Documentary photography in Norway has experienced a pronounced renaissance over the last decade, establishing its position as a self-standing genre, autonomous from Art and press photography. Owing to the Fritt Ord Foundation’s support for the Norwegian Journal of Photography (NJP), a growing number of Norwegian photographers have had a new platform to showcase their independent, long-term projects to both national and international audiences.
The first edition of the Norwegian Journal of Photography was published in February, 2013, and featured the work of 10 selected photographers. The second edition, with 8 new photographers, is now in the hands of our publisher, Journal in Sweden, for final design and printing. It will be released in Spring, 2015.
We are now issuing a call for applications from photographers for a new 2-year cycle of NJP for Norwegian based photographers. The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2015.
The Norwegian Journal of Photography was established as an arena where independent photographers who work in the interface between traditional press photography on the one hand and art photography on the other can present the full scope of their projects. It offers an environment that provides encouragement and constructive criticism.
NJP brings together and supports selected Norwegian documentary photography projects. Our goal is to reflect and communicate the ever more prominent position of Norwegian photography on the international arena, as well as to improve the documentary photography milieu in Norway. We aspire to create an inspiring forum where Norwegian photographers can show their works internationally, while continuing to produce relevant and exciting visual narratives.
Following a comprehensive selection process, projects will be chosen for the third NJP publication. During the two-year cycle, these photographers will receive editing assistance as well as help to seek financial support. They will be taking part in seminars and in a master’s class with prominent international guest lecturers.
Our objective with the NJP has been to create a dynamic, relevant and representative book about Norwegian documentary photography, showcasing the finest visual expressions, combined with powerful storytelling abilities. We encourage photographers to challenge the definition of the concept ‘documentary photography’, while striving to produce robust, consistent and independent visual narratives.
Applicants to NJP should either already be working on a major photo project, or be well underway with the preparations for a project before applying for NJP. For more details, please see the web page with the criteria for submitting an application.
The Norwegian Journal of Photography has been established in collaboration with the Fritt Ord Foundation.
