Witness, a four-part documentary series from award-winning filmmaker Michael Mann, debuts this Monday, 5th November at 9:00p.m.ET/PT on HBO with Witness: Juarez. The film follows combat photographer Eros Hoagland as he explores Juarez, Mexico, the “murder capital of the world” where drug violence has left over 10,000 dead. Presented in four parts – Juarez, Libya, South Sudan and Rio – Witness focuses on three determined photojournalists: Eros Hoagland, who explores the gang- and drug-related violence in both Juarez, Mexico and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Michael Christopher Brown, who chronicles escalating ethnic tensions in the wake of Muammar Gaddafi’s ouster last year in Libya; and Véronique de Viguerie, who follows the “Arrow Boys” and their struggle against General Kony in South Sudan. Between these three, their photos have appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Atlantic, Paris Match, The Guardian and many other publications.

On 5th November at Kings Place, London, conceptual fine art photographer Tim Flach will talk about his latest book More Than Human. In this book, he takes this into new points of inquiry with surprising portraiture of creatures ranging from exquisite pupae, to the world’s largest cat, to intimate scenes of bonobos and other primates. The lecture starts at 7pm, tickets are available online for £9.50.

The event is part of the PhotoVoice Lecture series and the ‘Words on Monday’ series.

This year, Alvaro Deprit has been named as the winner of the BJP’s annual International Photography Award. Alvaro beat off competition from 168 other entries to win the series category, submitting a story called Suspension which looks at unaccompanied minors who have fled war, poverty and political uncertainty for new lives in Italy. Judges Harry Hardie, founder and director of Here; Jess Crombie, head of film and photography at Save the Children; and Karen McQuaid, curator at The Photographers’ Gallery, were impressed with the strength of the story Deprit had depicted, and the sensitivity he brought to it and his young subjects.

The Board of Trustees of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund announced that Brooklyn, New York photographer Peter van Agtmael is the recipient of the prestigious 2012 W. Eugene Smith Grant for Humanistic Photography for Disco Night September 11, an American view of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The project earned Mr. van Agtmael a $30,000 grant to continue focussing on these wars, subjects that otherwise would be difficult to finance.

A major retrospective exhibition of work by Czech photographer, Jitka Hanzlová, will have its only UK showing in The Robert Mapplethorpe Photography Gallery at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery this autumn. The exhibition - on show from 17 October 2012 to 3 February 2013 - brings together around 100 works spanning her career from the early 1990s to the present day.

Samsung are looking for as many people in the UK called David Bailey as possible to take part in a photography project. They’re giving lots of David Baileys the new Samsung NX1000 Smart Camera to test the theory that it’s so good that it lets everyone take photos like the world’s best photographer. Samsung are also aiming to try and break a world record on Saturday. With just over a day to go for David Baileys to get in touch, visit this site to register your interest: http://wearedavidbailey.com/

The Royal Photographic Society has announced the recipients of its annual awards. Steve J Sasson, widely acknowledged as the inventor of the digital camera, which he developed while working for the Eastman Kodak Company in 1975, received the Progress Medal. New York photographer Joel Meyerowitz, who was an early exponent of colour photography from 1962 received the Centenary Medal. Kathy Ryan a New York photo editor, author, teacher, mentor and exhibition curator, received the award for Outstanding Service to Photography. The call for nominations for the 2013 Awards will be open from 30 September 2012.

Manfrotto School of Xcellence as announced a new webinar hosted by Steve Gosling. Taking place from 4pm-5pm BST on Wednesday, 19th September, Imperfect Impressions will teach participants how to modify the truthful rendition of an image and create unique and captivating images through the use of toy cameras, plastic optics, long exposures etc. The webinar is free and open to all. For more details and to register visit the website below.

Getty Images today announced the four photojournalists that have been selected to each receive a grant of US$20,000, as well as collaborative editorial support from Getty Images, to pursue their documentary photography projects. The winning photojournalists and corresponding projects are Bharat Choudhary from India for The Silence of Others, Kosuke Okahara from Japan for Fragments/Fukushima, Paolo Marchetti from Italy for FEVER – The Awakening of European Fascism and Sebastian Liste from Brazil for The Brazilian Far West. In addition, a grant of $20,000 has been presented in partnership with the Chris Hondros Fund, in remembrance of Getty Images’ photojournalist Chris Hondros, who was tragically killed last year in Libya.

The London Look is an exhibition of the finalists of The London Look photography challenge. The challenge, a collaboration between the Horniman Museum and Gardens and lifestyle and culture website Londonist, attracted over 350 entries. The images offer a diverse view of contemporary London seen through the eyes of both professional and amateur photographers. Participants were asked if there was a definitive ‘London Look’, to consider the varied style of Londoners, and capture the essence of the city through street photography, either spontaneous or posed. The London Look exhibition runs from Saturday 1st until Sunday 30th September.

