Community Grant Shortlist
We received hundreds of applicants for the grant and choosing just 5 for you to vote on is always difficult.
Please ensure that you read all of the submissions before casting your vote for your favourite.
FLATS Teen Summer Camp - Jessi Bowman
We are looking to launch a free summer camp for teens, using our community darkroom to introduce young students to the magic of analog photography. Our goal is to remove financial barriers and create an accessible space where they can learn, create, and experiment, keeping the tradition of darkrooms alive for the next generation.
Nijar's Two Sides - Adrian Piedra
El Cabo de Gata y los invernaderos de Níjar coexisten como motores económicos de la región, pero su relación es compleja y está llena de contrastes.
Mi proyecto fotográfico busca retratar estas dos caras de la moneda, mostrando cómo la belleza del Cabo de Gata se ve amenazada por la masificación turística y cómo la actividad agrícola, a pesar de sus inconvenientes, es fundamental para la economía local. A través de mis fotografías quiero invitar a la reflexión sobre la necesidad de encontrar un equilibrio entre el desarrollo económico y la conservación del medio ambiente, buscando un modelo de turismo y agricultura sostenibles que permita preservar la belleza del Cabo de Gata para las generaciones futuras.
Como fotógrafo comprometido con mi entorno, me apasiona explorar estas contradicciones y mostrar la realidad del Cabo de Gata desde una perspectiva personal y crítica. Mi objetivo es generar conciencia sobre los desafíos que enfrenta esta región y contribuir a la búsqueda de soluciones que beneficien tanto a las personas como al medio ambiente. Enclaves de ensueño como la playa de los Genoveses, con su arena blanca y aguas cristalinas, se ven invadidas por turistas en verano, lo que genera problemas de masificación y dificulta la conservación de este frágil ecosistema. Al mismo tiempo, los invernaderos que se extienden por los campos de Níjar, aunque impactantes visualmente, son el sustento de muchas familias que trabajan en la agricultura intensiva de productos como el tomate o el pimiento.
Mi proyecto fotográfico busca retratar estas dos caras de la moneda, mostrando cómo la belleza del Cabo de Gata se ve amenazada por la masificación turística y cómo la actividad agrícola, a pesar de sus inconvenientes, es esencial para la economía local. A través de mis fotografías, quiero invitar a la reflexión sobre la necesidad de encontrar un equilibrio entre el desarrollo económico y la conservación del medio ambiente, buscando un modelo de turismo y agricultura sostenibles que permita preservar la belleza del Cabo de Gata para las futuras generaciones.
Meadows - Dasha Lavrinienko
I suppose my project is analogue in itself and that's what makes it unique. Every year I spend 5 months in the French Alps with my family, taking care of a heard of 1.500 sheep and 7 dogs. We stay in a cabin that is 2000 meters above the sea level and the closest we can leave our car is 3 hours hike. I want to document this experience, share it with wider audience as a reminder that connection to nature is our future. I want to make a series of portraits of the sheep, capture the scenery, the fast transition of the seasons in the mountains, the life in the cabins (we have access to 3 cabins, each in different condition and in different place of Alpage). My family will also be my subject as my son is only 15 months old now and he has already lived this 2 times, in a belly and being a crawling baby. He will now walk and run, explore the meadows, the forests, the rivers and rocks, the hidden wolf dens and presence.
The ILFORD products will help me dive into my creative process and make a temporary mountain lab.
Alter Egos - Phil Cantor
ALTER EGOS is an exploration of identity and transformation of people such as war reenactors, professional wrestlers, Comic Con superheroes, Native American fancy dancers, and costumed parade participants. The project delves into the lives of individuals whose passionate engagements in unique interests create distinct personas, separate from their everyday existence.
ILFORD's assistance will allow me to visit other locales to further discover how these shared interests forge communities of like-minded individuals. Within these communities, participants find belonging and connection, reinforcing their passion and commitment to their alter egos.
Futbol Callejero - Weiting Zhang
Street football, or futbol callejero, is deeply embedded in the cultural fabric of Medellin, Colombia. Across concrete playgrounds, empty parking lots, and makeshift courts with worn nets, the echoes of passionate cheers fill the winding alleys of the barrios. For many Colombian youths, football is not just a pastime—it is a lifeline, offering a beacon of hope and purpose in otherwise stark or even dangerous life circumstances. Yet, despite the remarkable talent on display in these street communities, only a fortunate few with the right connections and resources make it to the professional leagues in Colombia.
Born in 2020, Torneó del Barrio emerged as a neighborhood league in Medellin. Over time, it has grown into one of the largest street football spectacles globally, attracting major sponsors, professional players, and international media attention, including European outlets. Today, fútbol callejero is becoming an alternative platform for Colombian youths to professionalize their passion, and its influence continues to expand exponentially.
