Big Weekend Calendar, 2023

Hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since I joined the Big Weekend Calendar team as their photo editor. The 2023 edition was a joy to produce. From vintage clothes shopping in Austin’s North Loop neighborhood to hot rods and chihuahuas, this year’s calendar had something for everyone.

Here are a few of my favorite photos.

Resource: Photo Contests and Grants Calendar

(Updated August 2024)

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Did you know that an editor can help you home in on the right images for contests and grants?

An objective, outside opinion and fresh look at work can help you craft a contest or grant entry that connects with the judges.

I've created contest edits for numerous photographers who went on to win World Press Photo, POYi, Communication Arts, and PDN Photo Annual awards.

Photography Contests and Grants Calendar for 2024

Photography offers many opportunities to showcase your talent and receive support through contests and grants. Below is a comprehensive list of key photography contests and grants for 2024, including specific grants aimed at documentary photographers who are People of Color, Women, or Indigenous.

Top Photography Contests and General Grants for 2024

  1. International Photography Awards (IPA)

    • Prizes: Up to $12,000 for professionals

    • Eligibility: Open to photographers of all levels worldwide

    • Categories: Ranging from fine art to documentary photography

    • Deadline: January 31, 2024

    • Details: IPA Website​

  2. Sony World Photography Awards

    • Prizes: Multiple categories with significant media exposure

    • Eligibility: Open globally with specific categories for youth, students, and professionals

    • Deadline: Various deadlines for different categories (Professional competition: January 12, 2024; Open competition: January 5, 2024)

    • Details: Sony World Photography Awards​

  3. Monovisions Photography Awards

    • Prizes: $3,000 for Black and White Series of the Year

    • Eligibility: Open to black and white photographers at all levels

    • Deadline: January 21, 2024

    • Details: Monovisions Awards

  4. Fine Art Photography Awards

    • Prizes: $5,000 in total cash prizes

    • Eligibility: Open to all, with categories for both amateurs and professionals

    • Deadline: February 11, 2024 (Early Bird: October 13, 2023)

    • Details: Fine Art Photography Awards​

  5. Abbey Road Studios Music Photography Awards

    • Prizes: Mentorship sessions with leading industry figures

    • Eligibility: Open to all music photographers

    • Deadline: July 18, 2024

    • Details: Abbey Road Studios

  6. Getty Images Editorial Grants

    • Amount: $5,000 to $15,000

    • Eligibility: Open to emerging photographers and photojournalists

    • Focus: Supports impactful editorial projects, particularly those highlighting underrepresented communities

    • Deadline: Typically opens in spring

    • Details: Getty Images Grants

  7. The Howard Chapnick Grant

    • Amount: $10,000

    • Eligibility: Focuses on education, research, and projects promoting social change in photojournalism

    • Deadline: Spring 2024

    • Details: W. Eugene Smith Fund​

  8. The Magnum Foundation Fund

    • Amount: Varies per project

    • Eligibility: Prioritizes photographers of color and those working on projects related to social justice

    • Deadline: Typically opens in March

    • Details: Magnum Foundation

  9. National Geographic Storytelling Grants

    • Amount: Up to $30,000

    • Eligibility: Open to photographers documenting underrepresented communities or critical global issues

    • Deadline: Rolling deadlines throughout the year

    • Details: National Geographic​

  10. The Alexia Foundation Grants

    • Amount: Varies

    • Eligibility: Supports photographers focusing on social justice and human rights issues

    • Deadline: Opens in early 2024

    • Details: Alexia Foundation​

Top Grants for Documentary Photographers (People of Color, Women, Indigenous)

  1. Women Photograph Project Grants

    • Amount: Up to $5,000

    • Eligibility: Open to women and non-binary documentary photographers

    • Focus: Supports photographers telling stories about their communities or issues affecting women globally

    • Deadline: Opens in spring 2024

    • Details: Women Photograph​

  2. The Nat Geo Explorer Grant

    • Amount: Up to $10,000

    • Eligibility: Open to early-career photographers who identify as women, Indigenous, or as part of an underrepresented community

    • Focus: Supports impactful storytelling projects

    • Deadline: Rolling applications throughout the year

    • Details: National Geographic Explorers​

  3. Indigenous Photograph Annual Grant

    • Amount: Varies

    • Eligibility: Indigenous photographers from around the world

    • Focus: Supports the work of Indigenous photographers documenting their communities and issues relevant to them

    • Deadline: Typically opens in the fall

    • Details: Indigenous Photograph​

  4. The Visionary Woman Awards

    • Amount: $5,000

    • Eligibility: Open to women photographers with a focus on social justice or environmental issues

