NOOR, Nikon and the Cape Town School of Photography invite photographers to submit their portfolios for selection for the 2012 NOOR-Nikon Masterclass in Documentary Photography. NOOR Photo Agency and Foundation and Nikon Europe BV support documentary photographers from emerging markets all over the world through the organization of annual motivational masterclasses. The 2012 program takes place in Cape Town, South Africa, organized in collaboration with the Cape Town School of Photography from 26 March through to 30 March. The masterclass will be accessible to young and aspiring documentary photographers and photojournalists who are South African or are from the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region with a valid passport. Previous educational projects by NOOR can be access by clicking here.

The Workshop

During the five days of the workshop, 15 participants, together with three member photographers of NOOR and NOOR’s managing director will share experiences, work on portfolios, improve editing skills and learn how to pick up and develop stories. Each day consists of intensive communication with the photographers on the subjects of technical features and the peculiarities of the international photo market. It is a unique opportunity to gain new knowledge, contacts, learn to tell stories in a visual language and develop personal vision. The workshop is free of charge; travel and accommodation will be organized by the local organization (possession of a passport and travel insurance is required to apply).

Submission

For submission you are required to have:

• Basic experience in documentary photography or photojournalism;

• A high level of motivation;

• English language skills (the workshop is in English, in case a translator is required, this can be discussed;

• A good technical understanding of your camera equipment (to be brought along), a working knowledge of the media environment and basic image management skills.

To apply you need to send a PDF file not exceeding 6 MB including:

• A CV including your contact information and a written text explaining your work and projects. Please clarify your involvement in photography by showing a proven track record, proof of a photographic training or at least 1-year experience of practice;

• Motivation letter (1 page);

• A portfolio of max. 30 images with text introductions and captions (please show your story telling skills by presenting at least one picture story of 8 images).

Please send your application to: masterclass_2012@noorimages.com before midnight Wednesday 22 February 2012.

If sending a PDF creates a problem, we accept links and word documents or alternative formats.

For more information visit the masterclass page on the NOOR site or contact NOOR via masterclass_2012@noorimages.com or tel. +31.20.6164040 or Skype: noorimages (Amsterdam). In case you are selected for the workshop, you will be asked to perform a short assignment to work on before the workshop starts.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 22 February 2012.

Above: ARRIVING FOR TRIAL 07 September 2012 Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak is taken to the courtroom for another session of his trial in Cairo, Egypt. PHOTO: Mohammed al-Law/Associated Press

South Africa’s Brent Stirton gained two first prizes. He won first prize for a single shot in the category “Contemporary Issues” for a portrait of a drug addict and sex worker in the Ukrain. And he won first prize for a photo story in the “Nature” category on the plight of rhinos. No stranger to winning, Brent has won several World Press Photo awards in the past as well as a host of other awards including a Visa D’or at the Visa Pour L’ image Festival in France for Magazine photography.

Above: RHINO WARS: 13 July 2011 A four man anti-poaching team permanently guards a Northern White Rhino on Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. The conservancy is an important not-for-profit wildlife conservancy in the Laikipia District of Kenya and the largest sanctuary for black rhinos in East Africa. It is also the home of four of the remaining eight Northern White Rhino, the world’s most endangered animal. Rhino horn is now worth more than gold on the international market. South Africa alone has lost more than 400 rhino to illegal poaching incidents in 2011. The demand for Rhino horn is fueled by a wealthy Asian middle and upper class and used overwhelmingly as medication.PHOTO: Brent Stirton/Reportage by Getty Images

In addition to Africans lifting three prizes, another 8 photographers took Africa as their subject matter – 5 covering the subject of the Arab Spring in Libya and Egypt (Alex Majoli – Italy, Remi Ochlik – France, Yuri Kozyrev – Russia, Eduardo Castaldo – Italy, and Jan Dago – Denmark) and 3 covering other subject matter including a picture of a woman fishing on the Congo river (Johnny Hagland – Norway), a picture of Dakar fashion week (Vincent Boisot – France) and a disturbing shot taken in South Africa of Afrikaaner youth being trained in military techniques (Ilvy Njiokiktjien – The Netherlands).

Being away in North America for June and July I could not do much beside connect Jurre to contacts we have in museums and galleries in Joburg, Durban and Cape Town. Upon my return I chased some ideas myself but nothing seemed to be coming together as all seemed to be booked up. So it was with great delight that I received an invite to the opening of the exhibition at the Castle in Cape Town. A referral to Iziko Museums of Cape Town seemed to have born fruit in Iziko’s 2012 exhibition season and World Press Photo had managed to get Investec Bank on board as sponsors! In fact, it is one of the last stops the exhibition would make in the world with the announcement today of the 2012 World Press Photo Awards.

Above: South African 2011 World Press Photo of the Year award winner, Jodi Bieber addressing the gathered crowd in the Castle in Cape Town ahead of cutting the ribbon of the last stop of the 2011 World Press Photo exhibition. PHOTO: David Larsen/Africa Media Online

I happened to be in Cape Town on leave with my family at the time so off we went to the exhibition opening and managed to connect with so many friends in the photographic community – Eric Miller, Julian Goldswain, George Hallet, Mike Hutchings, Chris Ledochowski, Dominique Le Roux, Jeeva Rajgopaul, Nikki Rixon, Samantha Reinders, Simone Scholtz, Alexia Webster as well as Jodi Bieber herself and World Press Photo Director Michiel Munneke and of course Jurre Janssen!

The exhibition runs to February 16. See details.

