The Film Photo Award

The Film Photo Award by Aline SmithsonFebruary 26, 2019

©Cig Harvey, Emie in The Truck, Medium Format Capture

I am so excited to announce the brand-spanking-new Film Photo Award and so honored to be the inaugural juror for this first round of calls for entry. The award was created by photographer Eliot Dudik who has been a long time large format film shooter and his practice has been quietly supported by Kodak Alaris, the company that distributes Kodak Professional Film. If you know Eliot, you have witnessed his desire to give back to his community and support photographers through exposure and exhibition, so it didn’t come as a surprise to me that he developed this remarkable award program for film photographers.

©Eliot Dudik, Broken Land, Large Format Capture

As a long time film photographer, I have watched my practice be diminished and impacted by the loss of film stocks and paper and by the closing of darkrooms across the country. That said, I am witnessing a new generation of photographers who have discovered film, and remarkably, film sales are rising by the minute! But as we all know that working with film is a financial commitment and so the timing of this award is fantastic.

©Aline Smithson, Lucy in Teal, from Revisiting Beauty, Medium Format Capture

The Film Photo Award is a brand new semi-annual award program offering three distinct grants of Kodak Professional Film to film photographers who demonstrate a serious commitment to the field of analog photography and are motivated to continue the development of still, film-based photography in the 21st century. With six awards per year of Kodak Professional Film to emerging, established, and student photographers alike, Film Photo Award seeks to provide talented and dedicated photographers with access to all that film photography has to offer, and to help facilitate new and ongoing film projects.

©Stephen DiRado, Marlborough, MA, Rose, (My Mother) December 20, 2018, Large Format Capture

The program itself is open to all emerging, established, and student photographers worldwide,18 years old or older and with great pleasure we are happy to share that the first grant application period is now opened for the Spring of 2019! Photographers are encouraged to submit their applications and project proposals for one of the three unique categories listed below by March 31st, 2019. This cycle of the Film Photo Award will be judged by Aline Smithson, the founder of Lenscratch and curator and juror of exhibitions for a number of galleries, organizations, and on-line magazines, including Review Santa Fe, Critical Mass, Flash Forward, and the Griffin Museum.

The winners from each category listed below will be awarded photographic materials to embark or continue their projects, a feature and interview published on the Film Photo Award website and social media, and an invitation to jury the next award cycle (New + Continuing Projects Only).

New Project Award:

The New Project Award is designed to help photographers begin a new film photography project using Kodak Professional Film. Open to all emerging or established photographers worldwide,18 years old or older. This grant allows the photographer(s) chosen to select from: 200 rolls of 35mm, 200 rolls of 120, or 300 sheets of 4×5 film of one of the following emulsions: Portra 160, Portra 400, Ektar 100, Tri-X 400 / 320, T-MAX 100, or T-MAX 400.

Continuing Project Award:

The Continuing Project Award is designed to help photographers continue an existing film photography project using Kodak Professional Film. Open to all emerging and established photographers worldwide,18 years old or older. This grant allows the photographer(s) chosen to select from: 200 rolls of 35mm, 200 rolls of 120, or 300 sheets of 4×5 film of one of the following emulsions: Portra 160, Portra 400, Ektar 100, Tri-X 400 / 320, T-MAX 100, or T-MAX 400.

Student Project Award*:

The Student Project Award is designed to help student photographers begin or continue a film photography project using Kodak Professional Film. Open to students worldwide, 18 years old or older. This grant allows the photographer(s) chosen to select from: 100 rolls of 35mm, 100 rolls of 120, or 150 sheets of 4×5 film of one of the following emulsions: Portra 160, Portra 400, Ektar 100, Tri-X 400 / 320, T-MAX 100, or T-MAX 400.

*You must be currently enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of submission. You do not need to be studying photography specifically to be considered. A scanned image of your student ID is required to verify current enrollment status

©Greg Miller, Brandy and Mason, (National Date Festival) 2005. From the series County Fair, Large Format Capture

Submissions close on March 31st, so don’t wait. SUBMIT HERE!

Why do I shoot film? First, my practice is connected to photographic histories, second, and most important to me, is that I slow down and make my artistic decisions before I click the shutter, at most, taking 3 or so photographs of something or someone. That contemplative time allows for more connection to the subject and helps me establish a point of view. Third, I love the process of putting film in the camera and the best day is when I pick up my negatives from the lab giving me a Christmas morning excitement to see the results of my efforts. Forth, there is a nuance to film that I don’t see in digital photography, particularly in color work. As the editor of Lenscratch, I have featured the work of thousands of photographers over the years and I can almost always spot a film photograph. Believe it or not, there is a difference. Fifth, shooting film makes me consider my photographic legacy. If computers disappear, crash or get corrupted, I still have my negatives. I like having tangible evidence of my efforts. The whole process of using film is tactile, allowing to be physically connected to my art. And this post would be too long if I go into the magic of the darkroom, those of you who know how spiritual it is to be alone in the dark with your art, your thoughts, and your breathing.

©Dan Lopez, Complete Street Light, Medium Format Capture

Today, I am featuring work by a few film photographers whose work I so admire (there are many, many more)…and at the end of today’s post, we celebrate the film work of photographers who have assisted Eliot in bringing this award to fruition.