    • Focus: Supports projects that address critical issues affecting women and communities of color

    • Deadline: Summer 2024

    • Details: Visionary Woman Awards​

  5. Native and Indigenous Photographer Fund

    • Amount: $10,000

    • Eligibility: Exclusively for Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous photographers

    • Focus: Supports documentary photography projects that highlight Indigenous experiences and stories

    • Deadline: Typically opens in the fall

    • Details: Native Photographers​

  6. Black Women Photographers Grant

    • Amount: $5,000

    • Eligibility: Open to Black women and non-binary photographers

    • Focus: Provides funding to help elevate the work of Black women photographers and document their communities

    • Deadline: Opens in spring 2024

    • Details: Black Women Photographers​

  7. Diverse Photographers Initiative by Adobe

    • Amount: $10,000

    • Eligibility: Open to photographers of color, particularly those from underrepresented communities

    • Focus: Supports creative projects that highlight diversity and social justice

    • Deadline: Opens in the spring of 2024

    • Details: Adobe Diversity Initiative

  8. The Serendipity Arles Grant

    • Amount: €5,000

    • Eligibility: South Asian women photographers

    • Focus: Supports creative documentary projects that explore social issues in South Asia

    • Deadline: Typically opens in late summer

    • Details: Serendipity Arles Grant

  9. Fellowship for Black Photographers by Light Work

    • Amount: $10,000

    • Eligibility: Black photographers working on documentary projects

    • Focus: Supports emerging and mid-career Black photographers with a focus on documentary work

    • Deadline: Opens in early 2024

    • Details: Light Work​

  10. The Color Positive Grant

    • Amount: $7,500

    • Eligibility: Photographers of color

    • Focus: Supports documentary photography projects that highlight positive stories from communities of color

    • Deadline: Opens in the fall

    • Details: Color Positive Grant​

Conclusion

The landscape of photography contests and grants is rich and diverse, with numerous opportunities for photographers of all backgrounds to advance their careers and amplify their voices. For documentary photographers who are People of Color, Women, or Indigenous, these grants provide vital support to tell important stories that might otherwise go unheard. Stay updated with deadlines and apply to those that resonate most with your work and vision.

Explore, create, and submit—2024 could be your year to shine!

WWE

It’s never a dull day at the office when you’re working for WWE. I’ve had the privilege of doing onsite photo editing for their live TV shows, Smackdown and RAW, as well as the marquee annual event, WRESTLEMANIA.

The photo team at WWE is top notch, and produce amazing work every week. Photographers include Craig Ambrosio, Eric Johnson, Cooper Neill, Heather McLaughlin, Richard Freeda, Mike Marques and Preston Mack. Photo editors include Melissa Halladay, Jamie Nelson, and Julia Robinson.

The team is led by Vice President of Photography Bradley Smith, longtime photo industry leader and former DOP of Sports Illustrated.

Joanna kulesza

Joanna Kulesza’s new website is a big change from her previous one, and shows off her work in a more bold and graphic way.

Jeffery Salter

I had the pleasure of working with the always amazing Jeffery Salter on his latest website update.

We worked together years ago at Redux Pictures and it was such a joy to see what he’s been up to.

Check him out at jefferysalter.com

Documentary Photography Grants

Please note that grant availability and application criteria may change over time, so it's always a good idea to check the respective organizations' websites for the most up-to-date information.

  1. Magnum Foundation Emergency Fund: Supports independent documentary photographers who are covering critical issues around the world.
    https://www.magnumfoundation.org/emergency-fund

  2. Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography: Provides financial support to photographers working on compelling social, political, and cultural stories.
    https://wherewestand.gettyimages.com/grants

  3. W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund: Awards annual grants to photographers working on humanistic documentary projects.
    https://smithfund.org/

  4. The Aftermath Project: Offers grants to photographers exploring the aftermath of conflict and promotes constructive storytelling.
    https://www.theaftermathproject.org/

  5. Women Photograph Grants: Aims to support the work of women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming photographers worldwide.
    https://www.womenphotograph.com/grants

  6. Alexia Foundation Grants: Supports photographers and visual journalists addressing social justice and humanitarian issues.
    https://www.alexiafoundation.org/

  7. Open Society Foundations Documentary Photography Project: Funds photographers documenting social issues and human rights.
    https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/documentary-photography-project

  8. Pulitzer Center Grants: Provides funding for journalism projects, including documentary photography, with a focus on underreported issues.
    https://pulitzercenter.org/grants

  9. International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF): Offers reporting grants for female and gender non-conforming journalists, including photographers.
    https://www.iwmf.org/programs/reporting-grants-for-women/

