CALL FOR ENTRIES: Ian Parry Scholarship

Began in remembrance of the photojournalist who died in Romania while on assignment for the Sunday Times, the Ian Parry Scholarship offers opportunity for photographers enrolled in a full-time photography course or are under the age of 24, Parry's age at the time of his death. Entrants to the competition must submit their entries via ftp to the Scholarship's website, comprising a portfolio of work and a synopsis of the project they would bring to life if chosen for the award. In addition, scholarship partners World Press Photo and the Getty Images Gallery in London will be participating.

This year, the prize amounts to £2,500, along with vouchers worth £500 to the winner, and £250 in vouchers to honorable mentions.The competition enjoys the ongoing support of the Sunday Times, and the winner will have work published in its pages. The winner will be automatically accepted into the final list of nominees for the Joop Stewart Masterclass in Amsterdam. The juried print exhibition for the Ian Parry Scholarship will begin August 3, 2008 at the Getty Images Gallery in London, and will continue for two weeks.

The competition deadline is June 15, 2008. Click here to submit via the Ian Parry Scholarship website.

Brooklyn Public Library to host "Diversity of Devotion"

"Diversity of Devotion," a project of photojournalism to be displayed at the Brooklyn Public Library, serves as a celebration of different creeds and cultures in New York City. The exhibition will have a "meet the artists" event at the Grand Army Plaza, February 5, 2008 and the exhibition will be on view until April 19, 2008.

This exhibition, striking in not only its images but the complementary nature of its collection and display, was originally developed by Jenny Jozwiak as a photo-documentary competition to address the tensions of a post-911 world. Originally exhibited at the Safe-T-Gallery in the DUMBO borough of Brooklyn, the 40 winning entries were chosen by a panel of professionals in the curatorial, publishing and photography fields.

Mary Ann Lynch, frequent contributor to CameraArts, has been included in the exhibition, which is made up of portraits from 27 spiritual ways of life.

From diversityofdevotion.org:

"These encompass familiar religions, as well as lesser-known beliefs, such as: Voodou, Zoroastrianism, Sikh, Falun Gong, Wicca, Santeria and Rastafari. A majority of the images feature people praying, practicing, singing, and meditating alone and in groups, in churches, mosques and temples, as well as spaces of their own creation."

The exhibition promises to express the harmonic theme of human faith, one that photography has brought to our minds from the unknown, and shown the universalities of belief in the world. Click here to visit the "Diversity of Devotion" website.

Bielsko's second FotoArt Festival comes to a close

Fine art photographers from 12 European countries as well as the US, Argentina, and China kicked off the FotoArt Festival October 19, 2007, with 17 exhibitions and a multimedia presentation with a grand piano accompaniment by Bielsko composer Jausz Kohut. The following two days were devoted to the artists, with a Marathon of seminars and one-on-one meetings. Acclaimed French glamour artist (and renowned model) Sarah Moon was one of the headliners, showing an exhibition of her work, including the film "Circus."
Another keynote speaker was Naomi Rosenblum, author of A World Hisory of Photography and A History of Women Photographers, about the famous New York Photo League. Many of the featured photographers had never exhibited in Poland before.

Spain's Joan Fontcuberta presented "Landscape without Memory," a series of computer-generated landscapes made to look real. Witold Krassowski of Poland discussed the Union of Polish Artists Photographers, and British Photographer Mitra Tabrizian presented her exhibition "Beyond the Limits," and talked about living and creating photography in Iran. Hungarian photojournalists Judit Horvath and György Stalter provided glimpses into the world of the Romas, or Gypsies.

Etienne Tombeux, from Belgium, and Lukas Maximillian-Hüller from Austria, presented their exhibition "Seven Deadly Sins," which comprises elaborate, staged photographic dioramas. Also included in the presentations were Latvian resident of the US Misha Gordin and his dark, abstract photomontages,and José Luis Raota of Argentina, talked about his works, as well as those of the late Pedro Luis Raota, his father and one of the most acclaimed photographers in the world.

Peter Marshall from Great Britain concluded the Marathon with a lecture about leading British street photographers. The next FotoArt Festival will take place in 2009. For a complete list of exhibitors and sample images from each, go here.

