the best image taken with a mobile phone camera.

This inaugural award was won by New South Wales (Australia) photographer Robyn MacRea.

Second Prize (the prestigious Nikon Australia Award, which included a top of the line pro DSLR camera and portrait lens was won by Fremantle photographer Ricky Gestro.

Third Prize (sponsored by Eizo Australasia) was won by Vicki Bell from Preston in Victoria, Australia.

Fourth Prize (sponsored by Cygnet Bay Pearls in Broome) was won by Sandy Goddard of Barwon Heads in Victoria, Australia.

Two ‘packers’ prizes’ were awarded as well as six images that were declared ‘Highly Commended’ by the 2 panels of judges.

Proceeds from the 4th FiPP (2017) were donated to Arthritis & Osteoporosis WA.