There comes a moment in every long-term documentary project when new eyes become essential. After months—or sometimes years—of photographing, editing and living with a body of work, it becomes increasingly difficult to see it with distance.

This open call offers three documentary photographers the opportunity to step back, receive an in-depth editorial review and publication from an internationally published documentary photographer.

Studio90s invites documentary photographers who approach the world with curiosity and conviction.

We seek long-term projects that explore people, identity, place, community, culture, or urgent social issues through a personal and authentic visual perspective.

Completed and ongoing projects are both welcome.

Three photographers will be selected.

Each will receive an in-depth written editorial portfolio review by Béla Váradi, together with publication of their selected project on the Studio90s website.

Every editorial review is individually written and tailored specifically to the submitted project.

The editorial review provides a detailed written assessment, focusing on editing, sequencing, narrative structure, visual coherence, image selection, and overall strength.

The aim is to highlight both the project's strengths and the areas with the most potential for further development.

Selected projects will be published on the Studio90s website (approximately 1,300 estimated monthly visits) and promoted through Béla Váradi's professional Instagram account (10.4K followers), reaching an international audience interested in documentary photography.

This opportunity is intended for photographers who value thoughtful editorial feedback over competition. If you are preparing a project for publication, exhibition, grant application, or simply seeking clearer direction, our goal is to help you progress with greater confidence.

About the reviewer

The editorial reviews are led by Béla Váradi, a London-based documentary photographer whose long-term work explores identity, social justice, and underrepresented communities.

His projects have been published by The Guardian, Balkan Insight, WOZ, and other international publications, and have received international recognition, including the FIDAS International Journalism Award (2025) and the Faces of Poverty Grand Prize (2011) for documentary storytelling. His work has also been exhibited at international festivals, museums, and galleries across Europe.

Alongside his documentary practice, Béla has extensive experience leading workshops and reviewing photographic work.

He has led photography workshops at Queer Britain in London, delivered visual storytelling training for Roma journalists in Serbia, and recently led a week-long documentary photography retreat in Morocco for international participants focused on editing, sequencing, and long-term storytelling.

This is Studio90s' first international open call, grounded in years of professional documentary practice, teaching, editorial work, and international collaboration.

Our aim is to provide photographers with thoughtful, constructive, and honest editorial feedback that helps them develop stronger projects and greater confidence in their visual storytelling.