© Lu Guang
Guang's images depict dramatic scenes of industrial pollution and its ill effects on people.
"His work is a testament to the power of how a single photographer, armed with a vision, can really [communicate] to the rest of the world," says Kurt Mutchler, Executive Editor of photography at National Geographic.
Guang's project won was selected from 77 applications. This year, National Geographic asked applicants to focus on projects that reflect its mission to "inspire people to care about the planet."
"The judges felt that of all the proposed topics, [Lu Guang's] was the most important one," says National Geographic Senior Editor for natural history Kathy Moran, who was one of the three judges. "We were impressed by the work he had already done, and felt compelled to support it."
She added, "What came through [in his application] was a real passion not only for the subject, but for making sure it gets out to a broader audience."
Last fall, the 48-year-old photographer won the 2009 W. Eugene Smith Grant for the same project. The Smith Grant is also a $30,000 prize.
Guang has been documenting social and environmental issues in China since the mid 1990s, after studying at the Fine Arts Academy of Tsinghua University in Beijing. In addition to his work on industrial and chemical pollution, he has done stories about gold mining, AIDS, drug addition and other subjects. He is represented by Contact Press Images.
National Geographic has been awarding its Photography Grant annually since 2007, although the size of the grant was scaled back this year because of the recession. It was a $50,000 grant in previous years. Past winners include Eugene Richards, Jonas Bendiksen, and Alessandra Sanguinetti.
Related story: Lu Guang Wins 2009 W. Eugene Smith Award
