May's Photography Grants and Awards

In our curated awards guide this month, we feature the Lucie Photo Book Prize, Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, and our own 2020 Mobile Photography Prize. Learn how they can support the development of your work and career amidst these difficult times.

In our curated awards guide this month, we feature the Lucie Photo Book Prize, Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, and our own 2020 Mobile Photography Prize. Learn how they can support the development of your work and career amidst these difficult times.

PHmuseum 2020 Mobile Photography Prize / Early Bird Deadline: 12 May / Entry fee: free - US$30

The 2nd edition of our Mobile Photography Prize is dedicated to a single theme: INSIDE - Home, Family, and Community in a Historical Collective Moment. Mobile devices are the main vehicle through which we document our everyday life. We aim, therefore, to explore the current global crisis through the images you have felt natural taking throughout these past few months. Images that together can define our collective memory and become an inspiration for the world after the crisis and the generations to come.

The open call offers US$5,000 in prizes for the mobile photos of the year, inclusion in our second 200-image photobook on mobile photography, and a spot in an exhibition in Italy. Many publications will also support us in promoting the work of applicants. BuzzFeed News will publish a gallery of photos picked from the submissions; both Yogurt Magazine and GUP Magazine will feature three photographers' portfolios with GUP also offering a yearly paper subscription to each; and How To Spend It will publish another selection of images on their platform.

To participate, you are invited to enter one or more images taken with a mobile device. You can upload photos from your desktop computer, phone gallery, or Instagram library. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel comprising of Francesca Marani (Vogue Italia), Kate Bubacz (BuzzFeed), Piero Percoco (Photographer) and Sarker Protick (Artist and Curator). The deadline is set for 11 June, while there is a free entry option until 12 May. Learn more at phmuseum.com/m20

Lucie Photo Book Prize / Deadline: 31 July / Entry fee: US$35 - US$55

The Lucie Photo Book Prize, run by the Lucie Foundation, aims to support photographers in the production and promotion of their photobooks through monetary prizes and exposure opportunities. The contest is divided into two separate awards - the Traditional Prize (worth US$3,000) and the Independent Prize (worth US$2,000). The Traditional Prize will be awarded to a photographer, editor, curator or publisher whose book is commercially produced and distributed, while the Independent Prize will be granted to a photographer, editor, curator or publisher whose book is published and distributed independently.

The jury this year consists of many acclaimed industry professionals working in a wide range of fields, from editors and publishers to creative directors. Among the names are Alessia Glaviano (Vogue Italia Visual Director), Amanda Hajjar (Director of Exhibitions, Fotografiska New York), Hilary Greenbaum (Director of Graphic Design, Whitney Museum of American Art), Elizabeth Renstrom (Senior Photo Editor, The New Yorker), Raina Lampkins-Fielder (Curator at Souls Grown Deep Foundation), Edie Peters (Manager PhotoQ Bookshop at World Press Photo, Amsterdam), and Elisa Medde (Managing Editor, Foam). The top finalists will have their work displayed in New York City in October this year as part of the Lucie Foundation’s annual programming. Entry fees vary from US$35 to US$55 depending on the award. An application form and a PDF file of the book must be submitted by 31 July. Further information can be found at luciephotobookprize.org.

Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award / Deadline: 22 May / No entry fee

The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award, facilitated by FotoDocument and supported by Nikon, will grant £2,000 to a professional woman photographer towards the completion of a compelling and cohesive documentary photo essay that addresses an important social, environmental, economic or cultural issue, whether local or global. The work should, in part, showcase positive solutions to any issues it raises to help contribute to constructive photojournalism, in line with the wishes of Marilyn Stafford and the aims of FotoDocument. The Award is reserved solely for documentary photographers working on projects which are intended to make the world a better place and which may be unreported/under-reported.

Women from any stage of their careers are welcome to apply, whether emerging, mid-career or established. They must already have started the photo essay for which they are seeking funding and be able to show work in progress. Submissions will be reviewed by an international panel including Donna De Cesare (Photojournalist and Educator), Nina Emett (Documentary Photographer and Director of FotoDocument), Melanie Friend (Documentary Photographer and Educator), Rebecca Newton (PR and Social Media Manager Nikon) Neo Ntsoma (Photojournalist), Marilyn Stafford herself, and her daughter, honorary judge, Lina Clerke. Entrants must be over 18 and they may be any nationality and based anywhere in the world. Submission is free. Go to fotodocument.org/fotoaward to find out more.

Getty Images #ShowUs Grant / Deadline: 10 May / No entry fee

In partnership with Dove and Girlgaze, Getty Images has launched the #ShowUs Grant that seeks to promote diversity within creative commercial photography and videography, elevating the work and the voices of women, female-identifying, and non-binary photographers. The #ShowUs Grant will provide financial support and mentorship to artists who are using their talents to create inclusive visual stories depicting authentic representations of women. Dr Rebecca Swift, Global Head of Creative Insights at Getty Images, says: “With Project #ShowUs we set out to break visual clichés on an unprecedented scale via the creation of self-representing, authentic imagery by women and non-binary individuals. One year on we remain as committed as ever to this vision and find ourselves in a time when it has never been more important to support our creator community.”

