Community in Focus
We’re working with Invisible Photographer Asia, Photo ChisMis PH and POY Asia on a few things for you in the coming months!
When we started Parallax, a huge part of our mission was to be another link in the chain that connects the many communities in Southeast Asian photography. We’ve been working hard in the year we’ve been online, to highlight the work that is being done across the region.
We didn’t start entirely from scratch, of course, and a massive thank you to friends old and new who have been supporting us as we find our feet in this endeavour. To all the photographers whose work we have featured so far, thank you! A lot of conversations happen behind the scenes, and we are humbled by all the messages of support and thanks. So many of these connections happen in the digital realm, but we love doing things in person, so a highlight so far must be our event at Zontiga in Malaysia and our evenings at Objectifs, whose programming is a cornerstone of the photography community throughout Southeast Asia and beyond! We’re definitely looking forward to spending some time in Objectifs’ newly expanded space. Speaking of beyond, our own Matt Aslett has just relocated to sunny Scotland. Will this mean some Parallax activities over in the land of Lochs? We hope so.
It’s been a busy few months for all of us here, and we’re in the midst of catching up on submissions, and preparing for some exciting offerings throughout the coming months, so please bear with us… one year in and still in startup mode!
We love to hear from you. If you have a story to submit, some work you’d like us to highlight here in our newsletter and on our socials, an idea for a collaboration or just want to say hello, then please do get in touch. We literally cannot do this without you, so don’t be shy!
Working on Parallax takes a lot of time and a lot of caffeine (and we mean a lot!). If you want to help keep us focused and help us pay the photographers we feature, then please do buy us a coffee, and spread the word by sending your favourite story to a friend or three. We fund all this ourselves, and volunteer our time to run the platform, so this really does help!
- Tom
Invisible no longer
After a short hiatus, Invisible Photographer Asia is back! The importance of IPA in raising the visibility of photographers across Southeast Asia cannot be understated. As Kevin continues his phenomenal journey into the world of gastronomic delights, It’s a joy to see our good friend Aik Beng Chia (ABC) take up the IPA reins. Come to the IPA Plug & Play session on 25 April at 7pm. We’ll be joining Singapore Street Photography Collective and Ryan Choo with ABC hosting. If you’re in Singapore, join us!
A picture prompts a (few) thousand words?
Writers, we want to hear from you! We’re partnering with Photography Chismis PH in the Philippines on their upcoming online publication of Insights: Issue Two - The Complex.
Insights is the special publication of Photography Chismis PH which aims to encourage and promote thoughtful writing about Photography in the Philippines.
Parallax is providing a special grant to a selected feature submission that engages critically with photojournalism and documentary work in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on the Philippines.
What we’re after: We welcome a broad range of styles and perspectives and as always would love to hear from anyone thinking of submitting. We encourage submissions ranging from individual reflections, journalistic accounts, and historical narratives. We value personal stories, conversations, and everyday observations as much as critical analyses, scholarly works, and artistic declarations. If you’re wondering what we’re looking for, then check out the written pieces we’ve published here to get an idea (did we mention that Tom’s piece on Veejay Villefranca’s Signos was also recently republished on Writing Foto?)
Submission deadline for this grant is 15 June 2024.
The selected author will receive
100 SGD from Parallax
35 USD from Photography Chismis PH
Cross-publication in Parallax Photo Journal and Insights: Issue Two
An invitation to participate in an “In Conversation” online presentation with us
Important links
👉 Insights: Submit to Issue Two
👉 Parallax Feature Grant details
👉 Read Issue One
Photography Chismis PH also have a great series of education programmes ongoing. Check their website for details, and follow them on Instagram where they feature photography of all genres and styles as well as details of photo related events in the Philippines.
