Based in the ABC’s Washington bureau, Eroglu was awarded for his camerawork on two Foreign Correspondent programs filmed last year. One for the feature on the Go Go music scene in Washington DC and the other a program examining the reintroduction of the wolf in Idaho, both with ABC journalist Michael Brissenden.
The judges said, “Louie’s work demonstrates a talent and commitment that is the hallmark of top photographers throughout the world, and the people of Australia should be thankful for his insightful storytelling as his skills serve to enlighten them.”
Eroglu said, “This is a huge honour for me to be recognised by the WHMPA. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences filming across the United States, especially the opportunity I’ve had to film longer form current affairs features. I am constantly inspired by the calibre of video photographers at work today in Washington D.C.”
Louie has been based in Washington since January 2008 – his third overseas posting with the ABC. He has travelled extensively throughout the United States covering the Presidential Election and Inauguration, the Louisiana oil spill, Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Katrina. He has also covered disasters including the Chilean Miners rescue and the Haiti earthquake. As well as shooting for news, Louie has enjoyed the opportunity to film across the US for Australia’s leading international current affairs program Foreign Correspondent.
Prior to the US posting Louie was based in Moscow for the ABC from August 2005. He filmed extensively in Russia, from Siberia to St Petersburg, filming in temperatures as low as minus 37C. Louie covered the Winter Olympics in Italy and spent six weeks in Germany for the 2006 World Cup.
Louie’s first overseas posting was to the ABC’s Middle East bureau, based in Jerusalem. During his four years there, he covered the war in Afghanistan in 2001 and the Iraq War in 2003. In total he completed 10 trips to Iraq. Along with ABC journalist Mark Willacy, he broke the ABC record for the longest off-base assignment, spending 93 days straight, on the road in and around Iraq covering the war.
Louie has won multiple awards for his camerawork. Last year he won a Gold Award for Documentary and a Silver Award for News Feature from the White House News Photographer’s Association. In 2005, he won a Walkley Award for the filming of an ABC News story, ‘Baghdad Bomb’. Louie has won 7 Golden Tripods in the Australian Cinematographer’s Society (ACS) National Awards, as well as 13 Gold and 12 Silver Awards in the ACS State Awards.
In 2005, Louie was granted ACS accreditation.
(Taken from ABC News Publicity and Promotions)