This photo series documenting children's dangerous school journeys is a worthy awards winner

For photographers navigating the challenging world of long-form documentary work, a new award has emerged with both serious clout and a meaningful purpose. British photographer Laura Pannack has won the inaugural Tom Stoddart Award for Excellence, securing £5,000 ($6,700) toward completing her project and a book deal with GOST Books.

The award, organized alongside the long-established Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant, attracted 184 submissions from 47 countries in its first year; impressive numbers suggesting that photographic community has long been waiting for this kind of support.

Pannack's winning project, The Journey Home from School, documents the perilous daily commute of children in Cape Town's Cape Flats. But what sets this work apart isn't just strong documentary photography; it's the collaborative, multimedia approach that judges praised for its "depth of collaboration" and "subtle and layered" storytelling.

During a residency at A4 Arts Foundation, Pannack ran poetry and lo-fi photography workshops with NGOs, youth clubs and schools across Cape Town's suburbs. In partnership with organizations including Project Hope, Where Rainbows Meet, and the New World Foundation, she worked in areas including Manenberg, Lavender Hill, Vrygrond, Athlone, Heideveld, Bridgetown, Langa and Mitchells Plain. 

The resulting project combines analogue photography with poetry, drawing, painting and collage created by the young people themselves; a creative dialogue that judges felt offered genuine insight into adolescent life, in a place where safety is never guaranteed. In short, this was documentary photography as creative partnership, rather than pure observation.

Passion for psychology

It's typically captivating work from Pannack, a highly regarded British social documentary and portrait photographer based in London who's known for her intimate, research-led, and long-form projects, often focusing on youth. 

Her distinct photographic style blends a passion for psychology with creativity, always striving to build a deep, genuine connection with her subjects. This dedication to time, trust and understanding as key elements means many of her projects develop over several years, allowing for a shared experience that results in highly empathetic and truthful portrayals.

More broadly, her work is driven by self-initiated projects that explore themes of love, vulnerability and the transition into adulthood. She often uses analogue film, valuing the organic, unpredictable nature and the depth it lends to the texture and light of her images, and her photography has been exhibited worldwide, including at London's National Portrait Gallery and Somerset House.

What the award offers

The new award, meanwhile, offers something increasingly rare: meaningful support for long-form documentary work at a time when traditional editorial commissions have largely evaporated. The £5,000 grant and guaranteed book publication provide both practical support and professional validation.

Its founding honours Tom Stoddart, the British photojournalist who died in 2021 after a five-decade career covering some of the late 20th century's defining moments including the fall of the Berlin Wall, the siege of Sarajevo and the 2003 Iraq invasion. His archive stands as a visual testament to modern history, and this award reflects his lifelong commitment to supporting photojournalism.

Executive director Harriet Logan, herself a 1992 Ian Parry Grant winner, says Tom Stoddart "would be immensely happy" about Pannack's win. For photographers who remember Stoddart's uncompromising work (he famously said photojournalists should "bear witness") this award continues that legacy in practical terms.

Stuart Smith of GOST adds: "‘We were very impressed with Laura’s submission due to the depth of collaboration she had with her subjects. This, coupled with her unique eye, makes for a subtle and layered project and publication." 

As part of the award, Pannack will work with GOST Books in the coming months to edit and sequence the photographs, artworks and text, with the opportunity to travel to Italy to see the book go on press next  year.