Roger Ballen Foundation creates photography award

The foundation is dedicated to developing and advancing photography and photographers in the country.

The award, which is one of few awards aimed at young photographers, will be given to a photographer whose work best illustrates groundbreaking vision – much like Ballen has pushed the limits in his own work for the past 40 years. It is also one of the few awards focused on black and white photography.

Applicants will be able to submit three to five black and white digital images that they believe best represent their creativity. Works will be selected based on which images display an ambiguity between documentary and fiction, which ones go beyond pure documentary and the use of an animal in some form utilised within the composition. Judges will then select finalists based on the technical and conceptual strength of the photographs.

The grand prize includes a three-day trip to Paris Photo 2016, where the winner will have the chance to rub shoulders with some of the best photographers in the world.

Rules:

• Entrants must have a valid South African identity document
• Must be between the ages of 18 and 30 years
• Only black and white, digital images will be accepted
• A minimum of three and a maximum of five images may be submitted by each entrant
• Grey scale images must be a maximum of 300 dpi and saved as a JPEG with a file size of maximum 1.2mb
• The organisers may request raw and high-resolution images. No borders, watermarks or signatures should be included.
• Submitted photographs should have been taken after January 2012
• Only digital images will be accepted.

Entries will only be accepted from 15 September and all entries must be received by 30 April next year.

Details: For info on the award and how to enter, visit www.rogerballen.org