Above: Being on holiday in Cape Town at the time we brought our children along. My daughter, Abigail (8) had some questions for Jodi Bieber about Bibi Aisha – fellow World Press Photo award winner Mike Hutchings and Jeeva Rajgopaul look on. PHOTO: David Larsen/Africa Media Online

Gisèle was one of those photographers who quietly and intelligently got on with using the camera for social change. There was no fan fare, no outlandish claims, just a steady passion for the causes she took up. So it was with great sadness that I learnt of Gisèle’s passing. I knew she had been fighting lung cancer for many years. We had digitised a large group of her images in 2009 and had had some back and forth since then about metadata, and her illness had got in the way at times, but still it came as a shock to hear of her passing on December 27, 2011. She was just 54 years old.

For me Gisèle’s work was always marked by empathy for her subject. I remember at one point in time we were attempting to get more model released images to be able to supply commercial as well as editorial markets. Her overriding concern was for her subjects that they would be treated with dignity, not just in the photo shoot, but also afterward in the use the image was put to. Her sanity helped to steer our course!

Gisèle was a long-term contributor to Africa Media Online. She was always a pleasure to work with. We came to represent her work when we took over management of South Photographs some years ago. She has left a significant body of work. Our hearts and prayers go out to her husband Mark Turpin and her sons, Joseph and Samuel.

“Obituary: Gisèle Wulfsohn: indomitable spirit” by Robyn Sassen on Times Live

“Gisèle Wulfsohn: A self-portrait of courage” by Barbara Ludman on M&G Online

“Gisele Wulfsohn – the late photography legend had a vision to expose social injustices”

Above: Gisèle will be remembered for her powerful portraits of South Africans of all walks of life. This image of Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi was taken in Ulundi in 1990. PHOTO: Gisèle Wulfsohn/Africa Media Online

Read the interview

Above: Rick Gershon with his multimedia gear. PHOTO: Media Storm

Above: The Photo & Film Expo is getting close to filling the Coca Cola Dome at Northgate, Johannesburg (click on the photo to see a larger image). PHOTO: David A. Larsen

Above: The Photo & Film Expo was a good opportunity to connect with many in the photo industry. I also got to do a presentation on the main stage on Shutha.org, the free online resource for African photo professionals we created with World Press Photo in the first half of 2011. PHOTO: Robyn Keet

One thing I did get to was an exhibition of 18 South African photographers at the Victoria & Albert Museum called Figures & Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography. The V&A has recently taken on a permanent curator of photography and it was wonderful to see the work displayed so prominently in what is arguably the greatest museum of art and design in the world. The exhibition was sponsored by Standard Bank and ran from April 12 to July 17, 2011 and featured work from Jodi Bieber, Kudzanai Chiurai (born Zimbabwe), Husain and Hasan Essop, David Goldblatt, Pieter Hugo, Terry Kurgan, Sabelo Mlangeni, Zanele Muholi, Santu Mofokeng, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Guy Tillim, Berni Searle, Mikhael Subotzky, Jo Ractliffe, Roelof Petrus Van Wyk, Nonsikelelo Veleko, and Graeme Williams.

Read about participating photographers

Above: Entrance to Figures & Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography at the V&A Museum in London. PHOTO: David A. Larsen

Above: Graeme William’s group of images as part of Figures & Fictions: Contemporary South African Photography at the V&A Museum in London. PHOTO: David A. Larsen

The Edward Ruiz Mentorship is a mentorship programme, which has been established to help launch the career of a promising photographer. The mentorship awards the recipient with the financial and infrastructural support needed to develop a substantial body of photographic work over the course of a year. On adequate completion of the mentorship, the body of work will be exhibited as a solo exhibition at The Photo Workshop Gallery. The recipient also has the opportunity to work closely with a suitable mentor, who will provide guidance and direction on the intended project.
The recipient, in consultation with the Market Photo Workshop, will identify this mentor to help guide and develop the recipient’s proposed body of work. The mentor is a professional practicing photographer; past mentors have included Jo Ractliffe, Michelle Loukidis and David Goldblatt.

The grant allows the recipient to produce and exhibit a body of work, and will also assist in covering costs related to research, travel, and other supplies.

Applications must include the following:
• A comprehensive CV
• An existing portfolio of 12-20 photographs (As a single PDF file, minimum 150 dpi, no larger than 900×600 pixels)
• 500 words explaining you photographic interests and existing work
• A 1000 word project proposal

The project proposal should address the following areas:
• The focus, meaning and intention of the project
• The importance of the proposed project
• How you intend to manage your project

Selection of a candidate
• A panel of judges appointed by the Market Photo Workshop will participate in the selection process.
• Shortlisted candidates may be requested to come in for an interview.
• The judges need to be satisfied that the selected proposal has merit; that the candidate will be able to manage the project, and that he/she is likely to derive
lasting benefits from the mentorship.
• No correspondence with the judges may be entered into.

Deadline
• Applications close on Friday 29 July 2011 at 16h00.
• Shortlisted candidates and the successful applicant will be contacted in August 2011.
• The candidate must be able to begin work soon thereafter.

All applications must be submitted by email to molemom@marketphotoworkshop.co.za and copied to staceyv@marketphotoworkshop.co.za

A voluntary briefing session will be held at the Market Photo Workshop on Wednesday 6 July 2011 at 13h00. This briefing will cover the application, and proposal writing process. Applicants not residing in Johannesburg are encouraged to contact Molemo Moiloa on molemom@marketphotoworkshop.co.za with any queries.

Thandile Zwelibanzi, the Edward Ruiz Mentorship Recipient of 2010/2011, has produced a body of work entitled Still Existence, to open at The Photo Workshop Gallery on 3 August 2011. Some of the work has also been selected for the 2011 Bamako Encounters Photography Biennale and will be shown in Mali in October this year.

For more information please visit the website at www.marketphotoworkshop.co.za