Bird in Flight Prize ¦
¬ AN international ¤ award for phÞtographERS with AN innovative approach to storytelling

10 october 2021 [23:59 EEST] — Deadline

The concept of the Bird in Flight Prize is to support photographers who think outside the box of traditional artistic standards. Our contest is not about photo projects that cater to the existing general demand. It’s about discovering new ways to tell a story using the means and tools of photography. We encourage artistic freedom and diversity therefore we don’t impose time constraints upon our participants. We do not limit them in their choices of subjects and creativity methods. We also allow image editing as well as the usage of other images [as long as the copyrights are being observed].

The jury of the Bird in Flight Prize ‘21 includes curators, photographers, researchers, and artists from the UK, Nepal, Peru, Italy, USA, Iran, and Ukraine.

First prize is €2000

The jury selects one winner out of the ten participating photographers from the shortlist.

Nomination
Readers’ Choice Award

This nomination consists of 15 photo series selected by the editorial board of Bird in Flight. A winner will be chosen by open voting through the contest website. The special prize is €500.

Portfolio review

Twenty five participants will receive reviews of their works by the jury board members [online].

Online exhibition at PHmuseum

PhMuseum and the BiF Prize pre-selection board will pick a selection of photographs from the submissions and will feature them at an online exhibition on PHmuseum’s platform.

Jury members

Karen McQuaid

Senior curator at The Photographers’ Gallery [UK]

Karen regularly contributes to international workshops, writes for photography publications, edits artists’ books, and guest lectures. Karen also facilitates TPG New Talent, a program and exhibition for UK- based emerging practitioners.

David Campany

Curator, writer, and Managing Director of Programs at the International Center of Photography [USA]

David has worked with institutions including MoMA New York, Tate Modern, Whitechapel Gallery London, Centre Pompidou, ParisPhoto, and has curated many projects worldwide. He has published several books on photography, cinema, and art, and over a hundred essays.

Valentine Bo

Photographer, member of the Ukrainian Photographic Alternative (UPHA) [Ukraine]

Bird in Flight Prize ‘18 winner. Besides showcasing three solo exhibitions, Bo has participated in several group exhibitions in Sweden, Russia, USA, UK, and Poland. In 2017 he received the first prize at the Ukrainian National Photo Contest in the category of Art Photography. In 2018 he was among the winners of Foam Talent in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In 2019, he received the second prize in the British Journal International Photography Award.

Newsha Tavakolian

Photographer, Magnum member [Iran]

Newsha explores social experiences in her homeland along with human conflicts near and far. Newsha has photographed female guerilla fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria, and Colombia, along with prohibited Iranian female singers and the lives of people living under sanctions. Her work has found its place within the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum, the British Museum, and Sackler Gallery.

Paolo Woods

Photographer, researcher, co-founder of RIVERBOOM collective [Italy]

Paolo ran a photo gallery and a laboratory before dedicating himself to documentary photography. He is devoted to long-term projects that blend photography with investigative journalism. His projects cover Western debacles in Afghanistan and Iraq, the rise of the Chinese in Africa, Iranian society, and many more. Paolo has received various prizes, including two World Press Photo awards.

Paola Jiménez Quispe

Photographer, Bird in Flight Prize ‘20 winner [Peru]

Paola’s work focuses on themes of memory, loss, death, childhood, and mental health through the use of photography, archives, video, and texts. She has been a finalist for various international awards.

NayanTara Gurung Kakshapati

Co-founder of the Photo Kathmandu festival, researcher, and artist [Nepal]

NayanTara works at the intersections of visual storytelling, research, pedagogy, and collective action. She also co-founded the Nepal Picture Library, a digital archiving initiative that works towards diversifying Nepali socio-cultural and political history. She has been a mentor for the World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass and chaired the 2021 World Press Photo Contest Jury.

Pre-selection board

Lyolya Goldstein
Bird in Flight photo editor, curator

Anton Shebetko
artist, Bird in Flight editor

Lilia Kudelia
art historian, curator: Dallas Contemporary, Residency Unlimited

Darius Vaicekauskas
artist, curator, head of cultural organizations: Lithuanian Photographer’s Association Klaipėda Department, Association Arts Zone, Art Creators Union

Participation requirements

• We only accept photo series of 7-12 photographs. If needed, authors may choose to Upload any other media file [Up to 40 megabytes each].

• Photographers from all over the world are welcome to participate.

• All are welcome to apply more than once or as many times as you’d like.

• We accept applications in English only.

• Technical requirements: we accept images of up to 5 megabytes in size, formatted as .jpg or .png.

• Photos, collages and all other images must be copyrighted by the applicant [or a copyright should be duly acquired in a legal manner].

• Application fee is 20 euros.

• Submission for the portfolio review selection costs extra 10 euros.

• To apply, please sign up and fill out the form.

Partners

FAQ

• The rules state that the choice of theme is unrestricted. Does this imply an absolute thematic freedom?
  
  Yes. The goal of the award is not just to highlight a certain topic of your choice. First and foremost, the jury will be focusing on the form which a photographer utilizes to emphasize the content.

• According to what principles will the judges evaluate the pieces?
  
  According to the principles of their personal choosing.

• Is it okay for a participant to apply more than once, with various photoseries?
  
  Absolutely. There will be a fee of 20 euros for each application.

• The contest rules say that participants grant Bird in Flight rights to use photographs. What does it mean?
  
  Bird in Flight will get rights to publish projects on its website and other online platforms, use works in promo materials [e.g. banners, posters, videos], exhibitions that may take place on locations with paid entrance, and printed catalogs that may be distributed on a paid basis. All images submitted to the contest will remain the property of an author, Bird in Flight will get no right to sell them.

• How will the authors be informed about making it to the shortlist?
  
  Official letter will be mailed to the email given by the applicant on the initial application. Also, an informational roster about the finalists and winners will be posted on the website and the Facebook page of Bird in Flight.

• Who will take part in the portfolio review?
  
  Twenty five Applicants whose projects will be selected by the editorial board of Bird in Flight.

• I still have questions. Who should I contact?
  
  Feel free to email any questions about the contest to prize@birdinflight.com.

Bird in Flight doesn’t edit project descriptions and is not responsible for the content. 

10 october 2021 [23:59 EEST] — Deadline

Previous Bird in Flight Prize

Bird in Flight Prize has been held annually since 2018.

The winner of the Bird in Flight Prize ‘20 is Paola Jimenez Quispe with “Rules For Fighting” project.

SHORTLIST 2020
Exhibition 2020

The winner of the Bird in Flight Prize ‘19 is Shadman Shahid with “No Quarter” project.

SHORTLIST 2019

The winner of the Bird in Flight Prize ‘18 is Valentine Bo with “Your next step would be to do the Transmission” project.

Shortlist 2018

In media

Organizers

The Award is organized by BirD in Flight, magazine about photography and visual culture.