Photocrati Fund

The 2014 Photocrati Fund Competition: Judging Still in Progress

We are still finalizing the winners of the 2014 Photocrati Fund. Here is the shortlist of the top finalists. Thanks so much for your patience. And thank you, photographers, for making a difference in this world with your craft! It is always incredibly inspiring to see the meaningful work that you are doing. We genuinely love going through every submission.

2014 Top Finishers and Finalists

Adriane Ohanesian
Women Rebel Soldiers of the Nuba Mountains; South Kordofan, Sudan
adrianeohanesian.com/women-of-the-kia-myanmar/

Albertina d’Urso
Out of Tibet; Worldwide
www.fotovisura.com/user/albertinadursi/viewprivate/out-of-tibet

Alejandro Chaskielberg
Otsuchi Future Memories; Otsuchi, Tohoku Prefecture, Japan
www.chaskielberg.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=5&p=0

Alessandro Grassani
Environmental Migrants: The last illusion; Kenya, Nairobi
www.alessandrograssani.com/album/kenya-nairobi?p=1#1

Alessio Romenzi
Aftermath of the Syrian Civil War: Refugees; Lebanon, Beirut
alessioromenzi.photoshelter.com/gallery/Portfolio/G0000jhjmEnNVe5s

Allison Shelley
No Choice: Abortion and Imprisonment in Mexico; Mexico City and Guanajuato State
allisonshelley.photoshelter.com/gallery/Photocrati-2014/G0000zVBElbH0yQ4

Andria Hautamaki
Patagonia: Ranching Between Ice and Sky; (Southern Chilean Patagonia)
www.ahowdyphoto.com/#!patagonia-between-ice-and-sky/c1a2c

Andrea de Franciscis
Tsunami, Ten Years After; Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand
www.andreadefranciscis.com/myreportage.php?id=5207

Anik Rahman
Puppet Show; Bangladesh
www.anikrahman.com/puppet-show/

Anna Boyiazis
Second Wave; Uganda
www.annaboyiazis.com/afrika.html

Bernice Wong Shu Fen
Breath of Life; Cambodia
bernicewsf.com/index/portfolio/breath-of-life-3/
bernicewsf.com

Brett Gundlock
El Pueblo (The Community); Michoacan, Mexico
www.brettgundlock.com/el-pueblo

Camilo Ramirez
Turbid Collective; US Gulf Coast
www.camramirez.com/turbidcollective_10.html

Cosmin Bumbutz
No Future for Roma Families in Romania
www.bumbutz.ro/portfolio/copiii-din-hetea-2013

Dan Giannopoulos
The Rehabilitation of Syria’s Refugees; Jordan & Lebanon
gianphotography.com/disabled-syrian-refugees/zkgzrd9t9mgupdaa5j7f1yvhoul33g
gianphotography.com/syrians-in-jordan/c8vd5d6pn6mog7ejmsz7brhmbh41av

Daniele Volpe
Aftermath of Guatemala Genocide
www.danielevolpe.com/dv/guatemala-genocide/

Edmond (Ed) Ezra Kashi
CKDu and Nicaragua’s Sugarcane Workers; Nicaragua
www.edkashi.com (Nicaragua)

Eva Parey
East Winds; Across Europe
www.evaparey.com/east_winds_web/

Fabio Bucciarelli
On the Brink of Abyss; South Sudan
www.fabiobucciarelli.com/portfolio-item/south-sudan/

Fausto Podavini
Climate Change Vulnerability and Resilience
www.faustopodavini.eu/
www.faustopodavini.eu/project/portfolio/dam.html

Galen Stolee
A Tale of Two Models – Tourism development in the forests of Cambodia
galenstolee.com/index.php?splash=1#/nepal/1

Giorgio Savona
IronBound; Newark, NJ, USA
www.giorgiosavona.com/last-resort-3/
www.giorgiosavona.com/portfolio-7/

