IAFOR Documentary Photography Award 2018

MediAsia2018 Special Event

The IAFOR Documentary Photography Award was launched by The International Academic Forum (IAFOR) in 2015 as an international photography award that seeks to promote and assist in the professional development of emerging documentary photographers and photojournalists. The award has benefitted since the outset from the expertise of an outstanding panel of internationally renowned photographers, including Dr Paul Lowe as the Founding Judge, and Ed Kashi, Simon Roberts, Simon Norfolk, Emma Bowkett, Monica Allende, Jocelyn Bain Hogg, Maria Teresa Salvati and Ziyah Gafic as Guest Judges.

As an organisation, IAFOR’s mission is to promote international exchange, facilitate intercultural awareness, encourage interdisciplinary discussion, and generate and share new knowledge. In keeping with this mission, in appreciation of the great value of photography as a medium that can be shared across borders of language, culture and nation, and to influence and inform our academic work and programmes, the IAFOR Documentary Photography Award was launched as a competition that would help underline the importance of the organisation’s aims, and would promote and recognise best practice and excellence.

Now in its fourth year, the award has already been widely recognised by those in the industry and has been supported by World Press Photo, British Journal of Photography, Metro Imaging, MediaStorm, Think Tank Photo, University of the Arts London, RMIT University, The Centre for Documentary Practice, and the Medill School of Journalism.

Winners of this year's IAFOR Documentary Photography Award will be announced at The Asian Conference on Media, Communication & Film (MediAsia) in Tokyo, Japan. The award follows the theme of the conference, with 2018’s theme being “Fearful Futures”. In support of up-and-coming talent, the IAFOR Documentary Photography Award is free to enter.

Access to the Award Announcement is included in the conference registration fee.

Image from the series "Single Mothers of Afghanistan" by Kiana Hayeri, 2017 Grand Prize Winner