The Doug Pensinger Photography Fund supports emerging early-career sports photographers.
Photographers with more than 3 years cumulative paid professional experience are considered beyond the scope of the DPPF's programs.
The DPPF is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity and to providing free merit-based access to its programs. The process is not limited to U.S. citizens, although international applicants should be aware that paid transportation to the Sports Photography Gathering is limited to U.S. domestic airfare and that the DPPF is not able to provide support for visa procurement.

THE GRANTS

7 photographers will receive

• A $5,000 grant, to be spent on career development

• Expenses-paid trip to the 2022 DPPF Sports Photography Gathering (see below) Travel coverage for the Gathering is limited to U.S. domestic airfare

2022 DPPF SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY GATHERING

Held in Golden, CO on September 16-18, 2022, this event will be led by top working professionals in the business and will include:

• Multiple individual portfolio feedback sessions

• Large and small group sessions on issues critical to the world of sports photojournalism

Please note: The Gathering is not a workshop. It is designed to provide career advice, access to leading professionals, and individual feedback on the attendees’ body of work. This dynamic informal gathering will give unprecedented access to high-level working professionals in the business. It will honor Doug Pensinger’s generosity of spirit, strong work ethic, sense of camaraderie, and spirited approach to life and work.

MENTORSHIPS

Up to 3 of the 7 grant winners will be chosen to receive a year-long mentorship opportunity with leading industry professionals on the DPPF Advisory Board. The 2022-2023 mentors are Elsa Garrison, Tom Pennington, and Jennifer Pottheiser.

• Mentorships recipients will be chosen based on their current profiles and mentorship essay.

• Applying for a mentorship is not required in order to compete for a DPPF grant.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The DPPF is committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity and to providing free merit-based access to its programs. There is no application fee and the process is open to all early-career sports photographers.

Submissions will be judged on the basis of merit and overall quality. Only complete submissions will be considered, and all decisions by the judges are binding.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Portfolio

• Quantity: 20 sports photographs (action and portrait both accepted)

• Timeframe (metadata for each image must include the date it was taken):

  • 15 of the required 20 images must be taken on or after 1/1/2020.

  • The remaining 5 required images must be taken on or after 1/1/2018.

Essay

• Candidates applying for an optional mentorship opportunity must respond to an essay question about how they would value a mentorship. (1,500 characters maximum) Note: This essay is only required if you wish to apply for a mentorship opportunity.

Jurors will be drawn from the Advisory Board of the Doug Pensinger Photography Fund

FAQs

When is the deadline?

Submissions will be accepted until 11:59pm GMT on May 1, 2022.

Is there a fee?

No.

Can I enter by email?

No. Submissions can only be made through the application process on Picter.

Are there age restrictions for applicants?

No.

What do you mean by "emerging and early-career" photographers?

If you are a student or are within the first few years of establishing a career, you are eligible.

If you have more than three years cumulative paid professional experience, you are beyond the scope of our program.

How many images can I submit?

20 images are required.

How should I choose my images?

Simply submit your best work.

Must all images be sports-related?

Yes.

May I submit heavily edited photos?

Images may not be digitally manipulated or altered through extensive post-production processing (other than routine exposure correction, white balance and color toning.)

What size / format file should I submit?

jpg only, 1500 pixels on the long side.

What should I enter as a 'project title'?

“Project Title” is simply a name for your collection of 20 photos, and it doesn’t imply that the photos need to be part of a series or story.

Do my images need to be taken within a certain timeframe?

15 of the required 20 images must be taken on or after 1/1/2020.

The remaining 5 required images must be taken on or after 1/1/2018.

Some of my images have been submitted to other competitions. Is that OK?

Yes.

Do I retain copyright to my submitted images?

You retain copyright to your work. Winners agree to allow the DPPF to use their names, likenesses, and a mutually agreed-upon selection of their images, free of charge, for the purposes of promoting its nonprofit programs. See more in DPPF's Terms & Conditions.

When and how will the winners be notified?

Winners will be notified by July 1, 2022 and their names will be listed at DougPensingerPhotographyFund.org/grants.

If my work is not selected, will I receive feedback about it?

We regret that we are unable to provide feedback.

Who are the judges of the competition and the mentors of the winners?

The photographers and editors in DPPF's Advisory Board will serve as judges and mentors.

DPPF states that its grants must be used for career development purposes. What does that mean?

Because the DPPF is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting emerging sports photographers, winners of its grants will be required to submit receipts proving that the proceeds were used for career purposes. Examples of acceptable usage include purchase of photographic equipment and supplies, the cost of courses and software, workshop tuition, and direct travel costs associated with career opportunities. Winners will have one year from the acceptance of the award to submit documentation for how the funds were spent. If you have a question about a specific proposed usage for the funds, please contact us.

How do I contact you?

We may be reached at admin@dppfund.org