Italian photographers win top prizes in Royal Photographic Society competition

Antonio Busiello (below) won for his photograph which 'raises valid and contemporary questions about body image'

Three Italian photographers have won the top awards at The Royal Photographic Society’s International Print Exhibition.

Click here to see more photographs from the show

In the 156th year of the competition, Antonio Busiello won gold for his photograph ‘The Cullatore’ (above), which shows a man with a growth on his back.

Judge Anthony Holland Parkin said: “The Cullatore struck a chord with a number of the judges. In a world obsessed with retouched perfection, Antonio’s honest image of a man proudly displaying his huge calluses challenges the viewer, and raises valid and contemporary questions, about body image.”

Busiello was one of 1,285 photographers from 59 countries to enter the competition, of which 115 were selected for the exhibition.

The silver award went to Mattia Vacca for ‘S’Ardia- Introduction to family life in Barbagia’ and the under-30s award went to Michele Palazzi for ‘Gone with the Dust’.

The exhibition opens at Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford on Saturday 20 July, before moving on to venues around the country.