Greg Kahn
3 Millimeters; Eastern Shore of Maryland, USA
gregkahn.photoshelter.com/#!/portfolio/G00007zCTwj19qzM

Jacob Maentz
The Forgotten Ten (Katutubong Filipino Project); Philippines
www.jacobimages.com/photography/photocrati

Juan Carlos
C’est la Vie (Asi es la Vida)
www.juancarlosphotos.com/c-est-la-vie#0

Jordi Pizarro
The Disappearing Lands of Bangladesh and India
www.jordipizarro.com

Joyce Nicholls
Black, Gay, Female and Paperless: a story about Ugandan lesbian asylum seekers in the UK
www.joycenicholls.com

J.T. Blatty
Fish Town; Coastal Louisiana (Breton Sound & Ponchartrain Basins, East of Mississippi)
fishtown.jtblatty.com

Ksenia Diodorova
21 Hours; Tajikistan (GBAO), Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg)
https://ksenia-d.exposure.co/in-the-cold

Laura El-Tantawy
I’ll Die For You; Egypt
www.ill-die-for-you.com

Lianne Milton
La Vida No Vale Nada; Guatemala
www.liannemiltonphotography.com/#/photo-essays/guatemala/la-vida-no-vale-nada/guate001

Lorenzo Masi
Struggle for a Normal Life: Somali refugees in Italy
lorenzomasi.com/index.php?id=2

Marco Casino
Staff Riding (temporary title); Johannesburg townships, SA
www.marcocasino.com/portfolio/staff-riding
(See multi-media presentation)

Markel Redondo
The Good Father
markelredondo.com/story-gods-hands.html

Mariusz Janiszewski
Life Reloaded; Philippines
www.mariuszjaniszewski.pl

Marion Belanger
Oil and Ice; Alaska
www.marionbelanger.com/home/rift/
www.marionbelanger.com/home/fault/

Massimo Branca
Under the Surface
www.massimobranca.com/images/photocrati-grant

Mathieu Asselin
Monsanto: A Photographic Investigation; USA
www.monsantocorporation.info

Matthew David Eich
Sin & Salvation in Baptist Town; Greenwood, Mississippi
matteich.samexhibit.com/baptist-town-photocrati-fund

Matteo Bastianelli
MaldiMare (Seasickness); Taranto, Italy
www.matteobastianelli.com/projects.php, PLEASE SEE FILM REEL

Michael JP Hall
Landfill
entanglement.ca.michaeljphall.com

Michelle Siu
Marlboro Boys, Indonesia
www.michellesiu.com/marlboroboys#0

Paula Bronstein
The Forgotten Frontline: Afghan Women; Afghanistan
www.paulaphoto.com

Stefano Schirato
Toxicity; Russia, Dzerzhinsk
www.stefanoschirato.it/gallery.php

Steven DeWitt
The Lodgepole Project
thelodgepoleproject.photoshelter.com/portfolio

Thomas Dryden Kelsey
Turquoise Hill “Minegolia”
www.dryden-kelsey.com
www.dryden-kelsey.com/Hal-Far-Malta

Tommaso Rada
The Bill of Progress, Mozambique
tommasorada.com/#/the-bill-of-progress/Ph_001

Turjoy Chowdhury
Second Life; Bangladesh
www.turjoychowdhury.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/savar-tragedy/

What is the Photocrati Fund?

The Photocrati Fund offers a $5000 grant to a photographer to undertake an important humanitarian or environmental photography project. Our goal is to identify outstanding photographers and to provide support towards projects that will have a tangible and positive effect on the world.

Applications are judged by our panel of distinguished reviewers. The grantee becomes a Photocrati Fellow for the calendar year from the announcement of his/her award until the announcement of the following year’s award.

Award decisions will be made by the Photocrati Fund Board, a prestigious panel that includes some of the world’s best-known environmental and cultural photographers.