The winner will be selected based on their ability to execute a compelling commercial visual narrative based on still images or video. The jury will consider the calibre of the portfolio, the project’s merit, the artist’s professional ability, how the submitted projects represent women from across the globe, and how the project will help to change representation in the media and advertising. Submissions will be judged by a panel featuring John Antoniello (VP Senior Group Creative Director, Razorfish), Amanda de Cadenet (Founder and CEO of Girlgaze), Sophie Galvani (Global Vice President, Dove), and Dr Rebecca Swift. Applications will be accepted until Friday, May 10th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Entrants can apply online at gettyimages.com/grants.

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OTHER DEADLINES APPROACHING:

Women Photograph Grants / Deadline: 15 May / No entry fee

The Women Photograph Grants aim to elevate the exposure of female, female-identifying, and non-binary visual journalists. The first, presented in collaboration with Nikon, offers five US$5,000 endowments to support the production of photography projects – either new or in-progress – from visual journalists working in a documentary capacity. For the second, Women Photograph has partnered with Getty Images to award US$10,000 to support an ongoing documentary project from a professional photojournalist who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to their story.

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Dorothea Lange-Paul Taylor Prize / Deadline: 15 May / US$70

First launched back in 1990, the Dorothea Lange-Paul Taylor Prize was created by the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University to support artists, working alone or in teams, who are engaged in extended, ongoing fieldwork projects that fully exploit the relationship of words and images in the powerful, persuasive representation of a subject. The winner will receive US$10,000, features in Center for Documentary Studies’ digital publications, and inclusion in the Archive of Documentary Arts at Rubenstein Library, Duke University.

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Camille Lepage – On est ensemble / Deadline: 18 May / No entry fee

Camille Lepage – On est ensemble” was founded in 2014 by the family of photojournalist Camille Lepage following her death while reporting in the Central African Republic. The award aims to provide assistance and protection for photojournalists working in conflict areas and support for communities that are victims of conflicts, and, while doing so, promote values that were so important to Camille. Applicants must be photographers working as photojournalists wishing to do a report, alone, on a social, economic, political, or cultural story.

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W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography / Deadline: 30 May / Entry fee: US$50

The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography is presented annually to a photographer whose past work and proposed project, as judged by a panel of experts, follows the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s concerned photography. This year, the amount of the Grant will be US$40,000, while an additional US$5,000 Grant will be dispersed as a Fellowship and two finalists deemed worthy of special recognition will each be awarded US$2,500.

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Howard Chapnick Grant / Deadline: 30 May / Entry fee: US$50

Established in 1996, the Howard Chapnick Grant looks to encourage and support leadership in fields ancillary to photojournalism, such as editing, research, education and management. The annual $10,000 endowment may be used to finance any of a range of qualified undertakings, which might include a program of further education, research, a special long-term sabbatical project, or an internship to work with a noteworthy group or individual. According to the Fund’s Board of Trustees, special consideration will be given to individuals, initiatives, organisations or projects that promote social change and/or serve significant concerns of photojournalism.

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Kuala Lumpur Photo Awards / Deadline: 31 May / No entry fee

The Kuala Lumpur Photo Awards were initiated in 2009 by a group of dedicated Malaysian photographers and supporters who sought to promote the importance of portraiture in contemporary photographic practice. Photographers of the best three single image portraits will receive US$3,000, US$1,500, and US$500 respectively and a shortlist of 40 entries will be exhibited at the ILHAM Gallery in Kuala Lumpur in September 2020 and at international festivals in Europe, Asia, and Australisia. Also, for the first time this year, KLPA is awarding US$1,000 grants to five promising photographers to help with the completion of portrait-based photo essays.

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Kassel Dummy Award / Deadline: 17 June / Entry fee: €36

Fotobookfestival Kassel has launched the 2020 edition of the Kassel Dummy Award, inviting all photographers worldwide to submit their unpublished photobook mock-ups for the chance to win exhibition and publishing opportunities in addition to monetary prizes. 50 books will be shortlisted by an independent jury and this selection will be showcased at several international photography events across both Europe and Asia. The winning book will be produced and published by Fotobookfestival Kassel’s new cooperative partner MAS, the leading Turkish photobook printing and binding house from Istanbul. Second and Third Prize winners will each get a production grant worth €2,000 and €1,000 respectively for future projects.

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The Ian Parry Scholarship / Deadline: 5 July / No entry fee

Aimed solely at young photographers who are either attending a full-time photographic course or are under 24 years of age, this competition plays an important role in drawing attention to untold global issues. This year’s IPS is divided into two categories: The Sunday Times Award for Achievement and The Canon Award for Potential. Prizes across the two contests include cash grants, portfolio review days with industry experts in London, automatic nomination into World Press Photo's Joop Swart Masterclass, and a year-long mentorship program with highly respected photojournalist Jon Jones.

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Visit our awards page to get a full view of the best photography opportunities currently open for entry.

© Alberto Lara. 2019 Mobile Photography Prize 1st Prize winner
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© Alberto Lara. 2019 Mobile Photography Prize 1st Prize winner

© Paul D'Amato, from the book Here/Still/Now. 2018 Lucie Photobook Prize winner
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© Paul D'Amato, from the book Here/Still/Now. 2018 Lucie Photobook Prize winner

© Anna Filipova. 2019 Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award
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© Anna Filipova. 2019 Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award

© Hind Bouqartacha
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© Hind Bouqartacha

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