WORKSHOP: David Wells' gateway to India

From February 17 to 27, 2007, veteran photographer and instructor David Wells will take a group of photographers on a tour of Southern India. Offered through the Strabo International Tour Company, the class, "A Photo & Cultural Tour to Southern India" will take students to some of India's most visually exotic and amazing places, the Palace of Mysore among them. Expect to see many places hidden away from the flow of mainstream tourism, while riding via coach, rail, and train. The schedule is intended to maximize photographic contact with the everyday people and sights of India.

The tour starts in Mammalapuram, then proceeds to Coimbatore, from which the group will travel to Southern India. Outings to temples, palaces, gardens, and small villages, will fill out the itinerary. Wells will help students realize the best light times for their photography. Wells has had photo-essays published in numerous international publications such as Newsweek, covering locales as varied as India, Bangladesh, California, Israel and Gaza. Wells has taught semester length classes and short week-long workshops at the University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse University, the International Center for Photography in New York City, the Maine Photographic Workshops, and many more.

David encourages participants to bring a small number of images for critique. He will answer individual questions during the workshop, as well as provide group instruction on photography basics such as exposure, composition, fill-flash, and methods to approach people on location. See his work here at davidhwells.com.

To learn more about this workshop, and to view a complete schedule, click here.

Permanent Exhibit of photographer Dan Eldon launched in New York City

In New York City's Soho district, the Candela /Decker Gallery has provided a permanent home to the work of Dan Eldon. The late photographer was killed 15 years ago at age 22 while working in Somalia, and many of his photographs, writings, collages, and journals will be on display. Titled "The Journey Is The Destination," the exhibition will open October 27, 2007, coinciding with the release of Eldon's photo journal of the same name. Though his first photo credits appeared when he was 13, Eldon had always considered himself a "creative activist," rather than a photojournalist.

As a young man growing up as part of a family of journalists in Africa, Eldon soon began using images and public events to promote peoples' awareness—such as selling his own T-shirts and boxer shorts at fund raising dances. In 1993, Reuters took note of Eldon's reporting on the initial crises in Somalia.

From Creative Visions' website:

"The violence and horror of the situation began to take an increasing toll on Dan. Although he had decided to leave by late June of 1993, he agreed to stay on to cover the unfolding events. On July, 12, 1993, Dan and three of his colleagues raced across Mogadishu to cover the bombing of what was thought to be General Aideed’s headquarters. In the ensuing confusion, all four young men were beaten, clubbed and stoned to death by an angry mob, enraged into frenzy over the deaths of over 50 of their friends, fathers, and brothers at the hands of U.S. and U.N. soldiers."

The Creative Visions Foundation was started by Eldon's family and friends to provide support to other creative activists. This comes in the form of grants, fiscal sponsorships, and mentorship programs. You can visit their website here.

2nd Annual Photography Masters Cup honors conservation photographer

This international competition, presented by The National Color Awards, aims for the world's best photography. In 2007, the Photography Masters Cup saw over 15,000 entries from 69 countries in 2007. Conservation and Environmental Photographer Joe Zammit-Lucia was selected for third place in the Professional Nature Photography category. His winning image, "Defiance," captures a Cotton-Top Tamarin in superb clarity and detail. Winning photographers in the competition receive the Masters Cup, exhibition at the Masters of Photography Biennale, international press and exposure, and endorsement from the biggest names in imaging.

From the press release:

"The winning images were selected by a who's who Jury of the most celebrated professionals in art and photography from National Geographic, Musee de E'Lysee, Financial Times to The Art Newspaper and Fine Art Society in London. Awards were presented in 21 categories to photographers of twenty five nationalities. Joe Zammit-Lucia's image "Defiance", an exceptional image entered in the Nature category received a high percentage of votes to win third place overall."

Pre-orders of the book FIRST STEPS: Conserving Our Environment will be available for preorder November/December 2007. The book's release is planned for April 22, 2008, on Earth Day. Zammit-Lucia is currently working with environmental organizations on multiple projects around the world. Proceeds from the Masters of Photography Biennale Charity Auction will benefit Art for Disabled Children for the second year in a row. At the first International Color Awards in 2006,the Exhibition was held in Brazil and benefited APADEH School. No artform seems to have quite the ability of photography to show what in the world needs protecting.

Go to Zammit-Lucia's website to find out more about his work, or here for all of the Photography Masters Cup winners.