AV Triumph for Harri Morris
- Jan 2
- 2 min read
Continuing our series of posts celebrating Members’ recognition and awards, we cast our gaze back to February 2025 when club President Harri Morris was awarded the Credit Award for Photographic Merit in Audio Visual (CPAGB/AV) by the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain (PAGB).
The PAGB is the umbrella organisation for UK photographic federations and oversees a nationally recognised distinctions system. These awards acknowledge a photographer’s ability to produce work of a consistent standard, assessed by experienced practitioners. The CPAGB/AV is the second level of PAGB distinctions and requires applicants to demonstrate technical competence, visual coherence, and effective storytelling across a body of work.
Audio visual work combines still images, sound, music, and timing to create a moving narrative. Unlike video, AVs are built from photographs, with rhythm and pacing playing a crucial role in how the story unfolds.
“AVs are a brilliant way of telling stories visually,” Harri says. “They allow you to control how an image is seen, how long it’s held, and how it interacts with sound. That combination can be incredibly powerful.”
PAGB AV distinctions are assessed live over Zoom, reflecting the modern way AV work is shared and viewed. A panel of experienced AV judges reviews each submission together. The work is discussed in detail, and once the panel reaches a consensus, the award is granted if the submission meets the required standard. Being awarded the CPAGB/AV recognises not only technical skill, but also a clear commitment to visual storytelling within a specialised and demanding genre.
For the CPAGB/AV, entrants must submit over six minutes of AV material in total. This can be presented as a single sequence or split across several shorter works.
Harri’s successful submission consisted of two photo harmony AVs, each exploring a very different subject:
The Sound of Silence focuses on depression, using imagery and sound to convey emotional weight and inner experience.
Star-Spangled Banner responded to the American election, reflecting on politics, division, and public mood through photographic storytelling.
“Both pieces were about mood and meaning rather than explanation,” Harri explains. “I’m drawn to subjects where images can suggest more than they spell out.”
Audio visual work sits at the intersection of photography, music, and narrative — a space Harri feels particularly at home in.
“What I love about AV is that it slows people down,” she says. “You’re not just flicking past images. You’re being guided through a story, and that’s where photography really comes alive for me.”
Harri’s sequences can be viewed here -
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