The London School of Photography 2012 Exhibition is holding an exhibition showcasing the work of students from its first part-time professional photography course. The exhibition will be held from September 5 to 10, 2012 at the Blackall Studios, Shoreditch.

The ‘Beauty Portraits Un-Touched’ exhibition combines female beauty with an exploration of the models’ real emotions and thoughts. ‘Beauty Portraits Un-Touched’ is the first solo exhibition by Rachell Smith and forms part of an on-going project, with the aim to publish a book in the near future. The exhibition will run from Thursday 23rd August until Thursday 13th September, at theprintspace gallery on 74 Kingsland Road, London, E2 8DL.

Faking It: Manipulated Photography Before Photoshop is the first major exhibition devoted to the history of manipulated photography before the digital age. Featuring some 200 visually captivating photographs created between the 1840s and 1990s, the exhibition takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York from October 11, 2012 - January 27, 2013.

Panasonic today announced that leading sports photographer, Dean Mouhtaropoulos (right) will be exclusively using the new Panasonic Lumix G5 compact system camera (read review) to capture the London 2012 Olympic Games. “Having worked for Getty Images (the Official Photographic Agency of the International Olympic Committee) for 9 years, Dean is well versed in capturing epic sporting moments including both Football and Rugby World Cups, the Olympics, Champions League football, World Championships in Swimming, Diving, Hockey, Athletics to name but a few,” the company says. Dean will also carry a selection of LUMIX G Lenses in his kit bag, ranging from 7mm-300mm (35mm equivalent: 14-600mm) including the recently launched12-35mm X lens (read review).

British TV presenter, radio DJ and photographer Reggie Yates has joined Pentax’s ‘Meet Britain’ campaign and released a video full of tips on how to take the perfect photograph. The competition is asking members of the public to submit images of the things they feel make Britain great. Entrants can submit images across five different categories, including Great British Outdoors, Great British Culture, Friends and Family, Summer Holidays and Celebrations. One winner from each category will take home a Pentax K-30 camera and one overall winner will be awarded £1,000.

Click through / scroll down to watch the Reggie Yates video.

CREATE has announced an upcoming exhibition of David Bailey’s East End photographs, taken over 50 years. Taking place from 6th July - 5 August in the Royal Docks, Newham, this retrospective is one of the highlights of the CREATE summer programme which runs from 21st June to the end of August. The photographs that will be displayed, many of them large-scale prints, document the changing physical and social landscape of east London showing streetscapes, characters and scenes of east London life. Bailey’s photographs also provide a visual record of the different groups of immigrants who have settled in this part of the city. The photographer says, “London’s East End is in my DNA and I’m thrilled to be able to return to my roots in Newham. Now the rest of the world will focus on an area I’ve been looking at all my life.”

On 7th June, Manfrotto School of Xcellence will be hosting renowned filmmaker and photographer Phil Coates for a webinar entitled “Adventure Film & Photography From Pole To Pole.” Phil Coates will share stories from a life behind the lens filming and photographing explorers and adventurers in some of the most remote and hostile parts of our planet. Taking place from 4pm to 5pm, the webinar is free and open to all. For more details and to registe visit the website below.

Single malt whisky brand The Macallan has commissioned Annie Leibovitz for the third edition of its Masters of Photography series. The Macallan Masters of Photography series features exclusive collaborations, conjoining the art of whisky making with the artist’s interpretation of the world of The Macallan.  Previous editions were authored by iconic photographers Rankin and Albert Watson. “This year, Annie Leibovitz, chosen for her exceptional skill and inimitable style, has interpreted four single cask variants released for the first time, resulting in four powerful images,” the company says. “Shot against dramatic backdrops in and around New York City, Annie Leibovitz captures the brilliance of a moment where everything comes together, showcasing the stature of whisky as an icon of taste and masculinity.”

Bob Books have announced the return of Photobook Month this June. Hosted at Hasselblad Studio in Shoreditch, London, the series of four evening events will feature expert speakers who will be sharing their own take on photobooks – from what makes a beautifully designed book, to a run-down of the best photobooks of all time. The guest speakers include Martin Parr, Marianne Taylor, Mike Trow and Jeremy Leslie. Bob Books’ General Manager Ibolya Németh said:  “We’re delighted to have pulled together some of the biggest names in our industry to create four not-to-be-missed events. We want to celebrate photobooks in all their forms and the best way to do this is to invite photographers, designers and photobook lovers to join us over four fantastic evenings in June.” The lectures will be taking place on 6th, 12th, 20th and 26th June. Tickets are £30 each plus booking fee and will be on sale from 1st of May through the website below.

Photographer and film-maker William Klein will receive the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award at the 2012 Sony World Photography Awards. He will be honoured at the annual gala award ceremony on 26 April at taking place at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel. An intimate exhibition of his work, curated by Michael Benson, will be shown as part of the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House in London from 27th April – 20th May.