Getty Images Announces Stephen Ferry and Karen Kasmauski as Winners of Inaugural Grants for Good

In its inaugural year, Getty Images received more than 403 proposals from photographers in 26 countries, who partnered with non-profits working in more than 55 countries. Jurors Dennis Freedman, Creative Director for W Magazine, Christopher Phillips, Curator for International Center of Photography and Lesley Martin, Publisher for Aperture Foundation, selected the winning proposals:

Stephen Ferry’s project for Human Rights Watch (HRW), “Chronicle of a Death Foretold: Widespread Threats and Political Violence Against Colombian Civilians,” will reveal the grave state of human rights in that country while honoring the bravery of many Colombians who struggle to create a democratic society at great risk to their own lives. The project will also document work by the Americas Division of HRW in the region. HRW will use the imagery to highlight Colombia’s human rights problems in a variety of ways such as a multimedia piece for its website, in print publications, and possibly through an exhibit to inform policy makers and the US public about continuing rights problems in a country that receives substantial US assistance.

Karen Kasmauski’s project for Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM) will document the role of an extraordinary American grass roots organization. SOCM’s story is one of ordinary people who were moved to do extraordinary things, as they fought and continue to fight to save their environment. Telling SOCM’s story illuminates the larger issue of the changes in Central Appalachia over the last 30 years. Kasmauski will create photos and a video essay to show a sense of the land and the people living upon it, as many of the organization’s members are aging and battling illness associated with life long exposure to coal dust and other toxic elements in their environment. In addition to the new imagery developed by the photographer, the group’s archives will enrich a video and oral history of the organization to improve SOCM’s website as they preserve their history as they continue to evolve and change their name this year to Statewide Organization for Community eMpowerment, still SOCM, but with a refined mission and a new face.

Both grant recipients have up to six months to complete their projects and to deliver their imagery to their non-profit partner. The grants are designed to be flexible for both the photographer and non-profit; should the photographer not require the entire $15,000 to produce their project, Getty Images will donate the balance of the funds to the non-profit. Getty Images introduced the Grants for Good in February 2009 as an expansion of its photographer grant program, to involve the creative community and support photographers who use imagery to promote positive change in our world.