Getty Images, the world leader in visual communication, in collaboration with Instagram, today announced the recipients of the annual Getty Images Instagram Grant. Three recipients hailing from the USA and India were chosen for the prestigious prize and were awarded $10,000 each, mentorship by an expert Getty Images photojournalist and the opportunity to have their work showcased at the Getty Images Gallery in London from the 24th October – 4th November.
Now in its third year, the grant programme was founded to support photographers, videographers and visual artists using Instagram to document stories from underrepresented communities around the world.
This year’s recipients are:
Saumya Khandelwal (@khandelwal_saumya) is an India-based photojournalist working across social issues including gender and the environment. Her project, ‘Child Brides of Shravasti’, particularly impressed the judges. Her images follow the daily lives of young girls in a part of Uttar Pradesh, India who are forced into early marriages. Documenting the harsh realities faced by these children, Saumya uses Instagram to depict how the lives of these girls drastically change after child marriage.
Isadora Kosofsky (@isadorakosofsky) A documentary photographer based in LA, Isadora highlights American social issues from a humanistic stance. Her images range from depicting aging and poverty, to mental health and substance abuse, and her harrowing images of imprisoned minors were singled out by the jury.
Nina Robinson (@arkansasfamilyalbum) Arkansas-based photographer Nina originally began documenting the everyday life of her family in rural Arkansas but later expanded her project to include other African-American communities in the area. Her project ‘An Arkansas Family Album’ focuses on an intimate exploration of loss, love and tradition in a rural black Southern community.
The judging panel has also recognized Swedish photographer Nora Lorek (@noralorek) as an Honourable Mention. Nora’s projects include documenting the plight of South Sudanese refugees in Uganda.
“At Getty Images we believe in the power of images to move the world so we are proud to continue our collaboration with Instagram to champion and support new and important voices in visual storytelling via the Getty Images Instagram Grant.” said Hugh Pinney, Getty Images Vice President of News.
An esteemed panel of international photographic and multidisciplinary experts judged a geographically diverse group of artists, focusing on the image quality and visual stories told through the applicants’ photos. The panel included 2015 winner and documentary photographer, Ismail Ferdous, photographer and co-founder of photojournalist network Dysturb, Pierre Terdjman, assistant photo editor at National Geographic, Kaya Lee Berne, independent photo editor, Elizabeth Krist and photographer and founder of Women Photograph, Daniella Zalcman.
“We’re honoured to collaborate with Getty Images to recognise this year’s grant winners,” said Pamela Chen, Instagram’s Head of Creative, Community. “It’s incredible to see how the photography community—from documentarians to young, emerging photographers—is using Instagram to speak to the world’s most critical issues through their work.”
