World Press Photo launches Tim Hetherington Grant
The World Press Photo organisation and Human Rights Watch have announced, at the Visa Pour l'Image photojournalism festival, the launch of the Tim Hetherington Grant, in memory of the late photojournalist killed in Libya earlier this year
Author: Olivier Laurent
03 Sep 2011 Tags: World press photoVisa pour l’imageGrantsPhotojournalism
The Tim Hetherington Grant, which is the result of a joint-initiative between World Press Photo and Human Rights Watch, will be awarded to a photographer "to complete an existing project on a humanitarian or human rights theme." The grant is worth €20,000.
The grant was launched on 03 September during the last evening screening of Visa Pour l'Image, the world's largest photojournalism festival.
Photojournalist and filmmaker Hetherington died on 20 April 2011, alongside Getty Images' photographer Chris Hondros, while covering the Libyan conflict in Misrata. The two photographers came under heavy fire, and died in an explosion that also wounded photographers Guy Martin and Michael Christopher Brown.
"Tim's life came to an abrupt end at the age of 40, but his legacy as a photojournalist and filmmaker is still taking shape," says World Press Photo in a statement. "To celebrate Tim's commitment to finding new ways to tell compelling stories about politics, conflict and the human experience, and to relay these stories to a wide audience, a new grant has been established."
The grant has received the support of Hetherington's parents, Alastair and Judith.
"In reviewing the applications, the judges will look for the qualities that defined Tim's career: work that operates on multiple platforms and in a variety of formats; that crosses boundaries between breaking news and longer-term investigation; and that demonstrates a consistent moral commitment to the lives and stories of the photographic subjects," says World Press Photo.
The deadline for applications is 15 October, with the winner announced on 05 November. For more information and to enter, visit www.worldpressphoto.org/tim-hetherington-grant.
Comments
Tim Hetherington's work was amazing as it always focused on the stories and the issues. He was inspirational and the intentions behind this grant are beautiful.
Does the world really need another grant giving vehicle for the photojournalism industry to allocate scarce resources to an industry that is already short of investment?
Does the world really need another a judgemental system based on a few people deciding on the hopes of others using a criteria based on such intangible qualities such as "moral commitment"?
I usually ignore the news about the numerous awards, grants and competitions dished out by juries inside the club of photojournalism. It creates a cultural conservatism, a natural hegemony of values and it is structured to impose its own value judgements instead of communicating with the public and theirs.
Its closed thus is frighteningly out of touch with what is going on in photography in more dynamic, listening (?), user centred industry structures such as Instagram, Twitter and Facebook et al.
I felt sad because everything I saw Tim do was always issues focused and always about the story. There is only going to be one winner of this award €20,000. Why not give out 10 grants of €2,000 instead?
I really feel for those who apply and lose out because the implication will be that their "moral commitment" to the cause is not up to the standard set by those judging. That risks breeding a lot of resentment.
Tim's work to me always stood out for so many positive things and the intentions for the grant are great but is it going to do much good for everyone else who is not judged the winner?
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