Nikon Europe has announced it will be proudly sponsoring the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award 2020 for a second consecutive year. The global competition, facilitated by FotoDocument, celebrates female photographers and highlights the positive power of photojournalism to reveal and explore the most important issues facing our people and planet.
The news comes hot on the heels of the announcement of the winner of the 2019 award, which was won by Anna Filipova, for her series on the Ny-Ålesund Arctic research station in Norway, the most northerly permanent civilian settlement in the world.
The award, now in its fourth year, is designed to recognize documentary photographers working on projects that aim to bring about real change on contemporary issues which may be unreported or under-reported.
Esteemed US born and UK-based photographer, Marilyn Stafford set up the award in 2017 to help support photojournalism’s new generation of women. Marilyn herself shot to international acclaim after her work documenting Algerian refugees in Tunisia famously made the front page of The Observer in 1958, bringing their plight to the attention of the world.
The annual award grants £2,000 (approx. $2,300) to enable a professional female photographer to complete a documentary photo essay, while providing a platform for female photographers to promote their work in the traditionally male-dominated field of photojournalism. Nikon’s continued sponsorship recognizes its firm commitment to nurturing female talent in the photography industry.
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Award founder and pioneering photographer, Marilyn Stafford said, “I am delighted to be partnering with Nikon, once again, for the 2020 award. Together, we are on a mission to shine a light on some of the most pressing global issues, while championing the women who are helping to raise awareness of these. I’m looking forward to collaborating with Nikon for another year as we continue to nurture talented female photographers across Europe and the rest of the world.”
Rebecca Newton, Nikon UK said, “Nikon has never been more committed to supporting and elevating the incredible work being done by female photographers. This award provides a vital platform for photographers to tell their stories and it is an honour to continue to support the women behind the lens, and who are following in the footsteps of Marilyn Stafford in driving real global change through their inspiring imagery.”
Applications are now open to female photographers at any stage in their career and of any nationality, providing they have completed at least one documentary photo essay which showcases positive solutions to the world’s biggest issues at a local or global level.
Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of industry experts including Marilyn Stafford, Nina Emett, Documentary Photographer & award-winning Director of FotoDocument and Rebecca Newton, PR and Social Media Manager at Nikon UK. The winner will be announced in June and will receive the £2,000 grant towards their project, in addition to having their final work featured on the FotoDocument website and publicized via social media.
About the award
Entrants must complete an application form and provide a minimum of 10 photographs which showcase the current photo essay for which they are seeking funding, along with a further minimum of 15 photographs documenting a single theme, which demonstrates they can convey a coherent and cohesive visual narrative and produce outstanding images. Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 22 May 2020. Entrants must be female (including those who identify as female), over 18 and can be of any nationality. Please visit the FotoDocument website for more information.
About Marilyn Stafford
Marilyn Stafford was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Her photography career was accidentally launched in New York in 1948 when friends asked her to photograph Albert Einstein. Marilyn has gone on to cover a wide range of subjects including refugees, tribal peoples, international fashion and prominent historical figures. Despite retiring in 1980, she continues to pave the way for aspiring female photojournalists, setting up the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award in 2017 to provide a platform to promote the work of talented women photographers and to help redress the balance in a male-dominated industry. Marilyn now lives on the south coast of England.
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