▁annual ▁William ▁and ▁Win if red ▁B own ess ▁Phot ography ▁Prize ▁is ▁an ▁initi ative ▁of ▁the ▁M GA ▁Foundation . ▁ ▁The ▁B own ess ▁Phot ography ▁Prize ▁has ▁quickly ▁become ▁Australia ' s ▁most ▁important ▁phot ography ▁prize . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁country ' s ▁most ▁open ▁pri zes ▁for ▁phot ography . ▁In ▁the ▁past , ▁final ists ▁have ▁included ▁established ▁and ▁emer ging ▁photograph ers , ▁art ▁and ▁commercial ▁photograph ers . ▁All ▁film - based ▁and ▁digital ▁work ▁from ▁am ateurs ▁and ▁profession als ▁is ▁accepted . ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁them atic ▁restrictions . ▁In ▁its ▁first ▁year ▁the ▁winner ▁was ▁awarded ▁$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁As ▁the ▁prize ▁has ▁grown ▁in ▁prom in ence ▁the ▁prize ▁money ▁has ▁also ▁increased ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁winner ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁with ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁prize , ▁the ▁winning ▁work ▁will ▁be ▁acquired ▁for ▁the ▁Mon ash ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Art , ▁City ▁of ▁Mon ash ▁Collection . ▁ ▁Each ▁year ▁three ▁Hon ou rable ▁M ent ions ▁will ▁also ▁be ▁acknowled ged ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁People ’ s ▁Cho ice ▁Award ▁of ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁which ▁is ▁announced ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁exhibition . ▁▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁the ▁prize ▁money ▁awarded ▁has ▁been ▁increased ▁to ▁$ 3 0 , 0 0 0