Reading Time: 3 minutes “Nothing about the experience of motherhood is linear. It is complex, raw and messy,” says Freeland, one of the winners of Female in Focus 2021
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Award closed for judging.
Female in Focus
Back for its fourth edition, Female in Focus champions the work of world-class women* photographers across the world.
*Female in Focus is a space built for all women (e.g. cis, trans and intersex)
Awareness around gender inequality in the industry may be growing. But the numbers aren’t changing fast enough.
Globally, 70-80% of photography students are women — yet they account for only 13-15% of professional photographers.
Why enter
Get exhibited in a group show
20 images and two bodies of work will be exhibited in a group show. Previous venues include Artspace in New York City and Green Space Miami.
Get judged by industry leaders
Past years have included leading women from The New Yorker, Women Photographers International Archive (WOPHA) and international galleries and publications.
Receive international press coverage
Past winners have been featured in Vogue Italia, The Guardian, The Times and more.
Polly Irungu
Founder, Black Women Photographers
Karla Guerrero
Founder, Femgrafía
Nazik Armenakyan
Co-Founder & Chief Editor, 4Plus
Victoria Jonathan
Co-Founder & Director, Doors 门艺
Alessia Locatelli
Artistic Director, Women Photography Biennal (Italy)
Katy Barron
Chair of the Board of Directors, Photofusion
Jekaterina Saveljeva
Founder, femLENS
Natasha Egan
Executive Director, Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College Chicago (MoCP)
Koral Carballo
Photographer and Visual Artist, RUDA Colectiva Representative
Melissa Bunni Elian
Authority Collective Board President and Photography Fellow at National Geographic
What embodies home to you?
Consider home as repetition. Consider home as spontaneity.
Pairing with our upcoming British Journal of Photography print issue, themed Home, Female in Focus 2022 calls on photographers across the world to consider the many shapes and forms our sense of home can take, and how this may have evolved throughout the drastically changing landscape of recent years.
Home as an object.
Home as a community.
Home as a state of mind.
Female in Focus 2022 is split between two categories: the Series Category and the Single Image Category.
Series Category entries allow for the inclusion of up to 10 images.
Themes and Submissions
Hear from our past winners
“For me, winning Female in Focus meant exposure: I received many interview requests and opportunities to publish my work. It enriched my project in so many ways”
Katinka Schuett, Female in Focus 2019 Winner
“British Journal of Photography was the very first publication I started following when I started photography. I’ve been entering all the contests for a couple of years now, and Female in Focus was a no brainer. Winning definitely helped garner attention”
Maria Lax, Female in Focus 2019 Winner
Thandiwe Muriu
Jodie Bateman
Lebo Thoka
P. Wamaitha Ng'ang'a
Paola Vivas
Natalia Garcia
Marzena Hans
Imogen Freeland
Joanna Musial
Media Partners:
Reading Time: 2 minutes
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Reading Time: 2 minutes The exhibition, which closes this Saturday 26 February, features the work of series winners Jodie Bateman and Paola Jimenez Quispe
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Reading Time: 3 minutes The series comprises archival images, unpublished works from her late father, and reflections on loss and mourning
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Reading Time: 2 minutes The two-day event is the first convening of female photography organisations, curators, artists and directors from around the world, and includes 1854’s Female in Focus exhibition
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Reading Time: 3 minutes
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Reading Time: 2 minutes Jodie Bateman, Paola Jiménez Quispe, Imogen Freeland and Joanna Helena are among the winners of BJP and 1854’s 2021 Female in Focus award, with the exhibitions sponsored by MPB, celebrating women’s contribution to contemporary photography
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Reading Time: < 1 minute In the final session in our Female in Focus mini-series we approach an underrepresented topic in the art photography world: Motherhood.
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Reading Time: < 1 minute With Female in Focus 2021 in its final two weeks for entries, we have curated a Female in Focus x 1854 Presents mini-series spotlighting voices of leading women photographers and industry figures across the world.
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Reading Time: < 1 minute Photographer, designer and illustrator, Ngadi Smart joins us to discuss her approach to decolonizing photography and her experience in the industry.
Read More →Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if the exhibition is unable to go ahead due to COVID-19?
The team is very aware of potential complications caused by hosting a physical exhibition. We will be working with the gallery/exhibition space to accommodate any changes that occur as a result. When the exhibition does go ahead, it will be under the guidelines provided by the government at the time.
What benefit is there for me to enter if the exhibition doesn’t go ahead due to COVID-19?
Should the exhibition not be able to go ahead, the 1854 team is dedicated to ensuring that your work still receives exposure through digital outputs via the 1854 Network, international publicity and other opportunities to help your practice grow.
I have lost the email with my entry link
If you have lost your entry, use the reset form here, to send a reminder to your email address.
Can I pay by PayPal / Cheque / Cash?
We can only accept entries paid for with a credit or debit card online
Can I enter more than once?
Yes, you may enter as many times as you choose.
I have a promotional code, how can I use it?
Please first choose the type of entry you wish to make (eg, one series entry). On the next page you will be able to enter your promotional code, and after submitting that form you will see your discount applied.
I have a promotional code, but it doesn’t work?
Please note that most codes are time-limited. If the deadline for using your code has passed, it will not be usable.
