Earlier this year, I accepted an appointment to the National Press Photographers Foundation board. The NPPF is a non-profit organization that promotes photojournalists through providing grants and scholarships for education and continuing projects. This is quite an honor to be associated with such a noble cause that not only helps a photographer grow but helps to share their work with others.
Many times the public overlooks the importance of photojournalists. Our goal is to amplify their significance and stress the important role visual storytelling has to society. Thus the work we do helps photographers; enhancing their storytelling skills of the important issues of the day. Helping one benefits the entire profession.
Since joining the board, we have begun raising funds for the Michel du Cille Fellowship and Scholarship. Michel was honored for three Pulitzer Prizes in Photography, 1986 1988 & 2008. Needless to say he was a talented and concerned photographer who made compelling and storytelling images. He worked at the Miami Herald and The Washington Post. He was a kind soul who mentored many and was a friend to all. In 2014, he died while covering the Ebola crisis in Liberia.
I was fortunate to meet Michel when we students at Indiana University. We were friends ever since. I along with many who knew him are honoring his memory and dedication to photojournalism.
The NPPF is having a print auction to fund this project. We put out a call for photographers to donate a print to be auction off. The response was overwhelming. Nearly 200 images were donated. What other profession would have such an outpouring of support? I am humbled and truly overwhelmed by the willingness of so many to help. They are doing it for Michel. They are doing it to support photojournalism. They are doing it, “because this is what we do” (A favorite Michel saying.)
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| Frank Folwell and I organizing prints late one night. |
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| Frank Folwell with the David Hume Kennerly image of President Bush and Michelle Obama |
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| Each image has a caption, photographer's bio and print information. |
NPPF board member Frank Folwell has taken the lead in coordinating and managing the images, compiling information, making prints and assembling the work for the online auction. In a limited quantity, this collection of historical and iconic photographs has been printed using archival museum-quality paper and inks. Each one is personally signed by the photographer.
Among those who have provided prints for the auction, David Hume Kennerly, David Burnett, Mannie Garcia, Michael O’Brien, Eli Reed, Carol Guzy, Diana Walker, Michel du Cille, Barbara Kinney, Larsen & Talbert, Nikki Kahn and Joe McNally. A memorable picture of Rosa Parks taken by Michel du Cille is included in the auction.
A gallery of several of the photographers who donated prints.
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| Nikki Kahn |
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| Carolyn Kaster |
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| Leena Jayaswal |
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| Dennis Brack |
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| Win McNamee |
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| Susan Biddle |
Please look at the outstanding images at the auction. It is up for a limited time, May 1- May 15, 2019. https://paddle8.com/auction/NPPF
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