THE WINNERS
We are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2020 Circadian Pictures Creative Fund. This contest was started at the beginning of the pandemic as a way to stir up creative motivation and inspiration to the artists surrounding us. We had so many incredible applicants, and choosing the winners was not easy. We'd like to thank our amazing judges and everyone that applied for helping us bring this contest to life.
Photo courtesy of Brittany O'Brien
Brittany O’Brien is a big fan of redwood trees, late-night snacks, and Hans Zimmer. For the last five years, she’s worked as a full-time music photographer, touring around the world photographing in venues ranging from clubs to hockey arenas. Brittany recently self-published a tour photography book titled "nobody's guide to life on the road." Throughout her life, she’s tackled jobs in every industry you can imagine; at one point helping kids learn to code and at another point, assistant managing a restaurant where you ate dinner in complete darkness. After finding a calling in photography, she relocated to Los Angeles to be closer to the heart of the music industry. She never once thought a pandemic would snap that industry in half six months later.
The music industry came to a crashing halt in late March as cities began to close up, people began to cancel plans and touring bands were sent home. Thousands of performers and live music crew were suddenly jobless. With many of these people relying on full-time work traveling around the world and with no timeline for a return to crowded music venues, the hardship and uncertainty became undeniable for those who spend their lives in an industry founded on the joy of coming together. My story is one of the same. A freelance music photographer who spends her life documenting the lives of those on stage. My goal through this project is to connect to live music folks who are out of work. The crews behind the artists are rarely thought of by those outside the industry. To have 99% of them unemployed at the same time around the world is unfathomable. A historical and unfortunate moment in time that yearns to be captured. I will be speaking with 50 live music professionals from a wide array of backgrounds and positions within the industry; generating 50 photographs that tell the story of this year. "First to shut down, last to open." I want to feel the emotion in that statement from the tour managers, riggers, bus drivers, photographers....etc. I want to hear about life in the music industry before COVID-19 and what has changed nine months later. The personal struggle, possible successes, and the various ways these professionals have pushed forward this year. I'm ready to give those that work behind the curtain a moment in the spotlight.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
Photo by Damon Casarez
Photo by Gregory Wikstrom
Photo by Wolfe & Von
Photo by Sean Moore
Photo by Marvin Joseph
Photo by Shawn Fender
Photo courtesy of Damon Casarez
Damon Casarez is an editorial who grew up in the suburb of Diamond Bar in L.A. county. Since graduating from Art Center College of Design in 2012, he’s worked with editorial clients photographing portraits and documentary-style work for social issues and human interest stories. His personal work has sometimes overlapped with professional work, often blurring the line between the two. In his current and future work, he’s interested in creating images that visually add to the complex understanding and narratives of the Latinx and ethnic-American experience.
This untitled project will be a series of photos that speaks about my life growing up as a multi-generation Mexican-American boy in the suburbs of L.A. County. The photos will appear to be documentary-style photos but will be staged with actors, props and wardrobe to recreate significant, humorous and cringe worthy scenes from my boyhood years. With this series I’m hoping to explore themes of identity, masculinity, and American culture and share experiences that are not often part of the Latinx narrative in America.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
[ www.damoncasarez.com // @damon_c ]
Photo courtesy of Gregory Wikstrom
Gregory Wikstrom is an artist and photographer from New York City. He attended Laguardia Arts high school in Manhattan, and graduated from Oberlin College with honors in Studio Art. His work concerns secrets, the uncanny, the and the technical limitations of photography.
Many-Worlds is a story about everyday secrets, disconnected solutions to forgotten problems, and the limitations of human understanding. It examines familiar objects in unfamiliar states - a response to the dreamlike sameness of daily life. My intention is to create a window into a theoretical multiverse - to portray multiple outcomes and possibilities simultaneously, and suffuse otherwise prosaic moments with meaning and magic.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
Photo courtesy of Wolfe & Von
Wolfe & Von is a creative partnership born out of the collaboration between photographers and art directors, Joseph Daly and Tia Vaughan. With over a combined three decades of photography, lighting design, creative direction, art direction, production, music, fashion design, and representation, the couple combined forces after meeting in Los Angeles where they currently reside.
Wolfe & Von will compile a fine art photo diary based on the observance of the mind’s desire to make connections once again, where and how it fills those gaps, and how one processes a lifetime of events in just one year’s time. This film diary will be a visual story telling of the haze, noise, longing, frustration, detachment, hope, and those fragments that hold it all together.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
Photo courtesy of Sean Moore
Sean Moore is a Los Angeles based photographer specializing in advertising and editorial portraiture. The early days of his career were spent photographing LA’s iconic music scene, working for the top clubs and artists and capturing live performances. His time spent photographing live music greatly help shape the style that he relies on today to create striking portraiture for a variety of clientele. When Sean is not shooting, he can be found in his home woodshop building furniture, or traveling the world to new and exotic locations.
In times of darkness, something as simple as an uplifting message of hope can mean the world to someone. When we first entered the pandemic, I had the opportunity to sit down and photograph holocaust survivor David Lenga, whose story of strength and resilience really helped shaped my mindset and outlook for the year.
