The Otago-Southland region of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP) came third overall in New Zealand at the recent NZIPP Awards in Christchurch.
All 24 photographers who entered prints for the annual awards received awards for their work.
Along with being named NZIPP New Zealand Photographer of the Year, Jackie Ranken, of Queenstown, won highest scoring monochrome print, the portrait creative category, was a finalist in both the creative and landscape categories and became a "grand master".
It was the second time Ms Ranken had taken the title, previously winning it in 2008.
Ms Ranken's portfolio of photographs beat stiff competition from more than 1200 entries in the awards, winning highest scoring monochrome print for her landscape image titled Nevis Tree with Hand and the portrait creative category.
A professional photographer for 32 years, Ms Ranken came to Queenstown from Australia in 2004.
In the resort, she runs photo safaris and photographic workshops with her husband, Mike Langford, the president of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography and winner of the travel category in the 2012 awards.
Mr Langford was also a finalist for the NZIPP New Zealand Photographer of the Year and also became a grand master.
NZIPP honours chairwoman Kaye Davis said Ms Ranken had a portfolio which portrayed landscape and people in a unique way.
Her work was described as "visual poetry, captured with a strong New Zealand essence".
"With over 1200 entries from around 180 photographers, the overall standard [of] this year's awards was exceptionally high.
"Judges recognised this with a total of 763 awards presented, including four gold distinctions and 40 gold awards."
NZIPP Otago/Southland co-chairwoman Emily Adamson said Fredrick Larsson (Queenstown), Moira Clark (Dunedin) and Allan Dove (Dunedin) all received bars to their masters, while Janyne Harman (Cromwell) was a finalist in the photojournalism category.
Jason Law (Queenstown) was a finalist in the illustrative category, and he and Marina Mathews, also of Queenstown, were made associates of the institute.
Other successful photographers were Anna Allan (Wanaka), Jen Rayment (Wanaka), Emily Adamson (Queenstown), Nicola Wilhelmsen (Dunedin), Kimberley Hutton (Dunedin), Andy Woods (Dunedin), Kate Groundwater (Omakau), Simone Jackson (Dunedin) and Megan Graham (Winton) along with Dunedin students Agata Michalczyk, Aimee Storm, Sam Gold, Scott Keenan, Dylan Peat, Kristy Wood and Carmel Callahan.