2014 Photocrati Fund Board and judges for the competition included:

Steve McCurry
Steve Winter
Jim Brandenburg

The 2013 Photocrati Fund Board and judges for the competition included:

Steve McCurry
Michael “Nick” Nichols
Jim Brandenburg

Please review the guidelines below to learn about the requirements for the Photocrati Fund. Projects that do not meet requirements will not be eligible for consideration of the award. We look forward to receiving your application. Thanks for your interest in the 2014 Photocrati Fund.

Eligibility
Application Submission Guidelines
Selection Criteria
Notification of Award
Disbursement of Funds, Project Report, Photo Essay and Deadline for Completion of Project
Copyright and Use of Images
Other Important Notes
Photocrati Fund Board Member Bios
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Past Winners and Top Finalists

Eligibility

This grant is intended for both pro and emerging photographers. The grant is open to photographers over 21 years of age from any country worldwide, but applicants should have a proven ability to produce outstanding imagery and coherent photo essays, as well as the background necessary to carry out the proposed project. This means that for photographers planning to complete a project in a country other than their own country of origin, there should be a clear demonstration of preparation for work in that country (i.e. proper visas, contacts, language training, etc.), and preferably some experience in the country or a good deal of experience and understanding of the culture and language/customs.

Application Submission Guidelines

There are no application fees for this grant. The 2015 grant is NOT yet open.

Each submission may contain only one project proposal. Each applicant may apply only once per submission cycle. Applications are not carried over to the following year. All applications must be submitted in English, online to the following email address: fund@photocrati.com. Please include the words 2014 PHOTOCRATI FUND in the subject of the email.

Please proofread to avoid typos and grammatical errors.

Only applications that meet ALL SUBMISSION CRITERIA will be judged. Once the application and proposal has been submitted, content changes are not allowed. Please double check all of your materials before submitting your application. The Photocrati Fund is not responsible for misdirected submissions. Applicants should save copies of their application for their own records.

Only applications submitted according to grant application specifications will be considered. Applicants should not send any hard copies or printed materials (no prints, books, CDs/DVDs or transparencies). The Photocrati Fund Panel will not review any of these materials, and they cannot be returned to applicants.

The application consists of just two items: a one-page project statement and bio, and a link to your online portfolio submitted via email to: fund@photocrati.com. Please include the words 2014 PHOTOCRATI FUND in the subject of your email.


A big change from previous years: In general, we do not accept links to password protected galleries, or to Flickr, Picasa, or other photo sharing sites. You should have a professional-style website. (There are many wonderful free professional-style websites available, — such as WordPress — that are easy to set up. If you want to keep your gallery separate from your other work, you can create a specific, non-public link and send that to us with your application. We occasionally make exceptions to this rule for embargoed or very sensitive projects).

Project Statement and Bio

The project statement should be 1-page, preferably as a PDF– but MSWord is acceptable, too. Please follow these formatting guidelines. It helps our judges to quickly evaluate the hundreds of applications in a systematic manner. Please label/save/title your submission using your name and/or project title (i.e. Smith2014_Rocks). This makes it easier for the staff and judges to sort and find your project.

Please include the following information, in this order, in the HEADING:

  • Applicant’s Full Name:
  • Project Title:
  • Project Location:
  • Applicant’s Email:
  • Applicant’s Phone (including country code):
  • Applicant’s Home Country:
  • Web Address of Online Portfolio:

The personal statement should describe the proposed project in detail, including:

  • Who or what will be photographed?
  • Why is this project important? Include historical, environmental, or cultural background to the project as appropriate. You should display good substantive knowledge of your subject matter.
  • What positive consequences might result from this project? We are interested in projects that will have a tangible impact or contribution.
  • What background and preparation do you have that will enable you to carry out the project? This should include a description of your photographic training or background as well as your knowledge or training related to the subject matter of your project (i.e., language or cultural study, previous experience in the specified country or location, environmental or biological background, and contacts with a specific local organization or experts with whom you wish to work, etc).
  • If the proposed project will take place in a country other than your own, please describe your preparations for working in the proposed project location (i.e. visa preparations, local contacts, health vaccinations, language training, etc.).
  • How do you plan to spend the grant funds? Please include a rough budget. 

