Paul Graham wins Deutsche Börse Photography Prize

British photographer Paul Graham has won this year’s £30 000 Deutsche Börse Photography Prize.

Graham won the award for his publication A Shimmer of Possibility, which comprises 12 individual volumes of photographic short stories of life in contemporary USA.

Graham was presented with the prize, which goes to an international photographer for their significant contribution to the medium of photography, at a ceremony at the Photographers’ Gallery, London W1 by Jefferson Hack, co-founder of Dazed & Confused.

The other shortlisted photographers, who were each awarded £3000, are Emily Jacir from Kuwait and US artists Tod Papageorge and Taryn Simon.

Brett Rogers, non-voting chair and director of the Photographers’ Gallery, says, ‘A Shimmer of Possibility sees Paul Graham pushing the photographic medium in many ways – through his acute observation of “bare” life and diagnosis of the mood of contemporary America through its smallest details.

‘Few photographic projects ever reach this level of subtlety, sensitivity and complexity.’

The exhibition will continue at the Photographers’ Gallery until 12 April, before visiting Berlin and Frankfurt.