In conversation with POY Asia
As if all that isn’t enough to keep us busy, we’ll also be partnering with POY Asia on a series of online events this summer. If you haven’t read our conversation with Kay Chin, check it out here. It turns out this was a timely chat, as Kay Chin is stepping down as director of POY Asia this year. We’ll be working on the programming for the series very soon, so if there is a topic or an issue you would like us to discuss then do let us know! You can see the topics for the previous series of talks here.
Awards season highlighting important issues
Both World Press Photo and Pictures of the Year Asia have announced their contest winners. Check our regional photo news roundup below for links to the contest and to Asian awardees specifically. Some important issues covered. Of particular note is Ta Mwe’s work on the conflict in Myanmar, which is recognised by both WPP and POY Asia, which means that it is a good time to announce that across May and June we will be publishing Ta Mwe’s story, along with a whole host of work from the Sacca collective. This is incredible work, done under the most difficult of circumstances and needs to be seen and acted upon. We’ll be focusing on the work of Sacca photographers in our next newsletter so stay tuned here and check our social media for announcements.
Regional Photo News
Photographers
The POY Asia 2024 award winners have been announced
Ta Mwe from Myanmar received a award of excellence in the Issue Reporting Picture Story category.
Sirachai Arunrugstichai from Thailand received an award of excellence in the Cultural Practices category.
Lauren DeCicca from the US, based in Thailand received an award of excellence in the Cultural Practices category.
Riska Munawarah is a finalist in the portrait category.
Yoppy Pieter received an award of excellence in the Daily Life Picture Story category.
Ma Naw is a finalist in the General News category.
The World Press Photo award winners have been announced.
The Southeast Asia and Oceania regional winners are here.
Ta Mwe from Myanmar received an award in the Long-Term Projects category.
Michael Varcas from the Philippines received an award in the Stories category.
Arie Basuki from Indonesia received an honourable mention.
Muhammad Fadli photographs Rahel Stephanie’s culinary guide to Jakarta for the Financial Times.
Peerapon Boonyakiat photographs from pest to plate: How Thailand's fish farms battle the blackchin tilapia invasion for Hard Stories.
Xyza Cruz Bacani photographs Filipino migrant workers in Poland for Al Jazeera.
Ulet Ifansasti photographs What Can ‘Green Islam’ Achieve in the World’s Largest Muslim Country? For The New York Times.
The MA in visual Journalism Course in Bolton has launched a newsletter. Course leader Sharon Lovell was based in China for several years and regularly highlights work from across Asia.
Grants, funding and opportunities
Jessica Lim of Angkor Photo Festival is offering One-on-One online Kopi Chats. We love this idea! Book a slot here.
Angkor Photo Festival is also running an open call. Hurry, the deadline is 24th April!
The Earth Journalism Network is offering 1,000-2,000 EUR for biodiversity or conservation stories covering topics including threats to species diversity, environmental crime tracking methods, innovative conservation solutions and more. Apply here by May 5.
The Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize closes on 7th May. Apply here
The Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award is taking submissions now until Friday 17th May.
The 2024 Objectifs Documentary Award is open for entries. Deadline May 27. Details here.
National Geographic is accepting single image submissions for their “In Focus” section. Pictures should be accompanied by a full caption and quote by the photographer and taken within the past year. Email NGM.InFocus@natgeo.com
Festivals, workshops and exhibitions
Photography ChisMis PH workshops are ongoing. Details here.
Rachel Seah reviews “Archipelago: Paradise Revisit" at Three Shadows Photography Art Centre.
Auckland Photo Festival runs from 30th May to 4th June.
Singapore International Photo Festival is accepting submissions for their open call. Deadline May 10th. Details here
Filipino artist MM Yu has a solo exhibition at Lumenvisum (Hong Kong) through to 28th April.
Tan Ngiap Heng exhibits his portraits of creative professionals in Singapore from 9the March to 30th April. Great use of public space to showcase work. Details here
Keep us posted
Have work published? An upcoming exhibition? Workshops, opportunities or news? We’d love to include it in our newsletter. Let us know.