Andrea Bruce Receives the Chris Hondros Fund Award

2 minute read

Nearly 14 months after photographer Chris Hondros died while covering the conflict in Libya, a foundation created to honor his legacy has awarded its first major grant to photographer Andrea Bruce, who, like Hondros, has covered conflict through much of her career. The $20,000 Getty Images and the Chris Hondros Fund Award was created to help photographers further their pursuits; a $5,000 runner-up award will be given to emerging photographer Dominic Bracco, based in Mexico City.

“Chris was always working with students and was very involved in mentoring within the photo world,” says Christina Piaia, board member of the Chris Hondros Fund and the late photographer’s fiancé. “We kept coming back to this idea that he was so impressed and humbled by his colleagues that it would be most fitting that some of these brave photographers and journalists be recognized with this award.”

Unlike other awards that ask candidates to submit work, Piaia and three other judges (Pancho Bernasconi, Vice President for Getty Images US News and Sports Division, Jeff Swensen, freelance photographer and Todd Heisler, staff photographer for The New York Times) sought nominations from photo directors and other leaders within the industry. One of the main criteria was that the work bring attention to the human experience—a hallmark of Hondros’ career.

Piaia said she saw a direct parallel between Hondros and Bruce, who has documented last year’s Arab Spring, the Iraq war and female circumcision, among other topics. “She has tirelessly gone back to conflict zones with great risk to herself and great sacrifice to her personal life—and her drive has no end,” she said. “Her pictures are so powerful, yet she brings sensitivity to a picture in a way that even novice viewers can feel moved. Andrea is quite literally shaping the visual history of our world.”

The Chris Hondros Fund was created to support and advance the work of photojournalists and raises awareness of the issues facing those reporting from conflict areas. Follow their efforts on Twitter @hondrosfund.

Ibrahim holds his youngest son outside a mud hut where he lives with his wife and 11 children. The same camp buried at least two children who died due to the freezing temperatures in late January, 2012.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
A boy fights over a fire in one of 45 refugee camps in Kabul. Eight children reportedly froze to death in camps like this one in Kabul in the below-freezing temperatures in late January, 2012.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
The family of Khan Mohammad, a 3 month old child who passed away due to the cold early one February morning, is comforted before Khan is washed and buried in the Nasaji Bagrami Camp for displaced persons in Kabul, Afghanistan in February, 2012.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
Uranium mine workers take the early-morning bus in December 2009 to the mine in Shantobe, Kazakhstan, which is operated by the Kazakh government. The town was originally founded by the Soviets to house miners—today, the entire town is still employed by the mine.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
A protester passes out onions and garlic which battle the negative effects of the teargas sent by Bahraini forces in February, 2011.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
Iraqi soldiers on their base in Ramadi in October, 2011.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
Guns are fired in the air to celebrate the wedding party for Medina Khamkoyeva in 2009.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
A Chechen refugee is frightened in 2009 during a Russian police visit to the refugee camp where she lives.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
Widows care for a child who sliced his head while playing on old Soviet military remnants in Kabul, Afghanistan, July 9, 2011.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
A man kisses his brother in the morgue of Bahrain's Central hospital. The man was shot with a pellet gun by Bahraini police in February, 2011.Andrea Bruce—NOOR
Palestinians enjoy the Mediterranean Sea at a Hamas-run beach-side day resort in Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, July 28, 2010.Andrea Bruce—NOOR

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