WASHINGTON (AP) – A women’s media group will honor freelance photographer Heidi Levine as the inaugural winner of an award for courage named for Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus, who was killed on assignment in Afghanistan.
The International Women’s Media Foundation in Washington announced Tuesday that Levine will be awarded the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. Levine is an American and is based in Jerusalem.
The award jury, which includes accomplished photographers and photo editors, said Levine stands out for her courage and compassion in capturing images in the Middle East.
“Her courage and commitment to the story in Gaza is unwavering,” the jury wrote. “She documents tragic events under dire circumstances while displaying a depth of compassion for the people she encounters.”
The award will be presented to Levine at a ceremony June 25 in Berlin. The Howard G. Buffett Foundation provided funding for the $20,000 prize.