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Marilyn Stafford Fotoreportage Award 2024 winner announced

Posted on Jul 1, 2024

Nikon has announced that Italian photographer Isabella Franceschini has won the Marilyn Stafford Fotoreportage Award 2024

Franceschini’s photo series, ‘The Leap of Fish that Dream of Flying’, documents the decommissioning of Italy’s largest thermoelectric plant in Polesine Camerini, which is set to be converted into an eco-friendly tourist site.

The project, initiated in 2015, captures the environmental challenges faced by the region, illustrating how the industrial site has both benefited and exploited its surroundings.

Through her photographs, Franceschini envisions a future where human activity and nature coexist harmoniously, offering new possibilities for sustainable development.

Three men in protective clothing and gloves working with large fishing nets and water hoses, likely involved in fish farming or net cleaning operations, under a partly cloudy sky.
The fishing valleys of the Delta | Taken from the project: The Leap of Fish that Dream of Flying © Isabella Franceschini

The Marilyn Stafford Fotoreportage Award, valued at £2,500, is sponsored by Nikon UK and facilitated by FotoDocument.

It is awarded annually to a professional female photographer for a documentary photo essay addressing a significant social, environmental, economic or cultural issue. The award aims to support female photographers in creating impactful narratives that can drive social change.

This year’s submissions were reviewed by an international panel, including photojournalist and Nikon Ambassador Andrea Bruce, and Lina Clerke, daughter of the late Marilyn Stafford, who served as an honorary judge.

Honourable Mentions were awarded to Andrea Hernández Briceño, Jennifer Carlos, and Lys Arango for their notable contributions.

View Franceschini’s project in the gallery below, or visit the website for more information.

Gallery: The Leap of Fish that Dream of Flying

A tranquil marshland scene with ducks flying above the reeds and water, under a cloudy sky. The image captures the natural beauty of the Po Delta.

An older woman in work attire standing in a wooden structure by the water, handling fishing nets with a large pile of shellfish on the table in front of her. The background shows a serene lake with fishing piers extending into the water.

A wide view of a decommissioned industrial site, featuring large storage tanks and a tall chimney, surrounded by waterways and greenery.

A worker in a cherry picker dismantling a large metal tank, with part of the structure bent and damaged, and a tall chimney visible in the background.

Three men in protective clothing and gloves working with large fishing nets and water hoses, likely involved in fish farming or net cleaning operations, under a partly cloudy sky.

Children playing in a shallow water park pool with water jets spraying around them. A woman watches over them, and a colourful water slide is visible in the background.

A worker in a dimly lit industrial setting, standing next to a large cylindrical structure. The scene is illuminated by natural light coming from a small window, casting shadows on the worker and the surrounding machinery. The worker appears to be wearing protective clothing and is engaged in an inspection or maintenance task.

A priest delivering a sermon inside a modest, old chapel with a decorated altar and religious icons, creating a serene and solemn atmosphere.

An industrial control room with outdated equipment and a person wearing a hard hat and safety vest, indicating the decommissioning process of the plant.

The demolition of a large industrial building, with a cloud of dust and debris as part of the structure collapses. A tall smokestack stands intact beside the ruins.

A group of people seated outside against a large green door, engaged in conversation. The scene has a community feel with a rustic backdrop.

A small, isolated structure standing in a shallow lake surrounded by tall reeds, with a calm, blue sky in the background.

The Leap of Fish that Dream of Flying | ©Isabella Franceschini

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