Note: In our experience, many applicants underestimate the amount of time and preparation that is required to prepare a good one-page project statement. The fact that this statement is only one page means you must work even harder to make sure that all the relevant information is included in a concise and still-readable way.

The most successful statements are those that have received a great deal of work and editing. This single page is all we have to evaluate you, your preparation, and your project, so please give it special care and attention.

Link to Online Portfolio

Each applicant should include on their Project Statement and Bio a URL (web address) to an online gallery of a coherent set of 15-30 images based around a theme or project (preferably related to the project or theme/concept proposed in your application or something related, though not necessary).

Carrying out an effective photography project requires not just creative and technical mastery of photography, but also the ability to focus on a single project over time. You need to take time to develop knowledge about your subject matter, build any necessary relationships, and to invest the time to be present when the best photo opportunities present themselves. Your portfolio should display these qualities. We are not looking for a hodge-podge of individual photographs of sunsets, flowers, or travel scenes.

Images displayed in the online portfolio or website MUST BE TAKEN BY THE APPLICANT. Any applicant receiving a grant on the basis of images taken by someone else will be liable to repay the grant’s full amount to the Photocrati Fund, and will of course, forfeit the Photocrati Fund Fellow title.

As with the personal statement, please recognize that the images on this site are the sole basis on which we will evaluate your photographic talent. You should display your best work.


Selection Criteria

Following the application deadline, Photocrati Fund staff will compile all completed applications that adhere to all submission guidelines.

Photocrati Fund staff will screen applications and remove any that do not meet the application criteria or which are unlikely to be competitive. The remaining applications will be submitted to the Photocrati Fund Board for consideration.

Selection of the grantee will be based on the Board’s determination, in its sole discretion, of the following:

  • Photographic skill, background and promise of the applicant (in terms of photographic vision and technique) based on the applicant’s images in his/her web portfolio.
  • The degree to which the applicant’s non-photographic background and training has prepared him/her to undertake the project.
  • The environmental or humanitarian significance of the project and its potential positive contributions.
  • The feasibility and viability of the completion of the proposed project within the projected time frame and with the grant funding.
  • The quality of the overall application packet.



Notification of Award

Winners of the grant will be notified after the judging, which should be completed in late June. The grant winners may share the news with others involved with the project, but we ask to keep news of the award confidential until the public announcement in late June.


Disbursement of Funds, Project Report, Photo Essay and Deadline for Completion of Project

Photocrati Fund Grants are in the amount of $5,000. The funds are intended to help cover the costs of travel, lodging, and related expenses for roughly one-month of full time photography. The funds do not need to be spent on travel and lodging, and we certainly fund portions of on-going projects. The most important thing is that we need for you to outline how you intend to spend the funding. In general, we are interested in supporting the expenses related to the completion of the project — rather than the purchase of a large item of photographic gear.

The funds will be disbursed in two portions. Photocrati Fellows will receive $4000 up-front prior to the project. The remaining $1000 will be disbursed to the Grantee upon completion of the project and upon receipt of a Project Report/ photo essay (for the Photocrati website) from the project.

The Grantee is expected to provide a brief follow-up report/blog post/photo essay upon completion of the project that describes how the project progressed, and which provides a detailed explanation of how funds were used. Grant recipients are advised to keep conscientious records of expenses.

Along with the project report, the Fellow should submit a final photo essay of 15-30 images. These can be presented in an online gallery or sent to Photocrati Fund staff via email or FTP. These images should be 800 pixels in the longest dimension and they should be accompanied by detailed captions. The resulting photo essay will be displayed on Photocrati.com following the project completion.