  10. CatchLight Fellowship: Supports visual storytelling that drives social change and amplifies underrepresented voices.
    https://www.catchlight.io/fellowship

  11. The Documentary Project Fund: Grants for photographers and filmmakers working on projects that shed light on social, political, and environmental issues.
    https://www.documentaryprojectfund.org/

  12. World Press Photo Foundation: Offers grants, fellowships, and other programs to support visual journalism and storytelling.
    https://www.worldpressphoto.org/activities/grants-programme

  13. The FENCE Grant: Provides financial support and exhibition opportunities for photographers participating in The FENCE, an outdoor photography exhibition.
    https://fence.photoville.com/

  14. The Ian Parry Scholarship: Aims to support young documentary photographers and offers mentorship, equipment, and cash prizes.
    https://www.ianparry.org/

Remember to visit each organization's website for specific details on application deadlines, eligibility criteria, and grant amounts.

Here are some grants specifically tailored for Indigenous photographers:

  1. Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) - National Native Media Awards: NAJA provides grants to Indigenous photographers and journalists for their work in covering Native American communities. Website: https://najanewsroom.com/programs/awards/

  2. IllumiNative - Native Storytelling Fellowship: Offers financial support to Native American and Alaska Native artists, including photographers, to create and share authentic narratives. Website: https://www.illuminatives.org/native-storytelling-fellowship

  3. Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) - Mentorship Program: ISO provides grants and mentorship opportunities for Indigenous photographers and filmmakers working on storytelling projects. Website: https://www.screenoffice.ca/

  4. N7 Fund - Nike: N7 Fund supports Native American and Aboriginal communities through grants for various artistic and sporting endeavors, including photography projects. Website: https://www.nike.com/n7

  5. First Peoples Fund - Cultural Capital Program: Offers grants to Indigenous artists, including photographers, to support the continuation and revitalization of traditional art forms. Website: https://www.firstpeoplesfund.org/grants/cultural-capital

  6. National Geographic Society - Indigenous Storytelling Grants: Provides grants to Indigenous storytellers, including photographers, to document and share stories from Indigenous communities worldwide. Website: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/funding-opportunities/grants/what-we-fund/indigenous-storytelling/

  7. The Native Arts and Cultures Foundation - Artist Fellowship: Offers fellowships to Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian artists, including photographers, to support their artistic development and projects. Website: https://www.nativeartsandcultures.org/grants-fellowships/artist-fellowship

  8. Ford Foundation - Indigenous Art and Culture Initiative: Supports Indigenous artists and cultural practitioners, including photographers, through grants that foster the revitalization and celebration of Indigenous cultures. Website: https://www.fordfoundation.org/work/our-grants/indigenous-art-and-culture-initiative/

Seven Ways to be a LinkedIn Power User

(Originally published December 2019, updated January 2021)

I’m a big fan of LinkedIn.

Unlike contacts database subscriptions that you pay for, you can be reasonably assured that the information you see is correct. After all, it’s the individuals themselves who are updating the info, not a third party.

I also love that it’s a relatively politics-free social media space, where people unabashedly share their work achievements.

I’ve been posting on LinkedIn and leveraging it as a marketing tool for a few years, for both myself and individual photographers I work with, and have learned a lot along the way. Here are some of my top tips for getting the most out of it.

  1. Take advantage of the new “Featured” feature.
    After years of begging, LinkedIn has answered! You can now highlight work, with large thumbnails. Feature images, recent posts, web links, and more.

  2. Beef up your profile by adding images and videos.
    We’re visual people, working in a visual industry. Your LinkedIn profile should reflect that. You can add portfolio pieces to a specific experience block by clicking the edit icon, then uploading images or PDFs. To add websites or videos, click “link” and insert the URL you want to point to.

    You can also upload a banner photo to your profile page. Ideal dimensions are 1584x396.

  3. Create long-form articles.
    LinkedIn’s built in publishing tool allows you post articles with larger photos and videos than you can in the experience blocks. You can create behind the scenes posts with photos from a recent shoot, a recap of a recent trip you took, a year-end wrap up of your favorite projects. Navigate to https://www.linkedin.com/post/new/ to get started.

    Once you have created articles, they will appear in your profile and add some nice visual interest to your page. That said, in my experience they have lower engagement than newsfeed posts. Which brings us to my next tip…

  4. Share interesting news and updates in your feed as quick posts.
    Navigate to https://www.linkedin.com/feed/, then create a post as you would on facebook or twitter. I often share industry news and trends, because I love keeping up with that stuff and sharing it with others. I also occasionally post my own recent work to my feed.

