First Book Prize | Overview

CDS > Awards > First Book Prize in Photography > Overview

	First Book Prize Overview Guidelines Application Materials Frequently Asked Questions Biennial Winners: 2003 \| 2005 \| 2007 Announcement: Mary Ellen Mark to Judge 2008 Competition
	First Book Prize Overview The Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) at Duke University and The Honickman Foundation (THF), based in Philadelphia, co-sponsor this prestigious biennial prize for American photographers. The only prize of its kind, the CDS / Honickman First Book Prize competition is open to American photographers of any age who have never published a book-length work and who use their cameras for creative exploration, whether it be of places, people, or communities; of the natural or social world; of beauty at large or the lack of it; of objective or subjective realities. The prize will honor work that is visually compelling, that bears witness, and that has integrity of purpose. Renowned photographer and writer Robert Adams was the prize's inaugural judge. Maria Morris Hambourg, Curator in Charge of the Department of Photographs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, judged the second biennial competition. The judge for the third competition (2006) was Robert Frank, one of America's most important and influential photographers. Mary Ellen Mark will be the judge of the fourth prize competition in fall 2008. The winning photographer receives a grant of $3,000, publication of a book of photography, and inclusion in an exhibition of prizewinners. The judge also writes the introduction for the book, which will be published by Duke University Press in association with CDS Books of the Center for Documentary Studies. American photographers who are pursuing work of creative or social importance have too few opportunities for support and recognition. This is especially true when photographers are engaged in personal or in-depth projects that do not have direct commercial appeal. While there are other sources for grants and fellowships in photography, the chance to see a body of work in print, as a coherent book-length work, is rare. Concerned about this problem and recognizing their shared interests, CDS and THF came together to create this important book-publication prize. Submissions for the next competition, following guidelines format, must be postmarked between June 9 and September 5, 2008. The winning photographer will be announced publicly in January 2009. The book will be published in fall 2009. The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University teaches, engages in, and presents documentary work grounded in collaborative partnerships and extended fieldwork that uses photography, film/video, audio, and narrative writing to capture and convey contemporary memory, life, and culture. CDS values documentary work that balances community goals with individual artistic expression. CDS promotes documentary work that cultivates progressive change by amplifying voices, advancing human dignity, engendering respect among individuals, breaking down barriers to understanding, and illuminating social injustices. CDS conducts its work for local, regional, national, and international audiences. The Honickman Foundation (THF) is dedicated to the support of projects that promote the arts, education, health, and social change. Embodied in this commitment is a fundamental belief in the power of the "family unit" and in the necessity of a strong community to support it. THF is dedicated to a variety of projects that strengthen and bolster both individuals and families. Though of disparate substance, what each project has in common is its creative potential. At the heart of the mission of The Honickman Foundation is the belief that creativity enriches contemporary society, because the arts are powerful tools for enlightenment, equity, and empowerment, and must be encouraged to effect social change as well as personal growth. To these ends The Honickman Foundation invests its time and resources. The Center for Documentary Studies is well known for its accomplishments and reputation as a center for education, for publication of major photography books, and for its exhibitions and other documentary programs. CDS is also one of the few institutions to offer a major competitive award for photographers, the Dorothea Lange–Paul Taylor Prize. This prize is given for collaborative documentary work by a photographer and writer. The annual Lange–Taylor competition routinely attracts noteworthy photographers from the United States and other countries. The Honickman Foundation has partnered with many photographic institutions in Philadelphia and New York and has collaborated on the publication of more than thirty books and exhibits with the Aperture Foundation in New York to help expand, nourish, and focus attention on contemporary photography. It is our aim to stimulate America's ever-growing and energetic photo-collecting universe into the full realization of photography's rich accomplishment and potential, both as an art form and as a tool for social change. banner image: Allen Miller drags a young doe from the woods while hunting with family and friends, Kalona, Iowa, 2005. From Driftless: Photographs from Iowa by Danny Wilcox Frazier, winner of the third biennial Center for Documentary Studies / Honickman First Book Prize in Photography top