Getty Images announced the final three winners of its 2005 Grants for Editorial Photography today at Visa Pour L’ Image, Perpignan, France They are Balazs Gardi from Budapest, Hungary, Scott Lewis from New Jersey, USA and Kai Weidenhoefer from Berlin, Germany. Each will receive a $20,000 grant in addition to project execution support from Getty Images’ team of photo editors.
Applications were received from six continents and 37 countries. Compared to the number of applications received for grants awarded in February 2005, there was an increase of more than 40% in the number of countries represented, which included, the USA, Germany, France, UK, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Australia, Brazil, China, Tanzania, South Africa, India and Egypt.
Balazs Gardi proposes to use his grant to focus on the Gypsy communities of Central and Eastern Europe. He intends to address the fears and prejudices they encounter by visiting small, previously closed Gypsy communities.
Scott Lewis will apply his grant to the continuation of his project on religion in America, addressing spiritual and secular rituals in faith communities. Lewis commented: “Winning the grant is amazing. A grant of this magnitude will enable me to spend significant time exploring a topic which requires a lot of research and the development of many relationships. At a time when religion is at the forefront of many of this country’s domestic and foreign policies, it seems logical to take a step back and examine it more thoroughly.”
Kai Wiedenhöfer proposes to use his grant to document Israel’s construction a 650 kilometer wall to separate them from the Palestinians, exploring the related repercussions which may further intensify the tensions between the two peoples.
Grant submissions are reviewed by some of the most notable leaders in photojournalism today. Final judging concluded August 10th, 2005; the judges included Maura Foley, picture editor, The New York Times, USA, Reza, award-winning photojournalist from the Webistan Agency, France and Harald Menk, foreign photo editor, Stern Magazine, Germany.
Reza commented: “Almost all of the proposals and images submitted revealed highly professional and motivated participants. It indicated to me that we are entering a new era of photojournalism in documentary photography – more in-depth, more sensitive, more engaged. Also impressive was the deep sense of humanity exhibited in most of the submissions.”
David Laidler, Getty Images’ director of editorial photography commented: “Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography support our commitment to fostering the next generation of photojournalistic talent. The grants enable photojournalists to pursue projects that are personally important to them and produce visionary new work, which can be marketed across the world.”
Grant winners are given the opportunity to sign a one-year exclusive rights deal with Getty Images whereby their work will be marketed and available for licence to customers worldwide through www.gettyimages.com. The photographers will always retain copyright of their imagery.
Getty Images awards five $20,000 grants annually, totaling $100,000, to fund work by established and rising photojournalists. Applicants must submit a written proposal and portfolio.
For 2006, Getty Images has brought together a world-class judging panel, including David Burnett, photojournalist and co-founder, Contact Press Images; Giovanna Calvenzi, director of photography, Sportweek; Eliane Laffont, editorial director, Hachette Filipacchi Media; Natasha Lunn, photo editor, The New Yorker magazine; and Susan A. Smith, deputy director of photography and illustrations, National Geographic. For more information on Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography, including application deadlines for 2006 and bios on all grant recipients and judges, please visit www.gettyimages.com/editorial-grants.
About Getty Images
Getty Images is the world’s leading creator and distributor of visual content and the first place creative professionals turn to discover, purchase and manage imagery. The company’s award-winning photographers and imagery help customers create inspiring work which appears every day in the world’s most influential newspapers, magazines, advertising campaigns, films, television programs, books and Web sites. Headquartered in Seattle, WA and serving customers in more than 100 countries, Getty Images believes in the power of imagery to drive positive change, educate, inform, and entertain. Visit Getty Images at gettyimages.com.
This article was last modified on January 7, 2023
This article was first published on September 7, 2005
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