    Another benefit of posting to your feed is that it is another way to add visual interest to your profile page.

  5. Follow potential clients
    It can be weird and creepy to send a connection request to people you don’t know. Instead, I prefer to follow people (and companies). This way, interesting work they post automatically appears in your news feed, where you can like and comment. It’s a great way to stay up-to-date on what people are working on. When it comes time to approach them to show your work or pitch an idea, you’ll be in a much more knowledgeable position.

    To follow a company, do a search for them and then click follow. To follow a person, navigate to their profile page, click “more”, and then “follow”.

  6. Research potential leads
    Sometimes, you know what brands, firms, or publications you want to work with, but aren’t sure who the right people to follow are. I use LinkedIn’s powerful search tool to help with this.

    Say you want to show your portfolio to Amazing Local Ad Agency, Inc, but you don’t know who would be the best fit. Head to the keyword search box at the top of the page and enter the company name. This will bring up their main page (where you can follow them, see #4).

    - Click on “See all 300 employees on LinkedIn”
    - Filter those results by location, if relevant
    - Add a relevant keyword in the “Title” box, such as photo, art, creative, marketing, or producer.

    This will bring up a refined list of people who may be a good fit for you, and from there, you can follow them or send them a promo in the mail. Again, I would NOT suggest sending a connection request at this point unless you have had some previous interaction.

  7. Don’t be shy about asking colleagues and clients for recommendations
    It can feel a little awkward asking someone to write a glowing recommendation for you, but they are powerful ways of showing the world that you are great at what you do. When you complete a project, make sure you are connected to those involved in the production on LinkedIn, and ask those you worked most closely with to share a short recommendation. These will appear on your profile page.

A note about Premium LinkedIn accounts and InMail

If you are considering upgrading your account to premium, there are some benefits that I like, such as being able to see who is viewing your profile, and how many searches your profile appeared in. Also, if you are doing a lot of market research and searching for specific job titles or people, eventually, LinkedIn will force you to upgrade to premium before showing any more search results. If I have a lot of research I want to do, I’ll upgrade for a month and then downgrade when I’m done.

I’m not a huge fan of InMail because, just like unsolicited mail in your regular inbox, it can be annoying to be on the receiving end. I very judiciously use InMail if I have something specific, relevant, and timely to contact someone about and I feel very confident that my email will not be a nuisance.

Join me over on LinkedIn!

seven ways to be a linkedin power user

Use the Feature area to highlight recent work with oversized thumbnails

Examples of work can be added to an experience block. Images can be uploaded and links to videos can be embedded.

Long form articles and short posts appear in your profile under Articles & Activity.

 
To follow a contact (instead of sending them a connection request out of nowhere), navigate to the More… button on their profile page.

To follow a contact (instead of sending them a connection request out of nowhere), navigate to the More… button on their profile page.

To find potential leads, use the search tool and filter by location, job title, etc.

Dell Technologies, Fall 2020

Photo production and editing for the most recent issue of Dell’s magazine, Realize.

We produced these shoots in March, right the country started to lock down due to Covid-19. Seems like so long ago!

A Robot to Fix Us All
Photographer: Jeff Wilson
Location: University of Texas

Chief Digital Officer Jen Felch

Photographer: Bryan Kuntz
Shot on location at Dell Headquarters in Round Rock, Texas

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Photo Research and Licensing

Photo by Maggie Steber/VII/Redux

Photo by Maggie Steber/VII/Redux


Endangered Wildlife Trust

Endangered Wildlife Trust

DUSTIN CHAMBERS/The New York Times/Redux

DUSTIN CHAMBERS/The New York Times/Redux

Kate Benson

I recently had the pleasure of working with Kate Benson, a commercial photographer based in the Boston area. She also travels frequently to shoot in New York City, Miami, Dallas and Charleston. Her new site is full of sparkle (in the form of jewelry and dishware), bright and poppy product photography, and warm and inviting fashion work.

Kate’s work has been featured in magazines such as InStyle Magazine, Food & Wine, The New York Observer, BBC, Luxe Interiors, Allure, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and more.

Check out her website at katebenson.com

Audra Melton Website

I had the pleasure of working with Audra Melton on her new website, which just launched last week.

Audra is an Atlanta-based storyteller and portrait photographer who often focuses on social issues.

Some of her clients include AARP, Oxfam, The Atlantic, The Coca-Cola Company, The New York Times, UPS, and The Washington Post.

For her website, we used PhotoFolio, and organized her work into a few main theme-based galleries, as well as featuring individual commissioned editorial, corporate, and commercial projects.

I love the new look. Please take a look at audramelton.com.