I bought too many entries / ran out of time, can I get a refund?
Sorry, but all entry fees are non-refundable, as stated in the terms and conditions that you accepted on entry.
Can I upgrade my entry?
No unfortunately we can not upgrade your entry once a purchase has been made
The entry system is saying that my entry has already been claimed when I haven’t entered. What do I do?
You may have already received an email from us with your entry link. If so, submit your images through the link provided.
I am an 1854 Access member, why am I being asked to pay for my entries?
You will need to click on the members log in section on the submission platform, and enter your membership number in order to submit your entries.
Have my images uploaded correctly?
If your images have been uploaded correctly you will see a small version of each photo on the entry page, alongside the caption you entered. If you cannot see your photo, then your image has not been uploaded correctly. If a caption has been stored but no image, you can delete it using the Edit option.
I can’t upload my images – I see a green bar, it says 100%, but that’s it
Our image uploader is designed to work with all modern web browsers, but some – in particular, Internet Explorer 11 – aren’t able to use it. If you are unable to upload your images please either download a modern browser (we recommend Google Chrome).
Can I send my photos by email / WeTransfer / on DVD / some other way
We can only accept images that are uploaded using our entry system. This ensures that each one is logged with your entry details, and made available to our judges.
I uploaded one image, and now want to go back to upload more, but the system will not let me do so – what’s wrong?
Either the award deadline has passed, or you have previously submitted your entry to the judges. In order to do so you will have read a notice warning you, and ticked a box confirming your understanding that doing so would prevent you from making any further changes.
There isn’t enough room for my image title or other text
Please note the maximum lengths that apply to these texts. The length limits are noted on the form used to enter them and are given in characters (letters), not words.
I can’t see the option to submit my entry
The Submit button appears at the top of your entry page once you have uploaded at least one image.
What happens when I submit my entry?
Your entry will be confirmed on a web page after submitting, and then we will send you a confirmation email, and your images (along with their captions, statements etc) are stored, ready to be viewed by the judges.
I have submitted my entry – can I change it?
No, once your entry has been submitted you may no longer alter it in any way.
Could you please check my images / text / entry?
Due to the sheer volume of entries, we are unable to check entries on an individual basis. Please ensure that you are happy with your images and statement before submitting them.
Can you please provide an invoice for my entry?
Your entry confirmation email includes a full VAT invoice, we can not provide any other invoice request
Female in Focus is an award dedicated to celebrating women in photography. We welcome entries from a multitude of female voices, including anyone who identifies as a woman.
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Professional and non-professional photographers from all over the world are eligible to enter.
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Images can be shot using any camera model (film or digital) or electronic device, and images may be portrait, landscape or square in format.
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Each entrant will be deemed to warrant that they own the entire copyright for the work or that they have permission from the licensee and/or copyright owner/s for the use.
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Each image can be a maximum of 10MB in size. All images must be submitted as JPEG files – any files submitted in any other format (including TIFF, PDF, PSD etc) will be discarded.
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You may submit a title (200 character limit) and caption (750 character limit) for each photograph entered. For the Stories Category, you can also provide an artist’s statement (1000 character limit). All accompanying text must be written in English.
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Deadline: 7th April 2022, 23:59 UK time.
Entrants have an additional 24 hours following this deadline to finalise and submit their entry.
Judging will take place shortly after the deadline.
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There is no time frame for the images
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Images do not need to feature a woman as the subject to be eligible for this award.
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Once your images and captions have been uploaded to the system you will see an option to submit your entry. Once submitted, your entry cannot be altered. Only submitted entries will be viewed by the judges.
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The winners must be available to supply high-res files promptly for publication.
Digital files of the winning images will be created for press and publicity purposes.
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1854 Media & British Journal of Photography cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to submitted work.
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No copyright is transferred to 1854 Media & British Journal of Photography in respect of any works entered or accepted.
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1854 Media & British Journal of Photography reserve the right to display, reproduce and publish in any media, any entry, without payment, for the sole purpose of Female in Focus – this year and in future – and its promotion and publicity.
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The 2022 exhibition locations will be confirmed at a later date, please stay up to date with 1854 on social media and email for further related announcements
1854 Media will organise and cover costs from the framing, printing and production of the Female in Focus show.
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A selection of images will be published through 1854 Media & British Journal of Photography digital channels.
Winners will be invited to include their work in a dedicated NFT drop with our trusted partners, ART3.io. Participation in this sale is not compulsory as a condition of winning.
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You will be asked to pay for your entry by Credit Card. All payments are handled securely by our payment partner Stripe. After payment, you will receive an email containing a personal upload URL, where you may submit your images and statement.
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All entry purchases are final. Having purchased an entry, it is your responsibility to upload and submit your images and statement before the deadline. No refunds will be issued.
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In order to receive your award status, you must be subscribed to the Awards Communications list on our mailing system. If you have not received your status after the deadline, you must simply resubscribe by filling out a form to our newsletter list.
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Please note that 1854 Access members entering awards as part of their membership (as opposed to a paid entry) will be required to remain a member throughout the periods when awards are judged and exhibitions/outputs are planned, for their entries to be eligible.
All entries are subject to 1854 Media’s General Competition Terms and Conditions