St Paul's Cathedral 300th Anniversary Photo Competition Winners Announced

St Paul's Cathedral 300th Anniversary Photo Competition Winners Announced

Michael Murphy St Paul's, World Aids Day.

LONDON.- Michael Murphy from London has been announced as the overall winner of the St Paul’s Cathedral 300th Anniversary Photo Competition. Michael took the title after capturing the judges’ imagination with this stunning photograph of the dome illuminated red to mark World AIDS Day. In addition to the overall winner, nine other winning images were chosen by the judges. All ten photographs will be displayed in the crypt as part of the digital timeline outside film experience Oculus: an eye into St Paul’s from Thursday 11th August until late 2011. The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley, Treasurer of St Paul’s and one of the judges, said of Michael Murphy’s winning image: “Amongst so many poignant photographs of the cathedral this one stood out. It captures the cathedral by night as it responds to an urgent situation in the world. The darkness and snow seem to retreat from a warmer light than the streets can give and which is centred on the dome. It is almost as if the dome is on fire, not in a Blitz this time, but in solidarity with those who live with HIV/AIDS. Michael’s photograph beautifully structures a meditation.” Michael Murphy, the winner of the competition, said: “St Paul's Cathedral has long been one of my favourite buildings in London, and after reading their announcement about lighting the dome red to raise awareness for World AIDS Day I knew I didn't want to miss the opportunity to shoot this iconic building in a unique way. I spent a couple of hours shooting the cathedral from various locations and perspectives on this cold night at the start of December but it was this, my final shot of the night, that I was happiest with. I had packed up my camera gear at the south end of the Millennium Bridge and was simply walking past this spot on my way back home. The snow had just started to fall, the coldness crept in and the streets were deserted. The movement of snow in the strong solitary beam of light is what most caught my eye, and so I just had to unpack my equipment and set up for one last shot.” Overall winner Michael Murphy will also be awarded one of an exclusive edition of 25 glass vases specially made by the Venice-based firm of Salviati to celebrate the 300th anniversary of St Paul’s Cathedral. Michael’s winning image will also appear on the front cover of the next edition of Dome, the magazine issued to cathedral supporters and friends. The photo competition was launched to celebrate the cathedral’s 300th anniversary and the completion of the £40m restoration project. Amateur and professional photographers were invited to submit their best exterior shot of the building to www.flickr.com/groups/stpaulslondon The judging panel was made up by The Reverend Canon Mark Oakley, Treasurer of St Paul’s Cathedral, photographer Peter Smith and Meryl Doney, curator and member of the cathedral’s Visual Arts Policy Committee. The ten winning images are: Overall Winner: Michael Murphy, St Paul’s – World Aids Day *Adrian Sturgess, Follow the lights *Bob Fancy, South Bank View of St Paul’s *Dean Austin, mirrormirroronthewall *Gerry Molumby, St Paul’s in the ‘wren’ from Tate Modern *Kurt Roberts, St Paul’s Moon Eclipse *Laura Fitzpatrick, St Paul’s inside a modern cross *Leigh Wood, St Paul’s pigeon *Michael Murphy, Sunny St Paul’s *Paul Evans, View from Tate Modern