Photo-J News

Gary Calton Wins Photo Fund

SAN FRANCISCO — UK Photographer Gary Calton has won the Medal of Excellence and a $7,000 prize from the International Fund for Documentary Photography. His project focused on tuberculosis in prisons and institutions of the former Soviet Union.

This year marks the first time that the non-profit organization FiftyCrows is running the awards. The fund, formerly run by Mother Jones magazine, has honored 62 documentary shooters in its 12-year history.

Other winners in this year’s contest include Mark Leong of the U.S., for "Growing Up in China's Youth Underground;" German Avagyan of Armenia, for his work on mentally disabled Armenians; Gauri Gill of India for her project on pre-adolescent girls in Rajasthan; Masaru Goto of Japan for his story on Colombia's human rights; Florencia Blanco of Argentina for her documentary on the city Salta; Victor Sira of Venezuela, who focused on undocumented immigrants in the U.S.; and Fanie Jason of South Africa for his story on a family of AIDS sufferers who died within 24 hours of each other. Each received a grant ranging from $2,000 and $7,000.

The winning images will be exhibited from June 6 to July 27 at the FiftyCrows Gallery in San Francisco, located at 1074 Folsom Street.

FiftyCrows founder Andy Patrick says his organization wants to use photography to raise awareness about social, political and environmental issues. FiftyCrows has created a Web site, launching in the Fall, that enables vistors to send messages to legislators, journalists, and corporate executives after viewing the exhibition. "I wanted to give people a chance to voice their opinions," says Patrick.

This summer, FiftyCrows will sponsor a "photo bus" gallery that will travel from town to town, featuring different documentary essays. To find out more about FiftyCrows and the winners, go to www.fiftycrows.org