David George, Brand Communications Manager, Audi UK

Audi has developed into the most contemporary prestige car brand through the challenging, progressive spirit of Vorsprung durch Technik and the Next Level/Audi Competition aims to promote photography that shares this passion and approach. The quality of photography was incredibly high, which speaks volumes about the readers of Next Level, and made determining one single image as the winner a very difficult task. The winning images are all entirely unique, which comes as no surprise given the latitude that the brief provided. However, they also all have one important common value: the ability to inspire thought and challenge the viewer.

Sheyi Bankale, Curator, Next Level Projects

Next Level is an independent photography publication which focuses on the promotion and development of contemporary photography. The launch of the Next Level Competition, sponsored by Audi, was designed to attract a diverse spectrum of passionate and innovative photographic image-makers, with the aim of bringing their work to a wider audience. We chose to work with Audi because of their progressive spirit for photography, design and quality.

The competition was open to everyone, with the aim of producing rewarding, challenging and progressive images that match the spirit of Vorsprung durch Technik. These could be images that distort the conventional, that make us see the world differently or capture subjects that no one else thought to capture. The judging panel were John Hegarty, Chairman and Worldwide Creative Director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty; David George, Head of Marketing and Communication, Audi UK and Sheyi Bankale & Jimo Toyin Salako, Editors of Next Level. The standard of entries was extremely high, and whilst the deliberations were difficult, the judges selected, in their opinion, work that encapsulates the challenging spirit of Vorsprung durch Technik.

The Shortlist

In total, ten entries were shortlisted (shown in alphabetical order): Michael Bodiam / Richard Boll / Martin Callanan  / Jan von Holleben / Jonathan Minster / David O’Mara / Norbert Schoerner / Jenny van Sommers / Brian Ulrich / David Woolfall

The Winners

Three runners up and one overall winner were announced at a spectacular event held at the Audi Forum, Piccadilly, London.

The winner: Richard Boll
The runners up: Jan von Holleben / Norbert Schoerner / David Woolfall

The Prizes

The winners received prizes from Leica — the very pinnacle of German camera technology. The overall winner receiving a prize of £5,000 of Leica photographic equipment, and the runners-up £1,500 each of Leica equipment. A selection of the winners images has been reproduced in edition 06 of Next Level with an introduction by David George. An exhibition of selected short-listed work was displayed at the Audi Forum, Piccadilly, London during November 2004