The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award is facilitated by the team at FotoDocument and is being supported by Olympus, is granted each year to a professional female photographer towards the initiation or completion of a documentary photo essay addressing an important social, environmental, economic or cultural issue, either locally or globally; and submissions for the 2018 program are now open

2018 marks the second year the award has been hosted and a single [overall] winner will receive £2,000 towards their project and will see their work exhibited in a central London gallery.

The organisers have advised that any submissions should, in part, contribute to constructive photojournalism, in line with the aims of FotoDocument and the wishes of Marilyn Stafford.

The award is exclusively targeted to documentary photographers working on projects which are intended to make the world a better place and which may be unreported or under-reported. Women from any stage of their careers and over 18 are encouraged to apply, whether emerging, mid-career or established, but they must have completed at least one documentary photo essay to demonstrate a track record in photojournalism.

Entrants are welcome from anywhere in the world and can be any nationality.

Olympus are proud supporters of the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award. In a male-dominated market it can be tough for female photographers, this Award not only recognises their talents and hard work but also supports them in their photographic journey. Sharing great images is paramount and we are pleased to celebrate the fantastic entries from last year and we are excited to see what this year’s competition will bring.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, Marilyn Stafford’s photographic career was launched accidentally in New York in 1948 when she was asked to photograph Albert Einstein by friends making a film about him. In the car on the way to Einstein’s home in New Jersey, she was given a camera and a swift lesson in how to use it. From there on, her photographic career took her across the world, starting in Paris in the 1950s. There her friendship and guidance by Magnum founders Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson were instrumental in shaping her work. She is now based in Sussex.

I am delighted to announce the launch of year two of the Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award. The judges were so pleased with our inaugural winner, Rebecca Conway, who has already made such a success of her project “Valley of the Shadow” in Kashmir with the help of the Award. This year, with support from Olympus, we have been able to increase our offer to the winner and two runners up, not only in terms of helping to finance their projects but also with a London exhibition. This will raise the profile of the photographers considerably and it will also raise awareness of their under-reported stories, one of the main objectives. To facilitate this Award in honour of Marilyn Stafford is a great privilege.

Along with the £2K prize fund, the winner of The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award will also have their work profiled on the FotoDocument website and publicised via social media by both FotoDocument and Olympus and will receive mentoring support from Marilyn Stafford and FotoDocument during the course of their project.

Submissions will be reviewed by an international panel of industry experts including: Dorothy Bohm, Donna de Cesare, Celia Davies, Nina Emett, Anna Fox, Melanie Friend, Marilyn Stafford and Helen Trompeteler. Georgina Pavelin, Head of Marketing UK from Olympus will join the panel and Marilyn Stafford’s daughter, Lina Clerke, will also serve as an Honorary Judge.

Additionally, there will be two runners-up to the award, who will each receive £500 and a selection of images from their final photo essay will be exhibited at a central London gallery. Their work will also be profiled on the FotoDocument website and digital channels. Short-listed applicants will also have at least one of their images selected for a group show at a central London gallery and will feature in the related exhibition catalogue. At least one of their images will be profiled on the FotoDocument website and publicised via social media.

Submissions close on 18 May 2018 – click through HERE for further details and to submit your entries.