Photo: Frack Free Dee
Photographers are invited to bid for a £5,000 commission to document the untold stories of fracking in the UK.
The prize is offered by the world’s longest-running photography publication, the British Journal of Photography. The initiative is sponsored by the renewable energy company, Ecotricity.
The winner will receive a £5,000 project grant to produce a series of photographs designed to stand as a visual record of the fracking process in the UK. Travel and accommodation expenses will also be covered.
The British Journal of Photography (BJP) said the series would receive extensive coverage on its website, including three dedicated features.
The project period will last six weeks from mid-August to the end of September 2018.
The BJP said:
“During this time, the selected photographer will have the freedom to structure the commission as they see fit. They may choose to travel around the UK or remain in one location. This flexibility will allow for the series to evolve in line with the practitioner’s experience on the ground.”
The BJP added that the commission, called Fractured Stories,
“offers a unique opportunity for the winning photographer to develop their own creative approach to documenting fracking in the UK. Looking beyond the headlines, the series should approach the subject from a new perspective.”
The commission is now open for entries and the deadline for submissions is 11.59 on Tuesday 10 July 2018.
Photographers who want to enter are asked to submit up to 10 images. There is no restriction on when the work was produced. The competition is free to enter and open to anyone in the world aged over 18. Competition guidelines
The BJP is a monthly publication for professional and serious enthusiast photographers. It dates back to the 1860s.
- Over the 12 days of Christmas last year, DrillOrDrop put together a collection of images from each month of 2017. Click here for pictures from December 2017 and links to the other months of the year.
Categories: Research
DRILL OR DROP? 
I believe this has already been done by a young lady who had an exhibition at the time of the PNR and Roseacre hearings in Blackpool. There are literally thousands of candid shots and documentary photos taken by people over the last eight years; would it not have been better to collate these and have an exhibition; prizes if needed?
Thanks Ruth for this announcement and for the link, I agree with Sherwulfe, an exhibition of all those who have supplied photographs reports and videos to Drill Or Drop would include all the contributors, not just a single “winner” which ignores everyone else’s brilliant efforts in photographically exposing this fracking debacle?
I am no fan of this present elitist competition craze with overstuffed egotistic “judges’ and “triers”, I would prefer to see fair and open inclusiveness, rather than narrow closed exclusiveness?
Perhaps several willing contributors could make a single application together? Thereby ensuring all have an input?
They will find shale gas fracking boom like in US has not cteated any risk to ground water.
http://uk.businessinsider.com/ap-studies-show-groundwater-holding-own-against-drilling-boom-2018-6/?r=AU&IR=T
Wrong post subject BTW, classic diversion tactic, try this for size though since you choose to divert onto fracked gas water contamination:
http://www.newsweek.com/fracking-wells-tainting-drinking-water-texas-and-pennsylvania-study-finds-270735
New studies prove that “noble gasses” adhere to natural gas unchanged, natural ground present sources long since decay into more complex elements, it os therefore now possible to distinguish between fracked gas water contamination and natural ground present gas products.
Studies prove that cracked gas has contaminated well water that was previously free from any contaminants.
Perhaps this is also a subject for photographic evidence however? Getting back to the subject of the post now of course.
Nice try BTW, but no lit cigar advised in the presence of fracked gas contaminated water though?
Click!
That’s one for the gullible TW. ‘Business Insider’ – a business investment site makes statements about a yet to be published research paper and with no links to the actual studies.
… any reader might also be concerned about this, from its opening paragraph: “a drilling boom that has turned swaths of countryside into a major production zone for natural gas.”
I’m not a strict pedant but their phrase “series of photographs designed to stand as a visual record of the fracking process in the UK” needs some work …. That will be very difficult given that the ‘fracking process’ happens a mile or so underground. Also I’m not sure if any such process (strictly speaking) will have occurred in the UK by the deadline.
Good point Philip P, maybe the operators can contribute deep camera scan records of their activities?
However perhaps the subject is more aimed at the sociological aspect of the impact of unwelcome and unwanted embryonic fracking operation attempts into rural communities and quiet countryside?
And the reaction of the inevitable objection and protest by the public and the arrant protectionism and subsequent transformation away from civil and human rights by the government, the police and private operators in overturning, refusing and the crushing of all rights of legitimate protest and legitimate local authority planning control representation?
Just my take on it of course?
Hahaha the green gangster is paying money to make up stories about a competitor industry.
Think you should do an investigate piece on Ecotricity.
[Comments removed by moderator]
[moderator] Whether you are a supporter or an opponent, a photography prize of £5k is surely good news.
And I’d like to join with Ruth in thanking all the talented photographers who have so generously allowed us to use their work for nothing.
Paul [/moderator]
Hi Paul or Ruth. Can’t seem to be able to comment on the Ineos Day 1 post. Maybe settings need changed? Thanks.
…or this is done on purpose so we can read the interesting events without distraction of pointless comments designed to distract and detract?
Thanks for pointing that out GBK, the comments section is now open. (I thought everyone had been very quiet on that page!)