Benefits of Membership in the Social Documentary Network

Welcome to the Social Documentary Network (SDN), an organization devoted to showcasing documentary photography from all parts of the world on diverse themes. We encourage photographers, photo editors, publishers, gallery owners, NGOs, students, educators, and the general public to join the SDN community.

Join SDN now

Click below if you are a:
Photographer
Editor, curator, or publisher
NGO
Student

Photographers

SDN encourages photographers with documentary projects to create online exhibits of their work. Exhibits need to meet minimum criteria. We do not edit the work as SDN is committed to user generated content and collaboration.

Benefits of an SDN presence for photographers:

• Your images will be found by photo editors, journalists, curators, publishers and anyone coming to SDN to search for documentary content. We offer search engine optimization and tagging for every exhibit.
• Selected exhibits are featured in our social media, on the SDN home page, and in email spotlights.
• As a member, you are eligible to submit your projects to the annual ZEKE Award and participate in the SDN Reviews.
• You will gain additional exposure for the issues that you are documenting.
• Having your work on the SDN website is the first step in having it published in ZEKE magazine.
• You will become part of the largest network of documentary photographers on the web.
• Exhibits are entirely free for the first year. After that there is a cost for renewal.
• SDN serves as an additional online marketing tool to increase traffic to your website or social media feeds. 
• You will have your own profile page with a URL with your name, a photo, and biography, social media handles, and links to your exhibits on SDN.  You can link to this URL from your own website and other social networking sites or blogs.
• Each SDN exhibit has numerous other fields to provide information on your subject matter and on you.
• You can view statistics on how many people have viewed your exhibit and all exhibits have viewer feedback forms for the public to comment on your exhibit.

Join SDN Now

Photo editors, curators, publishers

The SDN website is the only online resource that provides access to only documentary imagery. Exhibits have contact information for photographers and links to their personal websites or their SDN profile.

Benefits for photo editors, curators, and publishers:

• Powerful search tools to instantly find images about hundreds of issues around the globe and in the US such as poverty, global health, immigration, war, workers, women, and countless others. Search by country, issue, photographer or key word.
• Immediately get contact information for photographers who can provide you with the images on SDN or other images from their stock collection.
• Find photographers working on location around the world to call on to do photo shoots without needing to pay travel expenses.
• All images on SDN have already been reviewed for quality and documentary integrity.
• SDN is the fastest growing site devoted entirely to  social documentary photography
• Receive email spotlights highlighting new work and new photographers.

Join SDN now

NGOs

SDN encourages NGOs to work with photographers to create online exhibits of their programs. NGOs can also find talented and experienced photographers to document their work.

Benefits of an SDN presence for NGOs:

• If you don’t currently host images online, you can easily and affordably create an online portfolio of your organization’s work for much less than the cost of creating and maintaining your own website. We offer search engine optimization and tagging for every exhibit.
• Even if you already have your own website, SDN serves as an additional online marketing tool to increase traffic to your programs and campaigns. We send out Tweets for every new exhibit to our Twitter followers.
• Your programs and campaign messages will reach additional audiences. Your images will be searchable and seen by journalists, policy makers, students, and anyone coming to SDN to search for documentary content and to learn more about the world.
• You will become part of the largest network on the web committed to using the power of photography to create global awareness and action. Your work is eligible for a feature in our weekly email Spotlight that reaches over 7,500 subscribers, including the media.
• You will have your own personal home page with a URL with your name, a photo, and biography, and links to your exhibits on SDN.  You can link to this URL from your own website and other social networking sites (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) or blogs. You can send this URL to policymakers, donors, campaigners, and other stakeholders in your issues.
• You will have numerous other fields to provide  information on your subject matter, including space for action alerts and other advocacy.
• You can view statistics as to how many people have viewed your exhibit.
• All exhibits have viewer feedback forms for the public to comment on your exhibit and learn about your organization.

Join SDN now

Students

SDN encourages all students (photography, journalism, art school, high school, college) to create online exhibits of their documentary work. Exhibits need to meet minimum criteria but we do not edit your work. SDN is committed user generated content and collaboration.

Top benefits of an SDN presence for students:

• You can easily and affordably create an online portfolio of your work for much less than the cost of creating and maintaining your own website. We offer search engine optimization and tagging for every exhibit.
• Even if you already have your own website, SDN serves as an additional online marketing tool to increase traffic to your documentary work. 
• Your images will be searchable by photo editors, journalists, students, and anyone coming to SDN to search for documentary content.
• You will become part of the largest network of documentary photographers on the web and your work is eligible for a feature in our weekly email Spotlight that reaches over 7,500 subscribers, including the media.
• You will have your own personal home page with a URL with your name, a photo, and biography, and links to your exhibits on SDN.  You can link to this URL from your own website and other social networking sites (such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) or blogs and give to potential employers, schools, gallery owners, etc.
• You will have numerous other fields to provide  information on your subject matter, on you, on groups that are helping your subjects.
• You can view statistics as to how many people have viewed your exhibit.
• All exhibits have viewer feedback forms for the public to comment on your exhibit.

Join SDN now