I was introduced to Medellin's vibrant street football scene through a friend, one of the founders of 'FUTTO' the official media channel of Tornea del Barrio. FUTTO has worked tirelessly to connect Medellin's thriving football culture with other growing street football communities worldwide. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of meeting Colombian players and witnessing international street football tournaments in Japan and China. The camaraderie was palpable, the joy infectious, and the commitment to building a global platform for street football was inspirational. Nonetheless, nowhere captures the heart and soul of this movement quite like the barrios of Medellin.
With the support of ILFORDs Analog Community Grant, I aim to collaborate with Medellin's street football community to document their journeys through analog photography. Local media initiatives like FUTTO have already played a crucial role in elevating Tornea del Barrio, and many young people in the community possess impressive marketing and media production skills. This project will build on that foundation, introducing analog photography as both a creative outlet and a potential avenue for economic empowerment.
Beyond the scoreboard, street football is a visual and emotional experience. The stark contrasts of black-and-white film will capture the sharp, raw energy of Medellin'ss streets, providing a fresh perspective on a movement that is changing lives. By equipping community members with analog tools and mentoring them in photography, we can amplify their stories through an art form that mirrors the grit, passion, and authenticity of their world.
This project seeks to showcase the beauty and resilience of Colombian street football and inspire locals to see themselves as creators and storytellers. Through their lenses, the spirit of Medellin's futtbol callejero can be shared with audiences far beyond the barrios, bringing global attention to this movement's transformative power.
The first award of 2025 went to Jessi Bowman for her project FLATS Teen Summer Camp
Her prize has been shipped and we'll be hearing from her soon on her progress.
Other projects shortlisted this time were:-
Adrian Piedra - Nijar's Two Sides
Dasha Lavrinienko - Meadows
Phil Cantor - Alter Egos
Weiting Zhang - Futbol Callejero
The second award of 2024 went to Marta Arjona for her project ePhemeral
Her prize was shipped last year and we'll be hearing from her soon on her progress.
Other projects shortlisted this time were:-
Reed Mattison - Jackson Nights, Walking
Alana Garces Punset - Japan Legacy
Karim Khourrou - Kan ya Makan (Once upon a time....)
Susnata Karmakar - Homeless - a series Inspired by Suella Braverman
The first 2024 grant was awarded to Lucho Davila for Fanesca which studies how immigration alters traditional folklore
We shipped his prize earlier in the year and can't wait to share details on the progress that he is making with this project.
Other projects shortlisted this time were:-
Mountains: The Inner Path - Eduardo Almeida
Our Kids - Portraits of people with LGBTQ+ parents.- Paula Smith
The Places I (Long To) Go - Megan Sinclair
I am not an embarrasment - Xoliswa Ngwenya
The Q3 2023 Grant was awarded to Anni Kay and her project Hulme Loonies.
Other shortlisted project were:-
Gary Dougherty - Lifesavers
Alan J Kent - The Afghan Street Camera
Emillio Daniel. - Hikayat Kain (Tale of Cloth)
Mia Kraitsowits - Loved Skins
The Q2 2023 Community Grant was awarded to Federico Pestilli for his project Extinct
Read more about how his project is going in our online magazine
The other projects shortlisted for this award were:-
Jack Moyse - What it's like (being me)
Megan Henderson - Locos Non Profit
Yang Zhou - Mapping J. R. R. Tolkien's England
D. M. Terblanche - I Should Have Burnt More Cars
Our Q1 2023 Winner was India Mae Alby with her project on the London Rollerskating Scene.
We shipped her prize in April. We'll catch up with her at the end of the year to find out how winning this award has helped bring her project to life.
The other projects shortlisted for this award were:-
Asian Representation in Hollywood - Marcus Ubungen
Black Women Rising UK - Noam Friedman
The Woman: Veiled - Jason and Amanda Ray
Don't Touch My... (DTM) - Zai
Our Q4 2022 Winner was SAM BATLEY with his project 'One Day at a time boys'.
His prize shipped in January and he updated us at the end of 2023 about his project working with a community of men from a recovery centre in Liverpool.
The other projects that you voted on for the 2nd award were:-
Dogs from Darkness - Ted Smith
Cost of Living Crisis - Kieran Doherty
Queering Rural Spaces - Sarah Stellino
The resistance of native corn in rural Mexico City - Diego Hernadez
Untie the Knot - Clare Park
Our Q3 2022 Winner was ANDILE BHALA with his project 'Related to the Pavement'.
We shipped his prize to him in November. You can read more about his project capturing faces of Soweto/JOZI in our magazine and check out some of his work on his Instagram
The other projects that you voted on for the 1st award were:-
Tragically beautiful - Anna Melnykova
f.64 - Savannah McCauley
Accessible Landscapes - John Emery
Just Sitting - Kasia Murfet
A Role Model for Me - Molly Kate