Sheridan Smith, a New York City-based freelance photographer, compiled this week's links.
The newsletter is taking a two-week break for the holidays and will return after the New Year. |
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Best of Photojournalism 2025 is open for entries!
For more than 75 years, the National Press Photographers Association has celebrated the work of visual storytellers. Join us in celebrating visual journalism and the power of the press.
You can find the rules, categories and how to enter any of the six divisions on the BOP website.
Entry is free for NPPA members in good standing and $75 for non-members.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PT, Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.
The NPPA has a long-standing tradition of leading the way regarding our profession's ethics. All entrants will certify that the submitted work conforms to the Code of Ethics members ascribe to when joining the NPPA.
We thank Sony for sponsoring the contest and the production of the exclusive 200-page book, "Best of Photojournalism 2024," which NPPA members will receive later in 2025. |
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- The NPPA Giving Tuesday campaign runs through the end of December and there are several levels of impact which can help support the organization and the photojournalism profession. Donate this month and save 30% if you purchase a new SmugMug account before Dec. 31 through our partnership link in the thank you email. Share this with colleagues and friends, and please donate. Your support will make a difference.
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- Each year, the NPPA honors those who have supported the organization, assisted visual journalism and visual journalists, or contributed to our profession. The deadline to nominate a colleague or organization is Jan. 31, 2025. You do not have to be a member to submit nominations, nor does the nominee have to be a member. Each award category describes the profile of the intended recipients. Check out the 2023 award winners at nppa.org.
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- Today, the National Press Photographers Association and two of its members filed suit against the National Park Service (NPS) and Grand Teton National Park, seeking to end years of NPS policies that violate the First Amendment rights of photographers and filmmakers. Documentary filmmakers and photographers Alex Rienzie and Connor Burkesmith are the individual plaintiffs in the suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming. They frequently film and photograph in national parks. Among their projects is a documentary on a runner attempting to beat the fastest known time to scale the tallest summit in Grand Teton National Park. The park stated that the filmmakers would need to apply for a commercial film permit in order to film the attempt. After Burkesmith spent hundreds of dollars on a non-refundable permit application, it was denied because the NPS objected to them filming the attempt but imposed no restrictions on the attempt itself. For more information on the lawsuit, visit nppa.org.
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- Congrats and thank you, Alicia Calzada! Calzada, NPPA's deputy counsel, is one of two newly elected at-large Copyright Alliance Board members. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, Alicia will join Jessica (Jessie) Richard of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). They will begin serving two-year terms.
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Stay up to date with NPPA's Advocacy activities on our website. |
News Photographer editor Sue Morrow published three features this week for you to read over the holiday break: |
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Frequent contributor Eric Maierson returns with his column, "It's a Process," featuring an interview with Annie Griffiths, one of the first women photographers to work for National Geographic and the Founder of Ripple Effect Images. |
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Photojournalist Shmuel Thaler wrote about and photographed his mother's last moments as a tribute to her life-long activism. |
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Adonis Durado’s AI-generated image titled “Housefly.” |
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And designer Adonis Durado spoke with News Photographer contributor Ken Klein about what students need to learn before entering today's AI-integrated job market. |
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Good afternoon, veracious visionaries.
As the new year comes into view, I've been reflecting on our contemporary moment and the great privilege and responsibility it brings.
We are living in a defining era for democracy, journalism, and innovation, and the following recommendations invite us to think critically and urge us to recognize tomorrow as something we shape today. |
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1. Reading the Pictures' Michael Shaw reviews TIME's Top 100 Photos of 2024 in a categorical breakdown. In so doing, he opens up a conversation about the messages the selection sends the public.
He comments on how emotionally charged images, however impactful, risk contributing to visual fatigue and neglecting broader systemic issues. He also notes a lack of diversity in both photographer and subject representation, with only 25% of selected images taken by women and only three images dedicated to women's rights, equality and reproductive freedom.
"I'm at a loss to understand how few images make up this category unless the relative lack of concern for women's rights in 2024 is the big takeaway," Shaw wrote.
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2. Climate disasters spanned the coast of California this past week, with a rare tornado in northern California and wildfires in southern California, covered by LA-based photographers and videographers Eric Thayer and J.C. Hong, among others. |
3. Earlier this month, Getty CEO Craig Peters weighed in on the heavily debated question of whether training AI on copyrighted materials is permissible under the law. He "vigorously disagrees" with Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, who has asserted that anything already on the web, according to "social contract," is fair use.
Peters disagreed with the idea that AI's ability to enable good is predicated on permission granted to freely scrape the internet. He proposed a more nuanced conversation on copyright and AI.
"My focus is to achieve a world where creativity is celebrated and rewarded AND a world that is without cancer, climate change, and global hunger," Peters wrote for Fortune. "I want the cake and to eat it. I suspect most of us want the same." |
4. In case you missed the Photo Ethics Symposium, here are the recorded lectures. This year's topic was Ethics in the Age of AI. I'm sensing a theme… It's almost like these are important conversations or something. |
5. Speaking of, the copyright question has proven increasingly relevant, with many wondering: Where exactly are the parameters of ownership in the digital age? The New York Times raised a related question about one influencer suing another for copying her minimalist aesthetic: Can You Copyright a Vibe? |
6. Acacia Johnson recently launched her newsletter, Depth of Field. With an MFA in Creative Writing and a career in magazine photography, she writes, "So welcome, friends, to Depth of Field. Here, I'll share personal essays and behind-the-scenes stories from this strange and fascinating photographic life."
