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Talented UEL photography graduate wins prestigious prize

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Mike Whelan

A University of East London (UEL) graduate has won the coveted ‘Assistant of the Year’ Award for his Ad-Sites project from the Association of Photographers (AOP).

Mike Whelan, 32, is originally from Edinburgh and now lives in Whitechapel. He graduated with a BA Honours in Photography from UEL in 2007 and has just been awarded the prize at the 2009 Assistant Awards held at the AOP Gallery on October 6th.

The awards this year had a record number of entries and the Judges also awarded nine other winners and eleven merits in addition to Mike’s award. The awards are an annual showcase and were first introduced in 1990 to recognise the AOP Assistant membership.

As Assistant of the Year, Mike has won a fantastic selection of prizes including a commissioned job with MOT Models, £1000 worth of insurance for one year, equipment hire, a day’s studio hire and a portfolio critique.

Mike said: "It’s been a really great year so far and I’m really pleased to have won this award, it’s brilliant and has given me a lot of confidence. I’ve also been recommended for the Fine Art category in the International Photography Awards 2009 and in the New York Photo Awards, I won the Fine Art Single. Recently, my work has been accepted by an online gallery based in London and New York. Now I’m working on a portrait series and looking for sponsorship for a couple of personal projects."

The AOP awards also showcase the next generation of professional photographers and are regarded by the industry as the most prestigious Awards for photographers’ assistance.

Mike is currently working on a book with PCP publishers in New York due for release in early 2010. Ralph Hall, Programme Leader in Photography at UEL’s School of Architecture and Visual Arts (AVA) said: "Mike was an outstanding student during his time at UEL and we are very pleased that he has gone on to achieve great things. His success also reflects the amazing talent coming out of UEL."

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The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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