Getty Images and Climate Visuals Launch New Grant to Evolve the Visual Narratives that Define the Global Climate Crisis

The Getty Images Climate Visuals Grants aim to transform depiction of complex climate issues to ensure greater efficacy, immediacy and drive positive change

LONDON, Jan. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Getty Images, a world leader in visual communications, in partnership with  Climate Visuals, the world's only evidence-backed programme for climate change photography, has today announced the launch of the Getty Images Climate Visuals Grants, open to photojournalists from around the world who are working to advance the visual narratives that  define the global climate crisis.

Together, Getty Images and Climate Visuals aim to support the creation of new stories with compelling, colourful and emotionally powerful imagery that explores this complex crisis - its causes, effects and solutions. These Grants will enable the production of stories that have the integrity and immediacy needed to both raise awareness and inspire action that is vital in this current moment. As media coverage of the global climate crisis intensifies, Getty Images and Climate Visuals understand the need to meet and sustain that growing attention with nuanced photojournalism that advances and localises the world's collective understanding of what is at stake. Imagery has the power to document events, communicate ideas, trigger emotion, prompt conversation, reveal truths and inspire real change. Professional image-makers need to harness all these qualities, to meet the challenge posed by global climate change and ensure imagery captured is not just documenting but is also inspiring conversation and driving behavioural change. 

Two grants of $10,000 each, totaling $20,000, will be awarded to two photojournalists whose work focuses on the local impacts of- and solutions to- climate change, not simply the causes, which have historically been well represented in traditional news coverage. The photographer's work must also demonstrate elements of the seven Climate Visuals Principles for climate change communication. Published by Climate Visuals and based on  social research into the efficacy of climate change imagery, the guidance includes: show real people; tell new stories; show climate change causes at scale; show emotionally powerful impacts; understand the audience; show local but serious impacts; demonstrate caution and care with protest imagery.