©Dahveed Wilkins
We are pleased to announce the conclusion of the 2026 PhotoWork Junior Fellowship. Over the past six months, our six Junior Fellows have grown significantly as artists under the guidance of their dedicated Mentors. This program fostered creative exploration, supported the development of new working methods, and helped Fellows produce distinctive photographic projects that reflect their evolving artistic vision.
The PhotoWork Junior Fellowship is a six-month mentorship program designed to support early-career photographers in developing a body of work and refining their visual voice and creative process. Grounded in the post-documentary tradition, the fellowship centers mentorship and community as essential to artistic growth.
We are deeply grateful to the six distinguished photographers who generously dedicated their time and expertise as Mentors this year: Barbara Bosworth, Dannielle Bowman, Kelli Connell, Rahim Fortune, Irina Rozovsky, and Bryan Schutmaat. Their insight, care, and commitment profoundly shaped the fellows’ work while modeling what it means to lead with both artistic excellence and generosity. The relationships cultivated throughout the fellowship have created an enduring network of peers and mentors that will continue to enrich each Fellow’s artistic practice long after its conclusion, reinforcing our commitment to nurturing the next generation of photographic voices.
Congratulations to Yuhan Cheng, Brayan Enriquez, Claire Kosky, Jacobb Nichol, Avery Norman, and Dahveed Wilkins. Each of these six Junior Fellows demonstrated a sustained commitment to their artistic growth, strengthening their creative practice while gaining valuable insight into rigorous project development.
Throughout the program, the Fellows created new work while refining cohesive photographic projects. Regular meetings with their mentors fostered thoughtful critique, collaborative editing, and meaningful conversations about artistic vision, process, and presentation, equipping them for continued growth beyond the fellowship.
In addition to a $1,000 stipend and $2,000 of in-kind post-production services, Fellows participated in specially tailored sessions on writing artist statements, professional practice, and post-production.
“To feel supported by a mentor who I felt only wanted the best for me was truly special. Their encouragement inspired me to reach for new heights in my career, and for that I will be forever grateful.”
-Brayan Enriquez | 2026 Junior Fellow
“Through the rigor of developing a new body of work under the tutelage of my mentor, I settled into a stronger understanding of the questions I’m interested in answering through my practice. I developed a sustainable way of working on these ideas, which gives me an immense sense of purpose.”
-Claire Kosky | 2026 Junior Fellow
The six projects developed throughout this year’s Junior Fellowship showcase the diversity of voices, experiences, and creative practices that define this cohort. Across these projects, fellows explored how identity is shaped through memory, place, community, and the stories we inherit or imagine. Their work considers themes of migration, belonging, personal mythology, relationships to landscape, youth, and collective history, revealing photography’s ability to hold both lived experience and emotional truth. These distinct bodies of work are united by a shared commitment to using photography as a tool for inquiry, reflection, and a deeper understanding of both personal and collective human experience.
Join us in celebrating the work of our 2026 Junior Fellows.
Click images to view more.
We’d like to extend a special thanks to the New York State Council on the Arts , Phillip & Edith Leonian Foundation and William Talbott Hillman Foundation for their generous support of this program and picturehouse + thesmalldarkroom for their continued support and donation of in-kind services and comprehensive post-production guidance to each of our Junior Fellows.
View the 2026 Junior Fellows’ Profiles Here.