The Grantee will have 12 months from the announcement of the award to complete his or her project and to provide Photocrati Fund staff with a Project Report and captioned Photo Essay.


Copyright and Use of Images

The Grantee (i.e. the award winner/photographer) retains all copyright and ownership of images resulting from the project, including the right to sell, print, or distribute images as he or she sees fit. (This means that if you win, you keep the rights to your images.)

By accepting the grant, the Grantee (the award winner) agrees, however, to give Photocrati a worldwide, non-exclusive right to display images included in the Grantee’s photo essay on the Photocrati.com website. The Grantee also gives Photocrati the right to use the images from the photo essay on its website, in printed materials, or in galleries for the purpose of promoting the Photocrati Fund. (This means that if you win, you allow us to use a small, select set of your images in our publications and on our website to promote the grant.)

The imagery produced by the grantee (the award winner) may be licensed (and sold) to others by Grantee (the award winner), with the understanding and explicit agreement that the images may also be used by Photocrati in the manner mentioned above. (This means that if you win, you can sell your images however you like, but that you allow us to use a set of them — which you pick — to promote the grant. People often ask us if we plan to sell the winner’s images — NO! We are not in the business of selling other photographer’s images! The purpose of this grant is to support great photography related to environmental and humanitarian causes).

People have asked —  what would we do if a Photocrati Fund Fellow’s project were to get picked up by a major publishing outlet that requires first rights or exclusive rights. Answer: We would be thrilled for our Photocrati Fellow. In fact, this did happen with our wonderful 2011 Photocrati Fund winner, Paul Colangelo. His project work is still embargoed, and we are excitedly awaiting our chance to share it soon. Our goal is to support great photographers, and it is very exciting for us to see great photographers succeed!


Other Important Notes

Taxable Compensation

The Photocrati Grant is considered compensation. As such, the amount of funding that the grant recipient claims for their expenses may be subject to withholding tax. American citizens or residents should be prepared to provide a US Taxpayer Identification Number shortly after their grant is awarded, before the Awardee can receive the grant.

Photocrati will provide grant recipients outside the US with information and assistance in securing this number if they do not already have such identification. Grant recipients living in the US will be supplied with appropriate reporting information in the form of a 1099. Grant recipients living in other countries will receive 1042 income reporting forms.

Privacy

Photocrati and Photocrati Fund staff along with the Photocrati Fund Panel will make every possible effort to keep applications confidential and private. Applicant names and contact information will never be shared with individuals outside of the Photocrati Fund, without expressed written permission from the grant recipients.

Materials and ideas contained within the application will NOT be used by Photocrati, the Photocrati Fund, or by the Photocrati Fund Panel for any purpose other than the grant review and selection process, without expressed written permission from the grant recipients. Grant recipient images may, however, be used for publicity (as outlined in this document).

Communication with Applicant

The Photocrati Fund staff and/or Photocrati Fund Panel may contact grant applicants for further communication regarding their submitted application.

Updates and Changes to the Grant

As this is only the fifth year for offering the grant, some small changes in procedures may be necessary. Photocrati reserves the right to amend grant rules and submission guidelines for the Photocrati Fund.

Agreement

All entrants by their participation, agree to be bound by these Official Rules. Photocrati reserves the right to disqualify any entrant who violates these rules, and any subsequent entries of the disqualified entrant. The laws of the United States apply to and govern this grant award and any claims must be raised and resolved in the United States. Additionally, entrants and the grant recipient agree to release, discharge, and hold harmless Photocrati, Photocrati Fund, and Photocrati Fund Panel, their affiliates, officers, directors and employees from any liability, claims, or damages arising out of their participation in the promotion and the acceptance, use, misuse, or possession of any grant. All grant recipients, by accepting the grant, agree to the use of their name or likeness for advertising or publicity purposes without compensation, and upon request, to provide consent to such use in writing.

Photocrati is not responsible for printing or typographical errors in any contest-related materials; for stolen, lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, illegible, or postage