The Honickman Foundation

A Fond Farewell & The Culmination Of The

Center for Documentary Studies / Honickman First Book Prize in Photography

With this letter of heartfelt gratitude, joy, and fulfillment, we announce the close of the mutually enriching and wonderfully successful collaboration on the CDS/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography.

The past eighteen years of working among all involved with the biennial CDS/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University have been both a source of pleasure and wonder. Having Alexa Dilworth at the helm, editing these books with her expertise, dedication, and love, produced editions that have been a tremendous success.

The Honickman Foundation leaves its association with the Center for Documentary Studies with the satisfaction and contentment found in sharing with community the talent, the insight, the imagination, and the incredible capacity for discovery of our prizewinning authors in crafting their stories and photographs.

The eight prizewinners' expressing and sharing their photographs of phases of daily living, of dreams and thoughts, led us to understand with our heart and soul that their accomplishments helped us to grow, and that we, as well as they, had the reward of fulfillment few people are blessed to realize.

We can only sincerely hope that those who follow us in creating first books of photography will find the excitement, honor, and enchantment that is bestowed on all who realize in their lives—as we have in ours—new means of discovery, of reaching out to the world in fresh and innovative efforts to teach, to share, to promote, to achieve, and to endure.


— Lynne Honickman, The Honickman Foundation


"This prize would not have been possible without the tremendous vision and generous support of Lynne Honickman and the Honickman Foundation. Our collaboration has been a long and deeply satisfying one."

— Alexa Dilworth, Publishing and Awards Director, Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University

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Prize Archive


Lauren Pond | Test of Faith
2016 Winner


Nadia Sablin | Aunties
2014 Winner

Gerard H. Gaskin | Legendary
2012 Winner


Benjamin Lowy | Iraq | Perspectives
2010 Winner

Jennette Williams | The Bathers
2008 Winner


Danny Wilcox Frazier | Driftless
2006 Winner

Steven B. Smith | The Weather and a Place to Live
2004 Winner


Larry Scharm | On Fire
2002 Winner

About the Prize

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