InFocus Photography Competition, Exhibition and Sale has announced the winners for its 37th annual show.
The show will be open from noon to 5 p.m. beginning Wednesday through April 20, and noon to 3 p.m. April 21, at the Jamestown Community Hall, 18246 Main St. in Jamestown.
A celebrated photojournalist who was the chief White House photographer during Gerald Ford’s administration resigned on Tuesday from the foundation that bears the former president’s name, accusing it of succumbing to the “tidal wave of timidity and fear” created by Donald Trump.
David Hume Kennerly said in a letter that the organization’s board of trustees had rejected Liz Cheney for its top annual honor, the Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service, over “agita” that Trump might retaliate should he win re-election.
“Some of you raised the specter of being attacked by the Internal Revenue Service and losing the foundation’s tax-exempt status as retribution for selecting Liz for the award,” he wrote in the letter, which was first obtained by Politico. “The historical irony was completely lost on you.”
Kennerly pointed out that Ford had ascended to the presidency because his predecessor, Richard Nixon, left office after the Watergate scandal, during which it was revealed he had ordered his underlings to retaliate against his enemies, sometimes through the IRS.
“That’s exactly what the executive committee fears will happen if there’s a second coming of Donald Trump. Did LT Gerald Ford meet the enemy head-on because he thought he wouldn’t get killed?” Kennerly asked. “No. He did it despite that possibility. This executive committee, on the other hand, bolted before any shots were fired.”
The 77-year-old said that Cheney, a fierce Trump critic, had been the obvious choice for the medal this year. In his letter, he outlined how he’d fought for her nomination, only for his fellow trustees to beat him back three times.
“When you rejected her again in favor of a third person, it became crystal clear to me that something else was going on,” he said. “The process for honoring President Ford by recognizing his virtues in others was being undermined by the same pressures weakening Republican institutions and many conservative leaders.”
Kennerly called the decision to spurn Cheney “inexplicable” and “short-sighted,” decrying it as a missed opportunity to send a clear message that the foundation stands against tyranny.
“If the foundation that bears the name of Gerald R. Ford won’t stand up to this real threat to our democracy, who will?” he asked.
Politico reported that Mitch Daniels, the former governor of Indiana, would receive the 2024 medal in June, citing an email that the Ford Foundations’ executive director sent to trustees after the publication of Kennerly’s letter.
The executive director, Gleaves Whitney, told Politico in a statement that the organization’s executive committee had decided, under legal counsel, it wouldn’t have been “prudent” to award Cheney the medal.
“At the time the award was being discussed, it was being publicly reported that Cheney was under active consideration for a presidential run by No Labels,” the statement said, referring to the nonpartisan organization that had flirted with the idea of a third-party ticket before mothballing it last week.
“Exercising its fiduciary responsibility, the executive committee concluded that giving the Ford medal to Cheney in the 2024 election cycle might be construed as a political statement and thus expose the Foundation to the legal risk of losing its nonprofit status with the IRS,” Whitney added.
After Politico’s report was published, Kennerly tweeted that his resignation had been “a painful decision,” but necessary. “I hope more people around the country will follow @Liz_Cheney’s example and speak out about the threat to our democracy,” he added. “Time to step up.”
A longtime staff photographer for United Press International, Kennerly also worked for Newsweek and Time. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 1972 for his “dramatic photographs of the Vietnam War” the year prior, as the organization puts it on its website.
He joined the Ford Foundation’s board in the early 2000s.
“Firecracker Symphony” by Victor Tan. Photo Essay Winner.
Once again, the Mobile Photography Awards is proving that good photography isn’t limited to owning a DSLR. Since 2011, the contest has been showcasing the creative possibilities of mobile photography and the 13th annual contest is no different. Shanghai-based photographer Yajun Hu took home the top prize for his portfolio of street photography, all taken using a Xiaomi Ultra 13.
Hu’s work focuses on the small coincidences of life, whether it’s a person being framed by a reflection or a fountain cleverly covering part of someone’s body. Daniel Berman, the founder of the Mobile Photography Awards, exudes enthusiasm for Hu’s work, describing it as being “distinguished by a unique interplay of shadows, colors, and shapes, infusing the compositions with depth and emotion.” He adds, “Each photograph serves as a piece of a larger narrative, contributing to a rich tapestry of urban storytelling.”
In addition to Hu, other photographers were singled out in 12 different categories, ranging from Landscapes to Portraits to Architecture. Each category celebrates the distinctive qualities of mobile photography, highlighting its accessibility, immediacy, and portability.
This year, photographers from over 80 different countries entered the competition, which just shows how widespread the use of phone photography has become. Scroll down to view more winners and get inspired to use your camera’s phone creatively.
“Broken Portrait” by Yajun Hu. MPA Photographer of the Year and Winner, Black & White. Shot on Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
Image by Yajun Hu. MPA Photographer of the Year. Shot on Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
Image by Yajun Hu. MPA Photographer of the Year. Shot on Xiaomi 13 Ultra.
“Wonder Kelingking Beach” by Yuepeng Bao. Winner, Travel & Transportation. Shot on iPhone 14 Pro Max.
“The Void” by Wei Wei. Winner, Architecture & Design. Shot on Xiaomi 13 Ultra 1.
