For centuries, western art has objectified black women, depicting them as exoticised and enslaved. Challenging that is a new photography exhibition at Somerset House called ‘Black Venus’.

At its heart are three Venuses, including a South African woman who was paraded around Europe as a freak show exhibit called the ‘Hottentot Venus’.

The show displays these historic stereotypes and invites contemporary artists to confront them with their own works.

Kiran Moodley went to meet its curator, Aindrea Emelife.

The W. Eugene Smith Fund has announced it is now accepting applications for its 44th annual Grant in Humanistic Photography which carries a top prize of $30,000, one of the most valuable grants for photographers in the world.

In addition, a second $10,000 grant will be awarded as a fellowship while a third finalist that the organization deems worthy of special recognition will earn a $5,000 grant. Finally, the Smith Fund is also accepting applications for its 6th annual Eugene Smith Student Grant, which will honor the top student entry with a $3,000 grant and it is open to all collegiate level students enrolled in full or part-time programs.

Since 1979, the Smith Fund has awarded over $1.2 million to photographers for their past work or proposed projects.

“The W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography is presented annually to a photographer whose past work and proposed project, as judged by a panel of experts, follows the tradition of W. Eugene Smith’s dedicated compassion and humanistic approach to his subjects throughout his career as a photographic essayist,” the Smith Fund says. “Past recipients have included Maxim Dondyuk (2022), Nicolò Filippo Rosso (2021), Sabiha Çimen (2020), Mark Peterson (2018), Krisanne Johnson (2011), Stanley Greene (2004), Graciela Iturbide (1987), Donna Ferrato (1985), and Eugene Richards (1981).”

Last year, the fund awarded its mammoth grant to Maxim Dondyuk for the series “Ukraine 2014/22,” of which one of the photos can be seen above. It is a chronicle of Ukraine’s fight for independence that has been ongoing for more the better part of a decade and most recently through Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country in February of last year. That series can be seen on the Smith Fund’s website along with the other finalists from last year’s grant.

“None of the grants presented by the Smith Fund are endowed, and rely entirely on corporate contributions, foundation grants, and individual donations to fund its grants and fellowships. This year, funding was drastically reduced due to the global economic downturn, leaving the Board of Trustees with a difficult decision for this year’s grant cycle,” the Smith Fund says. “The annual Howard Chapnick Grant, which is presented to an individual or entity for their support of photojournalists, will not be presented this year. This will allow the Smith Fund to support its core Smith Grant and Fellowships in the short term while raising additional funding to re-establish the Chapnick Grant and build its reserves for future grants.”

Interested photographers can submit their applications for the 44th annual Grant in Humanistic Photography as well as for the Student Grant on the organization’s website.

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Fifty-four years ago, man set foot on the moon for the first time, this after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Julian Leek, a Space Coast-based photographer, was there to cover the mission and captured history on film.

A veteran photographer, Leek was witness to the first time Americans launched from Earth and landed on a new world.

Leek has taken thousands upon thousands of pictures in his career. He has seen life through a unique lens, and he’s always ready to point and shoot.

“Anywhere I go, it is always in the car,” Leek said of his camera.

Leek has lived in Melbourne Beach since the 1960s. He was a young lens-slinger when he was assigned to cover what would become one of the most historic events in human history: the Apollo 11 moon mission in July of 1969.

“What are you doing up here today? ‘Oh, we’re just going to the moon (sarcastically),’ yeah, going to the moon,” he recalled. “No, we are going to the moon! This is a really, really big thing.”

Leek has memorabilia from the mission, including a model of the lunar lander and service module, an Apollo 11 launch team patch, and, of course, his press pass.

In those days, everything was shot on film, which required a painstaking process of sending it by bus or other means to be processed.

And unfortunately, photographers like Leek don’t often get their negatives back.

“I have a lot of history I’d like to get my hands on,” he said.

But he did capture the moment when Armstrong took that giant leap.

“Took a picture of a television set of him stepping out of the LEM,” he said.

Despite it being his job, Leek will always have the memories of watching Americans land on the moon and the most amazing story he’s ever covered.

“Apollo 11 has to be it,” Leek said.

Leek is continuing his 50-plus years of photography documenting the NASA Artemis mission as we return to moon to stay.

… it seems as though this red tail hawk is contemplating the months that lie ahead as she prepares for the mating season that is just ahead … she and her mate have a lot of work ahead as they clean out and rebuild the nest for this year.

Days later the two of them were bringing in new sticks to repair and finish the nest in the cliff about 150′ above the surface. Then came the laying of the eggs and the commitment to stay on the nest for the next four to five weeks until they hatch … next comes five or more weeks to feed the young ones until they are ready to fledge (first flight) and then help feed them to the extent that they need help for the next weeks until it is time for them to leave and seek a life of their own.

Below the male is cruising over the valley in the Loop area and a lot of work will be on him too … shared responsibility!

The first year is a very rough year for raptors … the mortality rate approaches 80% in the first year … and the cycle is repeated year after year whilst they live.

Up to Lake Mary early in the morning, so this is going out unbelievably early … on the water before 7AM and it is much cooler up there. Weather is largely dependent on elevation. The temperature drops roughly 3 degrees Celsius per thousand feet (dry adiabatic lapse rate) or roughly 5.4F … the lake is about three thousand feet above home 🙂 105F here today.

Into the weekend for me and the plan is to be back Monday morning … enjoy life and smile … you are here!

Cheers,
Ted

Forbid that I should judge others
lest I condemn myself.
Let me not follow the clamor of
the world, but walk calmly
in my path. Give me a few friends
who will love me for what
I am, and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope.

excerpt from A Prayer by Max Ehrmann

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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com

In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.

Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses.  By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.

More about Ted Grussing …