London 28 August 2007 - CB Richard Ellis, the world’s largest commercial property adviser, has today launched a new photography competition designed to capture 24 hours in the working life of the UK’s towns and cities.

The Urban Photographer of the year is the largest competition of its kind in the UK and will be judged by a high profile panel chaired by leading international photography consultant and mentor, Martin Grahame-Dunn FMPA. The grand winner will not only enjoy a photo safari holiday in Marrakech, but will also see their photographs from the trip published in Digital Photographer Magazine.

The new UK-wide competition challenges photographers to create compelling images that capture the country’s towns and cities at work during a 24 hour working day. 24 sponsored prizes will be available – one awarded for each hour- to be announced in early 2008. A special environmental award will also be presented to the photographer who best reflects a city or town’s progress towards a ‘greener’ working life.

An enviable selection of grand prizes is on offer for the competition’s three overall winners. The Urban Photographer of the Year will be awarded a photography holiday in Marrakech for two worth approx £5000 and, have their best images from the holiday featured in leading UK publication Digital Photographer Magazine. Second place will win a week long one-on-one course at Martin Grahme-Dunn’s Academy of Photography in Seville, Spain worth approx £3000, and third place will receive a Wacom Cintiq 21-inch Graphics Panel valued at approx £2000.

All winning photographs will be presented as part of an Urban Photography of the Year exhibition which will be unveiled at the Tate Gallery in Liverpool. This exhibition will subsequently be toured across the UK.

Joining Mr. Grahame-Dunn on the judging panel will be:
•Julian Shellard – Regional Chairman, CBRE UK Ltd
•Moray MacLennan – President, The Institute of Advertising
•Debbie Allen – Editor, Digital Photographer Magazine
•Lyn Bryant – Managing Director, Arcaid Architectural Photography
•James Duncan – Photographer and Technical Director, The Image File
•Graham Fink – Executive Creative Director, M&C Saatchi

Julian Shellard, CB Richard Ellis Chairman of Regional Business, said: “CB Richard Ellis lives and breathes buildings and the surrounding environment to help our clients to get the most out of their property assets. Understanding what makes a town or a city tick is essential to our thinking and we are constantly looking for fresh perspectives. The Urban Photographer of the Year Award has been designed to inspire and capture a fresh, visual interpretation of 24 hours in the work life of towns and cities across the UK.”

The Urban Photographer of the Year will be the photographer who in the eyes of the judges presents the most compelling embodiment of the brief – an image that powerfully illustrates the concept of cities of work in the UK. To guide photographers, in addition to chairing the competition, Martin Grahme Dunn will also act as a mentor for entrants and will provide regular photography tips and hints on the competition website.

The competition is open to all photographers, both professional and amateur, of 16 years and over in the UK. All entries must be submitted via the competition website by midnight on December 14, 2007. For further information about the competition and to submit an entry please visit citiesatworksite