“Tetris” by Roy Pan. Winner, Silhouettes. Shot on iPhone 13 Pro.
“The Violinist Returning Home at Night” by Queenie Cheen. Winner, Portraits and Self-Portraits. Shot on Vivo X90 Pro Plus.
“Playground” by Chang Nianzu. Winner, Street Photography. Shot on Xiaomi 13 Pro.
“Golden Mountains” by Di Lu. Winner, Landscapes & Wildlife. Shot on Oppo S6 Pro.
“Beyond the Green” by Hollyn Johnson. Winners, Macro & Details. Shot on Samsung S22 Ultra.
“Cadet Obstacle Course” by Elliot Ferguson. Winner, People. Shot on iPhone XR.
“Forge by Melissa Johnston. Winner, VisualFX & Digital Art. Shot on iPhone 14 Pro.
“Light Up” by Wai Ying Kwok. Winner, The Darkness/Noir. Shot on Samsung Galaxy S23.
“The Falls” by Ryan Cardone. Winner, Water/Snow/Ice. Shot on iPhone 12 Pro.
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(AP Photo/Adam Bird)
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer David Hume Kennerly resigned from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation after it failed to honor Liz Cheney with their top prize.
“It was a painful decision to resign from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation, but necessary. I hope more people around the country will follow [Liz Cheney]’s example and speak out about the threat to our democracy. Time to step up,” Kennerly wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
In a letter to fellow trustees, Kennerly suggested Cheney’s nomination for the Gerald R. Ford Medal for Distinguished Public Service was dropped multiple times over fear Donald Trump could target the organization during a potential second presidency.
Cheney is a vocal critic of Trump and served on the congressional subcommittee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Gleaves Whitney, executive director of the Ford Foundation, claimed in a statement to Politico that Cheney was not accepted because of rumors she could end up running for president.
In his letter, Kennerly suggested Cheney get her very own award.
“After this current divisive era passes, people will remember who stood up for what. But it’s not too late to save the day. If you really want to correct this grievous mistake, create the ‘Gerald R. Ford Commendation for Political Valor,’ and make Liz Cheney its only recipient. That might help right the ship,” he wrote.
Kennerly, a veteran photographer, won a 1972 Pulitzer Prize for photojournalism and has covered conflicts like the Vietnam War. He’s photographed numerous presidents and served as Gerald Ford’s photographer while he was president.
Honoring Cheney, he argued, would also honor the values of Ford.
“When Ford was in office people still recall his commitment to our allies, the rule of law, and meeting the challenge posed by tyrannical leaders. By saying that we stand with Liz Cheney in the name of Gerald Ford to support her critical,” he wrote.
Kennerly finished the letter by accusing the group of not standing up to a real “threat to democracy.”
“Today I am resigning from the Gerald R. Ford board as a trustee. If the foundation that bears the name of Gerald R. Ford won’t stand up to this real threat to our democracy, who will?” he wrote.
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The 38th annual International Festival of Fashion, Photography & Accessories, hosted at the Villa Noailles in Hyères, France, celebrates international talent by giving emerging creatives a platform to showcase their work. The festival was first established in 1985, and is supported by respected partners in the industry and judged by a prestigious panel of respected names in fashion and design.
CHANEL has been a major partner in the festival since 2014, and le19M since 2020, with both partners committed to supporting young minds in the industry and providing grants and mentorship to guide the budding careers of the next generation of designers. Among the awards given out during the festival, the le19M L’Atelier des Matières Prize stands out. The prestigious achievement highlights the value of recycled materials from luxury products, and encourages circular design through transformation. Designer Petra Fagerstrom was awarded this honour, a collection of fabrics and leathers worth 10,000 euros, in addition to taking home the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Prize.
The young designer’s collection included military garments and parachutes, inspired heavily by her grandmother—who served as a parachutist. Fagerstrom described the creation of her collection as “a tricky process, especially given my Russian- Ukrainian heritage and the political climate.” With this in mind, Fagerstrom made it a point to “navigate and adapt the collection to cope with the situation as it evolved.” Fagerstrom collaborated with Hubert Barrère, creative director of Lesage (CHANEL’s embroidery atelier), on one of the looks from her collection. Under his mentorship she was able to appreciate “the time and craftsmanship that go into embroidery,” as well as the “intricacies of the process.” Their pairing guided Fagerstrom to execute her vision for the collection, and the designer says that Barrère “understood my work from the start,” making their collaboration seamless.
Barrère sat on the fashion jury at the festival, seeing it as a “great opportunity to not only talk about fashion, but to support a new generation of designers.” He described the festival as “crucial for the new generation to know we exist and understand what’s possible for them.” He emphasized that the participation of young designers is “essential for our future.” He first met Fagerstrom in February 2023, with a tight time frame for the project: “we had about a month in reality to create something amazing for her.” Their goal of exploring the illusion of pleating came to life through embroidery—Barrère described the process as “akin to a cinematic approach,” he was overjoyed with the outcome.
As a young voice in the industry, Fagerstrom described the recognition as overwhelming. “The fact that my work resonated with the jury is incredibly rewarding,” she says. “It’s challenging to make your voice heard when starting out. This experience has been meaningful and has given me a platform to express myself.”