I have eagerly awaited this launch and can't wait to read more. |
7. Mike Cardew wrote about his experience in Asheville as part of a rotating team of journalists from the USA Today network who volunteered to assist the local paper, the Citizen-Times, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. His human-centered images and reflections are touching—an inspiring read. |
(Photo by Rory Doyle for The New York Times) |
9. Rory Doyle photographed a school founded in an empty storefront in Mississippi for The New York Times. This remarkable body of work for a heartwarming story is a testament to the enduring magic of the photo essay—one that would surely make W. Eugene Smith proud. |
From a technical perspective, it is unequivocally well done. It's the epitome of the decisive moment, brilliantly executed—perfectly timed, perfectly lit.
Poetically, the spotlight alludes to a uniquely fragmented cultural response to the suspected assassin, ranging from pure condemnation to celebrity-like valorization. |
The brutally honest humor behind their posts makes photojournalists—especially freelancers—feel seen, bringing levity to the harsher realities of the profession. |
12. Lastly, after a 37-year-long career in photojournalism, Susan Walsh is retiring from the Associated Press. Her work spanned spot news, sports, and politics, and she was a part of the 1999 Pulitzer prize-winning team that covered Bill Clinton's impeachment. We celebrate you today, Susan. Happy retirement! |
That's all from me today. I'll leave you with a reminder: Etymologically, to photograph means to "write with light." What will you write with light in our irrepeatable today?
Thanks for reading, and happy holidays! |
- The NPPF College Scholarship application site on Picter is live. Each year, the National Press Photographers Foundation awards 14 $2,000 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in US colleges and universities during the spring of 2025. Students submit a photojournalism portfolio along with essays and letters of reference. Our scholarships honor a distinguished list of photojournalists. For information on preparing your application, please visit the NPPF Picter page.
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- Attention photo editors: Tara Mortensen from the University of South Carolina is conducting research. Consider taking a quick survey (10 minutes) involving providing feedback on a series of images. Respondents will receive a $10 gift card or cash, and, more importantly, writes Mortensen, "you will be helping to contribute to the growing body of knowledge about the important — but often devalued — profession of photojournalism." Participation in the survey is voluntary, and you may discontinue it at any point. No personal information will be connected with your survey responses. If you have any questions about this project or the results, please email Dr. Mortensen. Kyser Lough, University of Georgia; Martin Smith-Rodden, Ball State University; and Rachel Ford, University of South Carolina are also members of the research team.
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- The Chautauquan Daily is accepting applications for four summer photography interns. The internship runs from June 9 – Aug. 23, 2025. Applications are open to currently enrolled college students and graduating seniors.
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- Getty Images is hiring a US-based sports photography assignment editor and a Mexico City-based staff sports photographer.
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- Boyd's Station Project 306.36 is now accepting applications for the SUMMER 2025 Reinke Grant for Visual Storytelling and the Tim Dillon Grant for Visual Storytelling in Harrison County, Ky. The deadline to apply is Jan. 4, 2025.
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- With support from the Howard G. Buffet Foundation, the IWMF is launching Women on The Ground: Reporting from Ukraine’s Unseen Frontlines, a program to increase and deepen coverage of critical issues surrounding the war. This program is designed to support journalists from local and regional outlets in the U.S., France and Germany in producing in-depth projects or underreported stories from Ukraine that will resonate with their respective home communities. The IWMF is holding several reporting trips open to women and nonbinary journalists from these countries beginning in early 2025. All reporting fellows will participate in a mandatory 3-day Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT). Throughout the reporting trip, fellows will have the opportunity to network with other journalists, report collaboratively with their peers, and gain access to various sources and sites related to their reporting. Applications for the initial reporting trip are being accepted via Submittable and are being reviewed on a rolling basis; submit by Jan. 5, 2025.
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- CatchLight is hiring an editor for its Local Visual Desk. "Launched in 2019, the CatchLight Local Visual Desk is a shared visual journalism initiative to bring storytelling and engagement services to local newsrooms around the U.S. This 'picture-desk-as-a-service' model seeks to revitalize visual journalism at the local level by connecting powerful visual journalists and editors directly with newsrooms and community members." First review deadline is Jan. 10.
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Do you have something you'd like to share with NPPA newsletter subscribers? Email information about job and internship openings, educational opportunities, grants, scholarships and contests to newsletter editor David Calvert. |
Student, professional and retiree memberships are available in addition to numerous benefits.
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Donate to the National Press Photographers Foundation Inc (NPPF) to support education, scholarships and fellowships through its 501(c)(3) non-profit status. |
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The NPPA is the best advocate for the legal rights of visual journalists. Visit our advocacy page for more information and to donate directly. |
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National Press Photographers Association
120 Hooper St, Athens, GA 30602 |
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