2 min read Documentary family photography is about honesty. It’s about authenticity. It’s about real life. And because that’s what we are all about, we couldn’t be happier to be a small part of the Real Life Conference, taking place in Portland, OR in the fall of 2019. We are proudly sponsoring the conference aaaaaand they are generously…
4 min read Years ago when Kirsten Lewis Bethmann, Jenna Shouldice and I were daydreaming about ideas for the future, we were filled with excitement about our collective vision for the Documentary Family Awards (DFA) and the potential it held to be a truly one of a kind awards organization. Fast-forward to today where we have our first full…
< 1 min read “You have created a truly one of a kind competition.” – Casie Zalud, 2018 Award-Winner WE’RE EXCITED TO LAUNCH THE NEXT EDITION OF DOCUMENTARY FAMILY AWARDS! This round brings the return of the Humor category for this cycle only. You will also find the highly anticipated Photo Series category from 2018 remaining as a permanent category. As always we…
< 1 min read You are invited to join our awards broadcast this week We are thrilled to announce the addition of a third judge to the finalist panel, giving you a chance to gain even more insight into how we can all make better photographs. Ryan Christopher Jones will be joining Kirsten Lewis Bethmann and Jenna Shouldice as…
< 1 min read It’s true! Anyone who places in the top 10 of any category or receives an honorable mention will now have a dedicated award profile showcasing their accomplishment. Each photographer will also have the option to submit a biography text and photo along with links to social media accounts and websites. We are truly excited to…
< 1 min read I have some good news for you! We have extended the deadline to enter the last Documentary Family Awards for 2018 by 5 days. ***October 20th @ midnight is your new deadline*** For those that have already entered, thank you! It’s always incredible to see the variety of entries that come in from around the…
2 min read We believe that a story can be found in a single image. Composition and light can show incredible perspective and elicit dynamic emotions. But sometimes, the power of documentary photography is strongest in a series. We are thrilled to announce a new category for the next awards cycle: The Photo Series. This addition allows us…
< 1 min read You may have heard rumblings of a new conference in documentary family photography circles over the past year … The Storytellers Photo Conference. It’s a 3-day conference from May 5-7, 2019, in Miami Beach, FL, featuring some seriously incredible photographers, documentary family and photojournalists alike. The hosts have intentionally crafted an intimate group of global…
< 1 min read In 2016 Erika Mann and Callandra Caufield launched the Real Life Conference in Canmore, a much-needed women’s conference for photographers. Kirsten Lewis Bethmann spoke in 2016 and Jenna Shouldice spoke the following year, both women walking away with so much more than just your average conference experience. Both years, the women were blown away by…
6 min read Written by Felicia Chang (DFA guest judge & photographer) As artists, we are expected to pour ourselves into our art so that we can elevate it to something more. So how do we separate ourselves from that work when receiving feedback or critique from others, or in this case, when facing possible rejection? Right now,…
< 1 min read Live-streamed judging of the final round is coming next week!! We hope you can join us to see the inspiring work submitted by your fellow photographers and watch us announce the latest award winners live! When & Where Watch February 23rd @ 9am (PST) on our LIVE page: documentaryfamilyawards.com/live/ How will it work? You will have…
< 1 min read This category is about sharing those gritty, personal documentary family photos made with your phone at home, on the street or at work. For the vast majority of us, the phone is actually our most used camera, whether we want to admit it or not. Good photographs are not about the camera but rather the…
< 1 min read Submission Deadline January 17th, 2018 >> ENTER COMPETITION We believe an environmental portrait uses a subject’s surroundings to tell us more about the subject themselves. This can be at home, school, the playground etc. and can be a single person or multiple people in one frame. In this category only, the photographer may or may…
< 1 min read Real life is about the authentic unscripted moments in our day to day life. For some, these are extraordinary events and for others, it can simply be the small moments of accomplishment or defeat. This category is wide open, as an opportunity for you to enter photographs that explore all aspects of family life. As…
< 1 min read A single word category that hardly gives justice to the complexity and depth of this subject matter. Photographs should be of the birth process at some point and do not have to be just of the final moments of a child being born. Share your photos with us of any moment leading up to, during…
< 1 min read From Chinese new year to Halloween, lantern festivals to religious and non-religious celebrations, show us the chaos, the beauty, the dust and the meltdowns. This category is for photos made during celebrations both inside and outside of the home. As you know, we love documentary family photography and can’t wait to give your photography international…
< 1 min read Deadline January 17th, 2018 We are excited to announce our open call for entries for the next cycle of Documentary Family Awards! This award cycle brings about a new set of categories including one for birth, and we have an exciting new panel of guest judges, who will curate through every single submission. We recognize the educational value…
< 1 min read The first Documentary Family Awards live judging with Kirsten Lewis and Jenna Shouldice is ready to watch for anyone that missed it or wants to re-watch. We hope you get lots of inspiration and valuable insight while you watch. Enjoy! WhatsAppRedditShareEmailTweetPin
< 1 min read These awards are not about “winning” as much as supporting each other to become better photographers. Join our first live streamed judging where Jenna and Kirsten will give you insight into how finalists are chosen in each category, and why the winners are selected from those shortlisted photos. We believe that seeing not just the…