August Awards Guide

The Gomma Photography Grant, Encontros da Imagem Photobook Market, the Syngenta Photography Award, and the Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards are among the most exciting competitions open for entries this month. Don't miss them.

The Gomma Photography Grant, Encontros da Imagem Photobook Market, the Syngenta Photography Award, and the Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards are among the most exciting competitions open for entries this month. Don't miss them.

Gomma Photography Grant 2016

Launched back in 2014, the Gomma Photography Grant is an all-inclusive award aimed at both emerging and established photographers. Gomma prides itself on bringing recognition to undiscovered artists and the judges apply a “strict meritocratic” attitude when reviewing the submissions, analyzing the quality of the work rather than the reputation of the author. “Gomma has always had an out-of-the-box approach and has acquired an autonomous position in the contemporary photography industry” say the organizers. “Gomma's editorial staff enjoys entering into uncharted territory to spot fresh, new talent.” PHmuseum CEO and founder, Giuseppe Oliverio is a member of the jury this year and he is joined by other esteemed industry professionals including Yumi Goto (Founder of the Reminders Project); Tom Griggs (Editor of Fototazo); Michael Itkoff (Co-founder of Daylight); Nobuhiro Kobayashi (Antenne Books) and Diane Smyth (Executive Editor of The British Journal of Photography). In addition to a €1000 cash prize, the winner will have their work featured on PHmuseum and published in the Gomma magazine. Early bird deadline, August 31st; final deadline, October 31st.

Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards 2016

The prestigious Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation Photobook Awards are back. In this annual celebration of the book’s contribution to the continued evolution of the photography narrative, institutions and photographers are invited to submit their publications and catalogues online at aperture.org/photobookawards. A distinguished jury comprised of Ann-Christin Bertrand (curator, C/O Berlin); David Campany (writer, curator and artist); Lesley A. Martin (creative director, Aperture) and Christoph Wiesner (artistic director, Paris Photo) will come together in New York to select the shortlist for each of the three categories – PhotoBook of the Year Prize, Photography Catalogue of the Year Prize, and First PhotoBook Prize. The latter comes with a cash reward of $10,000. The final winners will be determined by a separate judging panel, to be announced. Deadline: September 9th.

Encontros da Imagem Photobook Market

The annual Photobook Market, organized by the international Encontros da Imagem Festival in Portugal, aims to support the work of self-publishing artists and recognize the increasing importance of the photobook. Photographers of any nationality working in any genre are invited to submit their dummy photobook for an exhibition at the festival in September 2016. A shortlist of 50 dummies will be selected for display, and the best 3 will enjoy exposure on the Encontros da Imagem website and social media platforms. The Photobook Market opens during the Opening Solar Week of the Festival in September 2016, in Braga, Portugal. Deadline to apply: September 8th.

Syngenta Photography Award

On offer every two years, the Syngenta Photography Award is an international competition that seeks to promote discussion and awareness of the key global issues of our time through powerful, compelling photography. The underlying theme this year is Grow-Conserve. “As the world’s population continues to increase, so does the tension between our growing demand for more food, energy and resources, and the protection of our planet” assert Syngenta. “How can we manage economic, social and technological growth in a way that supports the needs of today as well as for future generations? Bold and transformative action is needed.” The award is once again divided into two categories – the Open Competition and the Professional Commission, the latter endowed with a First Prize of US$15,000 plus an additional fund of US$25,000 to help with the production of the commissioned project. All entries in both competitions will be judged by a panel of eminent experts in the field of photographer, chaired by curator, author, and museum director William A. Ewing. Submit your work before August 22nd.

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Every month we curate a list of what is coming up in the world of photography awards. Aimed at early, mid-career, and professional photographers, this list offers details of the most exciting opportunities. To stay up to date, subscribe to our newsletter by registering your email address in the space at the bottom of this page.

© Javier Arcenillas, from the series Red Note. (Winner of the 2015 Gomma Photography Grant)
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© Javier Arcenillas, from the series Red Note. (Winner of the 2015 Gomma Photography Grant)

© Thomas Mailaender, Illustrated People. (Winner of the 2015 Photobook of the Year award)
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© Thomas Mailaender, Illustrated People. (Winner of the 2015 Photobook of the Year award)

© Laura El-Tantawy, from the series In the Shadows of the Pyramids. (2015 Photobook Market shortlist)
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© Laura El-Tantawy, from the series In the Shadows of the Pyramids. (2015 Photobook Market shortlist)

© Mustafah Abdulaziz. (Winner of the 2014 Syngenta Photography Award Professional Commission)
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© Mustafah Abdulaziz. (Winner of the 2014 Syngenta Photography Award Professional Commission)

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