Crowdfunding Photojournalism

While more and more crowdfunding platforms are appearing, BBC picture editor Phil Coomes reviews Emphas.is, a site specifically set up to fund photojournalists.

What sets it apart from other crowd funding sites? Karim was keen to make the point that they are not inventing something new. As can be seen crowd funding is working for many people, including a number of serious photojournalists who are established names, including Larry Towell who raised the $12,000 needed to fund a trip to Afghanistan.

What Emphas.is does is to bring it all into one place and to focus solely on photojournalism and by doing so offers everyone a chance to get the best possible backing.

Photographers will be able to submit proposals for projects and stories they wish to cover, along with a proposed budget. These ideas will then be studied by a group of reviewers who will critically assess each idea, and only those they feel can succeed will then be promoted on the site and start to seek funding.

The photographers work will be presented to the reviewers anonymously and online. They won’t know who else is looking at the work so can’t discuss it, this should ensure a fair and open process. Those deemed to be sound proposals will go on the site and hopefully attract backing.