W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund- Application Deadline May 15, 2009

The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography is accepting applications- the deadline is May 15, so don't delay! This grant was established in 1978 following the death of Gene Smith, the legendary American photo essayist. It is today the most prestigious honor in documentary photography. Every year it recognizes a photographer who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to documenting the human condition in the spirit of Smith's concerned photography and dedicated compassion. The W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund independently administers the grant program that provides photographers with the financial freedom to carry out or complete major photographic essays. For 2009, the amount of the grant will be $30,000. An additional $5,000 in fellowship money will be dispersed, at the discretion of the jury, to one or more finalists deemed worthy of special recognition. Awards will be presented in a ceremony held in New York City in early October. For more information,…

Continue ReadingW. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund- Application Deadline May 15, 2009

Register now- Kalish Workshop deadline is May 15

From Scott Sines, Director of the Kalish Workshop: Time is running short to register for this year’s Kalish Workshop in visual editing. The deadline is May 15 and we have only eight spots left. We are in our twentieth year and have a great reputation industry wide. This year only, for $500 you get five full days (June 12-14) of intense instruction in cross-platform visual storytelling from a faculty that includes Emmy winners Geri Migliecz and Brian Storm, as well as, visual editors who have worked on Pulitzer Prize winning projects, including Sue Morrow and Randy Cox. Other regulars on The Kalish faculty include Kenny Irby, John Rumbach, Mark Edelson and others. The core faculty has worked together on this program for many years and will be present during the week providing ample time to answer your questions. This year’s workshop is sharply focused on multimedia storytelling and managing resources/visuals across platforms.…

Continue ReadingRegister now- Kalish Workshop deadline is May 15

April Digital Journalist – Special Video Journalism Issue

This month's Digital Journalist mixes things up a bit- Ken Kobré (of kobreguide.com), took over the reins, and focused on the ever-changing world of video journalism. They lead with a feature by Colin Mulvany, of The Spokesman-Review, From Stills to Video in the Newsroom. Mulvany writes: "Now is not a time to be timid. Multimedia producers need to stand up and protect video storytelling at their newspapers. In order to stay competitive, publishers will have to refocus their efforts back on their online operations. Newspaper Web sites will not flourish if the content is just repurposed from their print products. Multimedia, in the form of Web-only video, audio slideshows, and photo galleries, is most successful when it is integrated with text. This powerful combination gives newspaper online viewers far more depth and context than they can get from any other media." This issue also includes several great columns, including 10 Tips for…

Continue ReadingApril Digital Journalist – Special Video Journalism Issue

Upcoming Grant Deadlines at Open Society Institute

The Open Society Institute's Documentary Photography Project has a couple of upcoming deadlines for Grant opportunities- the Production Grant deadline is Friday, March 20 at 5pm, and the Distribution Grant deadline is June 19, 2009.  These are some fantastic opportunities for funding and support, definitely worth looking into. Production Grants: The Open Society Institute Documentary Photography Project and Arts and Culture Program announce a grant opportunity for documentary photographers from Central Asia, the Caucasus, Afghanistan, Mongolia, and Pakistan. Approximately 20 grants in the amount of $3,500 each will be awarded to photographers to produce a discrete body of work on a current human rights or social justice issue in the region. Grantees will also be assigned an internationally recognized photographer as a mentor to work with in workshops at the beginning and end of the grant and throughout the grant term. The aim of the Documentary Photography Project is to support creative work that…

Continue ReadingUpcoming Grant Deadlines at Open Society Institute

March Digital Journalist now online

The March Digital Journalist is now online.  This month features Anthony Suau's feature on The Housing Meltdown.  You've probably seen his World Press Photo winning image of the police detective clearing a house, but the rest of the series is definitely worth a look, it's a very powerful take on what's going on in towns across the country right now. Of covering the story with detective Robert Kole, Suau says: "I was on edge each time we approached a home over the next day and a half I rode with him – I always wondered what emotion we would find next. Between evictions he took me to streets on which every home was closed as a result of foreclosures. I worked the streets of crack houses and boarded up complexes as he stood closely by. "Don't even think of coming here on your own," he told me as we pulled away." Lots…

Continue ReadingMarch Digital Journalist now online