It begins as an international search by a team of curators and critics to find photographers whose portfolio of work shows incredible potential. A list of over one hundred strong contenders is whittled down to fourteen. After careful consideration, a jury of leading experts then selects four finalists eligible for the Aimia AGO Photography Prize; it’s not just prestige, the winner also receives $50,000.

Unlike most awards of this scale, the Aimia AGO Photography Prize is entirely decided by public vote. Voting is open until November 6th and the big winner will be announced at AGO’s First Thursday on November 7th.

Meet the final four, peruse their portfolios and cast your vote!

The Notion of Family by Latoya Ruby Frazier, USA.

Latoya uses portraiture and documentary-style photography to capture the economic decline in her hometown of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Her series is entirely in black and white and shows how family life is affected, both financially and health-wise, by a factory town that has gone belly up. Hard-hitting and revealing, Latoya’s photos access a level of vulnerability and truth that reveal an honest picture of what  much of America looks like right now.

View Latoya’s portfolio. Vote for Latoya.

Finding Me by Chino Otsuka, Japan.

In her series Finding Me, Chino takes photographs from her past and inserts her present day self into them. In the photo above, you see both Chino as a young girl and as an adult. Haunting, clever and technically awe-inspiring: Chino is able to travel back in time and revisit moments in her life in a thoughtful and magical way.

View Chino’s portfolio. Vote for Chino.

 

Lake by Erin Shirreff, Canada

Inspired by a vintage postcard, Erin took hundreds of photographs of the exact scene and then altered the images to appear like the postcard that is viewed as a slow-moving time-lapse video. I’m not sure if I’ve described this properly but viewing her work, on exhibit at the AGO, is fascinating, calming and explores the way we look at  photography.

View Erin’s portfolio. Vote for Erin.

Tinieblas (Darkness) by Edgardo Aragon, Mexico

Edgardo’s photos explore the history of violence in Mexico. Deeply engaged with political and social histories of Oaxaca, the province where he was born and still lives, his video and photography works often document performance and sculptural interventions against landscapes that appear at once serene and foreboding. We can’t help but think of Breaking Bad.

View Edgardo’s portfolio. Vote for Edgardo.

Aimia AGO Photography Prize finalists are now on display at the AGO. If you have the opportunity to go, this is definitely the best way to view their work.