ENTRY TIMELINE & PROCESS

• The 2023 application process will be open from March 15 – May 1.
• Submissions will be hosted on Picter
• Entries must be submitted by midnight PDT on May 1.
• Winners will be announced by July 1.

ELIGIBILITY

The Doug Pensinger Photography Fund supports emerging and early-career sports photographers.

Photographers with more than 3 years cumulative paid professional sports photography experience are considered beyond the scope of the DPPF’s programs. Previous DPPF grant recipients are not eligible to apply.

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.

APPLICATION COMPONENTS

• Resume/CV
  • A resume/CV is required for consideration. Please note that in addition to demonstrating that you are a serious aspiring sports photographer, the CV is also the tool that the DPPF uses to determine that your level of experience does not exceed the limits of eligibility (see above).
• Short Bio (max 2,000 characters)
• Portfolio
  • Quantity: 20 sports photographs (action and portrait both accepted)
  • File: jpg only, 1500 px on the long edge
  • Timeframe (metadata for each image must include the date it was taken):
    • A minimum of 15 of the required 20 images must be current and taken on or after 1/1/2021.
    • The remaining 5 required images must be taken on or after 1/1/2019.
• Optional Mentorship Essay: Candidates applying for an optional mentorship opportunity must submit a short (1,500-character maximum) essay describing how they would benefit from a mentorship with members of the DPPF’s Advisory Board.

JUDGING

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.

Submissions will be judged by members of the DPPF Advisory Board.

THE GRANTS

7 photographers will each receive

• A $5,000 grant, to be spent on career development
• Expenses-paid trip to the 2024 DPPF Sports Photography Gathering (tentatively scheduled for September 2024; see details below.)

OPTIONAL 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 2023-2024 mentors will be Ariele Goldman Hecht, Christian Petersen, and Marcio Sanchez.

• Mentorship recipients will be chosen based on current profiles and mentorship essay.
• Applying for a mentorship is not required in order to compete for a DPPF grant.

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY GATHERING

All grant winners receive an expenses-paid trip to the next DPPF Sports Photography Gathering. This event will be led by top working professionals in the business and will include:

• Multiple individual portfolio feedback sessions
• Small and large 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.

TERMS & CONDITIONS