Simona Bonanno Messina, Italy

Born in 1974, in Messina, Italy. I presently work in Italy as photographer, teacher and graphic designer.

After obtaining my artistic High School degree in 1992 I studied in Paris, at the Atelier Peninghen, ESAG. I received a Bachelor of Arts, in 1999, at the School of Arts in Italy, where I started photographing with film.

My photographs have been selected for several group exhibitions in Italy, USA, France, Australia, Argentina, Israel, Turkey and Denmark. In 2013 I had my first solo exhibition at the Galerie Focale, in Nyon, Switzerland.

Recently I won the Grand Prix de Découverte, Abstract category, International Fine Art Photography. My winning image was exhibited at the Salon de la Photo in Paris, France, in November 2013.

I received two honorable mentions in the International Photography Awards (2012). I was finalist at several other competitions: Grand Prix de Découverte (2012); The Art of Photography Show (2012); 32nd and 33rd Annual Spring Photography Contest by the Photographer's Forum Magazine (2012, 2013).

In 2011 I was the overall winner of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award; I was also Amateur Photographer of the Year 2011 in United Kingdom, and shortlisted as Digital Photographer of the Year.

My photographs have been published in several photography magazines, such as Amateur Photographer, Fotografia Reflex, National Geographic, Digital Camera Bookazine Black&White vol. 2, and Drome Magazine.