Martin will spend two months expanding his "Hidden Minority: South Africa's White Poor," a photo project which documents the lives of a white minority living on less than $40 a month in post-apartheid South Africa. Ros will photograph, make audio interviews and collect supporting narratives for "Silent Witness," delving into the impact and prevalence of childhood sexual abuse in the U.S. In addition to the financial grant, each winner will receive editorial support from Getty.

Though both Martin and Ros currently reside in the U.S., they were selected from a pool of candidates spanning 29 countries. Judges included Simon Barnett and David Griffin, the respective directors of photography at Newsweek and National Geographic, Alison Morely, program chair of the International Center of Photography, and Rosanna Squera, photojournalism editor of Vanity Fair.

Barnett said that the projects by Martin and Ros were chosen for their potential to contribute to understanding difficult issues. The three remaining 2008 Getty Images Editorial Grants will be awarded in September.