“Survivors” is a series of portraits of people who have overcome great adversity in life, and have come away with a positive message to share with others. The goal of this series is to connect with people, learn their story, and in turn pass it along to others. There is strength in community, and by sharing these messages with others, we can help heal the many wounds we face as a society.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
[ www.seanmoore.com // @seanmoorephoto ]
Photo courtesy of Marvin Joseph
Marvin Joseph is a professional photojournalist of 23 years. Experienced in interpretive storytelling through various visual mediums, including mobile devices, medium format film and single lens reflex cameras as well as all digital cameras. Skills in photographing extraordinary every day people as well as celebrities, heads of state, diplomats, fashion, food, real estate. Awards won from organizations such as;Pictures of the Year, International, The National Press Photographers Association, The Best of Photojournalism, Northern Short Course, The White House News Photographers Association, Pulitzer Prize finalist documenting Specialist Robert Warren. A soldier who returned from Afghanistan wounded with a traumatic brain injury.
I wanted to create a brand new superhero and villain for this project. What if someone could save us from covid-19? My inspiration for this project came from watching a recent Justice League movie where a group of heroes save the world from a devastating enemy. I decided to use one model but have her portray both the role of the hero and the villain for the fashion narrative. Same person with two completely different edgy looks. The Villainess would be the coronavirus aka Rona. The goal is to have fun and eclectic shoot with around 10 to 20 images for the final project. In weird times like these, we could all use a smile or a good laugh.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
[ @king_marvino ]
Photo courtesy of Shawn Fender
An aging child, prematurely graying hair and leathery skin. More likely to rise before the sun and eat unhealthy amounts of egg yolks, than to stay out late, howlin at the moon. Prepping camera gear in the dark, chasing sunrise-lit mountains, waves and then often pastries has consumed and fulfilled his twilight years. The friends who once loved him most have become increasingly bored by his existence and tales of seemingly fruitless wilderness explorations. They long for a time when they'd float aimlessly in the neon-lit hours, sleepless nights fueled by cheap toxins and hopes of a more cinematic life. While some still hope for fame and fortune, he dreams of being afraid in the woods, scrambling to find the sun. Post Meridiem social gatherings induce an anxiousness similar to a selfish child on Christmas Eve, meticulously calculating the welcomed predicaments of the morning: How many hours till we get to wake up? What will the clouds look like in the morning? Will the sunrise provide a unique enough landscape to justify his indifference and early exit? Which bakery is nearest to here and what time do they open and more importantly, how quickly do they run out of ham & cheese croissants? Ashamed by his obsession with bakeries and how many of their products end up in his mouth, deceitful tales are spun to the ones who inquire about the fullness of his belly. The only lie his wife ever hears is when her question is, "Hey fat man, how many pastries did you eat this morning?"
This project is intended to illustrate our new relationships with our homes since our Shelter-In-Place orders. I wanted the subjects to dress in clothes that mimic the style and color of their home to show our new profound connection with our shelters.
**above is a sample image for the proposed project — final images may vary**
[ www.shawnfender.com // @shawn_fender ]
We will be giving a total of $15,000 to worthy visual artists, including $10,000 to fund one grand-prize winner’s proposed still photography project. Our hope is that this will help bring some financial support to the winners and, more importantly, creative motivation and inspiration to all that apply.
It is in that spirit that we created the 2020 Circadian Pictures Creative Fund — a contest actively seeking proposals for personal still photography projects that exhibit originality, creativity, resourcefulness, and a strong artistic perspective. The project should be designed to be executed while adhering to social distancing best practices and maintaining health and safety standards.
We’re experiencing a shared tragedy, but one that affects us all differently. It's bigger than "weird times". It's a moment filled with fear, uncertainty, and loss. It is simultaneously personal and communal.
Personal and communal may not be words that are often associated with most businesses, but here at Circadian Pictures we actively strive not to be “most businesses.” We are a small business of passionate individuals, a business that lives at the intersection of art & commerce, and one that prides itself on its sense of community. For years, we’ve had the privilege of making our living by helping great artists make great work. We miss that, but we’ve realized that while commerce has stopped for us and many others, that doesn’t mean we have to stop doing what we love — helping artists bring their visions to life.
Please help spread the word, good luck, and wash your hands!
We are honored to have a highly accomplished group of industry professionals who, along with the Circadian Pictures team, will be making up the CPCF2020 panel of judges. Get to know the industry professionals HERE.
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND D.C., 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. For full eligibility requirements and other terms and conditions, please review the Official Rules.
To apply you will need to fill out the Online Application Form. The form will also prompt you to upload a signed copy of the License and Release, an Application PDF, and a Résumé. Your Application PDF should include all of the prompts outlined in the Application PDF instructions page (see link below). All proposals must be original work created for the purpose of this contest. Please do not submit any projects you have previously started or completed.
Do not submit multiple application forms or incomplete applications. Make sure all uploaded materials are in PDF format and follow the file naming guidelines outlined on the application form.
The submission period begins May 1st, 2020. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59pm PT on Sunday, May 24th, 2020. By submitting an application, you are indicating that you have read, fully understood and unconditionally agree to the Official Rules, and that your application complies with all requirements in the Official Rules.
Whether you weren't able to apply to the contest because you were ineligible, you just didn't hear about the contest until it was too late, or any other reason, we're sorry we missed you on this one! We'd still love for you to fill out the form below so we can add you to the Circadian Pictures rolodex. That goes for non-photographers who are interested in collaborating with us as well. If you fill out the Rolodex Form, we can update you on future contests and keep you in mind for upcoming Circadian Pictures projects!
