Photography Fellowship in Africa

Three photographers will be awarded a $4,000 fellowship, plus travel expenses, to spend two weeks working in Africa to document the global health projects of Management Sciences for Health (MSH), www.msh.org. Application submissions will be through the SocialDocumentary.net (SDN) website as standard SDN online exhibition entries.

Deadline for entries: December 7, 2012* (See below for important deadline details)

SocialDocumentary.net and MSH are partnering to award this fellowship to global health-minded photographers to capture the breadth and impact of MSH’s work. MSH wishes to build up a library of photographs that captures its life saving work with people working at all levels of the health system—from the households and families to community-based health workers to the doctors and nurses in the health centers to government officials and ministers of health.

MSH, a nonprofit organization with over 40 years of experience working in more than 100 developing countries, is dedicated to saving lives and improving the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. MSH is known for its expertise in family planning and reproductive health, maternal, newborn, and child health, HIV & AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other chronic diseases. MSH sees health as a human right, and works toward universal health coverage through strong health systems. MSH has particular expertise in rebuilding health systems in fragile states—conflict-ridden or post-conflict countries—such as Afghanistan, Haiti, Liberia or Democratic Republic of the Congo.

MSH’s footprint in Africa includes work in Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Malawi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya, among others. For more information on MSH and the countries they work in, visit: www.msh.org Once final selections of photographers are made, photographers will work directly with MSH on all logistics and conduct of the project.

Three selected photographers will receive

$4,000 honoraria.
All expenses paid during travel including emergency medical insurance and visas.
Work will be featured in MSH publications (hard copy and electronic), website, social media, conference and event materials, and country and corporate reports.
Work will featured on SDN website and in email Spotlight.

Submissions will be evaluated by the following criteria

Submitted work and résumé must demonstrate ability to photographically document challenging situations resulting in strong visual imagery and narrative.
Photographer must provide evidence of past experience working independently in the developing world and/or countries in conflict.
Submitted work must demonstrate ability to show dignity and hope while engaged in photographing challenging global health situations.
Submitted photographs must have been taken since 2007 or later.

Selected photographers must

Provide all their own photography equipment.
Have valid passport. (MSH will arrange for any appropriate visas).
Possess strong spoken English language skills.
Available for two weeks of travel to Africa between January 25 and February 22.
Understand complete terms of use of images outlined below.
In addition to the photography part of project, prepare and execute a one-day training program for MSH local staff.

Selected photographers must agree to following terms of use of images

Photographers will retain copyright and ownership of all work produced while engaged by MSH.
Photographers agree to make available to MSH all images of reasonable quality or better that are taken while working on the Fellowship.
Photographer may shoot other work during times that are not on specific MSH assignment, and this work is outside the scope of this agreement.
MSH has rights to use images for seven years following delivery from photographer for any and all publicity for MSH including print and electronic usage and for the MSH website, email communications, printed brochures, newsletters annual reports, etc.
MSH will properly credit the photographer in all such use of work
Understand complete copyright agreement. Click here for details.

Important dates

SDN begin accepting submissions November 5 , 2012
Submissions deadline midnight US Eastern Standard Time, December 7, 2012.
It is only necessary that your exhibit is submitted by this deadline. Your exhibit may be approved after deadline and will still be a valid entry.
SDN informs winning photographers January 4, 2013
SDN and MSH announce winners January 7, 2013
Travel begins/ends for three photographers Jan. 25 – Feb. 22
(each photographer travels for two weeks)
Photographers submits work for MSH review Within 10 days of returning

How to submit entry

Beginning November 5, 2012, you can submit your fellowship submission via the standard online tools available for submitting an exhibit on the SDN website. The difference is that you will see an option to designate the exhibit as a competition entry. You can also convert any existing exhibit on SDN to a fellowship application simply by pressing a button in your exhibit edit page and paying the competition entry fee. There are three ways to submit an entry to the competition:

Click link below to begin process.
If you are already a member, login to your account, and in your account, click link to create a new exhibit. You will see a link to create a competition entry.
If you have an exhibit already on SDN, go into the exhibit edit page. You will see a link to submit this exhibit to a competition entry. You will be required to pay the application fee ($25).
In addition to submitting your work through the SDN web platform, you must send a resume and three references with email contact information to:[email protected] Do not send photographs to this address.

The references should just include the name, position or title, and contact information for people who can attest to your ability to work professionally in a challenging environment.

Deadline information

Exhibits must be successfully submitted for approval no later than midnight (US Eastern Standard Time) December 7 to quality. If SDN approves your exhibit following deadline, your exhibit still qualifies. Technical problems do arise, and SDN cannot be responsible if images are not uploading properly. To avoid any problems, we encourage you to submit your application at least 24 hours in advance. We will do our best to address any technical questions as they come in via email ([email protected]). In some cases, users are not being directed to the payment page. If your payment is received after the deadline, but your exhibit was submitted by deadline, your application is still valid. If we notice that payment has not been paid, we will notify you as soon as possible and give you a link to make payment. In no cases will we pass on screened entries to Management Sciences for Health if payment has not been made or if we have not received resumes and references.

Important submission notes

As an entry for this fellowship, we are not looking for a portfolio submission. Rather we are looking for documentary project submissions consistent with all other accepted exhibitions on SDN. SDN and MSH will evaluate your qualifications for this fellowship based on this documentary submission.

Application fee

$25 application fee which allows for submitting 6 – 24 images
Upon submitting, your application will become a standard SDN exhibit for one year. After one year you will have the option of renewing your submission to SDN as an SDN exhibit at the standard rates at the time.
All fees must be paid using a credit card on the SDN website. International credit cards are accepted. All application submissions and fees are final and non-refundable.
All applications must follow rules and regulations regarding exhibits on SDN. See SDN website for further information on fees. www.socialdocumentary.net
Exhibits on SocialDocumentary.net need to be approved before going live. In the event that submission is not accepted for the SDN website, the photographer may make changes to their exhibit and re-submit, at no additional cost, up until the entry deadline.
Photographers can only submit one application for the Fellowship.
All approved entries will be viewable to the public on the SDN website.

Judging

Applications will be prescreened by SDN staff and then forwarded to MSH staff for final selection of photographers who will best serve their needs as described in criteria.

Exhibition

Following the fellowship, SDN and MSH may produce an exhibition of work taken during fellowship. There would not be any costs to the photographer for the production of this exhibition.

Source: http://socialdocumentary.net