8th International Documentary Photography Award

About the International Documentary Photography Award

The International Documentary Photography Award encourages personal involvement in social issues and promotes socially conscious documentary photography. It is open to all fully-matriculated undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of degree major, gender, ethnic background, or country of residence.

NOTE: No high school submissions.

The subject matter is entirely the choice of the student. However, it should clearly document a person, group of people, place, event, or happening of social relevance. Submitted images should be arranged and presented to clearly tell the story of what is being documented.

The project does not have to be about people. Environmental issues, including land use or misuse, urban or rural issues, global or local events, will all be considered. The key is to indicate through your photographs that you are involved and can communicate your feelings about the subject you are documenting.

The medium of capture is not important. Images may be made with a cell phone, DSLR camera, view camera, or any other capture device, film or digital.

International Documentary Photography Award

$1000

About the Judges

Anne E. Havinga is the Estrellita and Yousuf Karsh Chair of Photography at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she has been on staff since 1989. She looks after a collection that ranges from early daguerreotypes to contemporary photography. Her many exhibitions have ranged from the beginnings of the medium to recent work.

Hank Hauptmann is the curator and director of Abakus Projects, an exhibition space dedicated to promoting 20th-century and contemporary fine art photography. Located in the arts district of Boston’s South End neighborhood, Abakus Projects hosts bimonthly exhibitions of both emerging and established artists’ work, with a focus on New England based artists.

Documentary photographer and educator Vincent Cianni’s work explores social justice through image and text. His photographs are represented in institutional and private collections and have been exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Philadelphia Museum of Art; The Nasher Museum, Photographers' Gallery, London; the 7th International Photography Festival in Mannheim; and the George Eastman House. Publications include Gays in the Military (Daylight Books) and We Skate Hardcore (NYU Press/CDS), of which a major survey was exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York in 2006. He currently lives in Philadelphia, Pa.

International Documentary Photography Scholarship

Anchell Photography Workshops