Canon celebrates the best creative storytelling in photojournalism at Visa pour l’Image 2022

London, UK, 21ˢᵗ July 2022 – For the 33ʳᵈ year, Canon Europe is proud to announce it will partner with Visa pour l’Image, one of the world’s leading photojournalism festivals during the Pro Week from 29ᵗʰ August - 3ʳᵈ September 2022. Celebrating the best in photojournalism, the long-standing partnership highlights Canon’s ongoing commitment to the craft of visual storytelling and the photographers that capture some of the most important chapters in our history. During the festival, which will be held in Perpignan in the south of France, Canon will honour outstanding work in the documentary field, awarding the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant and the Canon Video Grant to two visual storytellers. Beyond funding for selected grantees, Canon will provide young emerging talent with access to the festival through the brand’s Student Development Programme and will help bring some of the festival’s photo exhibits to life through its printing solutions.

Natalya Saprunova, winner of this year’s Canon Female Photojournalist Grant

Irene Baqué, winner of this year’s Canon Video Grant - Short Film Documentary

Female photojournalism leading the way

For the 22^nd year in a row, Canon and Visa pour l’Image will be presenting the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant to an outstanding photographer in recognition of her contribution to photojournalism. The 2022 recipient, Russian/ French photographer Natalya Saprunova, will receive €8,000 to carry out her project documenting an indigenous community of reindeer breeders in Yakuita, Russia called the Evenks. Natalya is a member of French photo agency Zeppelin and teaches photography at Graine de Photographe school in Paris. In her work, she covers the transformation of societies, identity, youth, spirituality and femininity.

Canon’s Third Video Grant

Celebrating creative documentary making and recognising the best emerging talent, Canon together with Visa pour l’Image are pleased to be presenting Spanish filmmaker Irene Baqué with the third Canon Video Grant for a short film documentary. Irene will use the €8,000 funding to work on her project ‘La Casa de todas’, documenting the lives of 16 retired or semi-retired prostitutes who live in a shelter in the red district of Tepito, Mexico City. The documentary will be filmed over the next year and then screened at the 2023 festival.  Irene, whose films explore issues around identity, gender, youth culture and social justice, will also be loaned some of Canon’s pioneering professional video equipment to support her work.

Inspiring future photojournalists

Canon is committed to nurturing the next generation of photojournalists, and for the 6^th consecutive year will be providing aspiring photographers from across Europe, Middle East and Africa with a unique opportunity to develop skills and advance in their careers as part of its acclaimed Student Development Programme. 30 talented photography students will attend a prestigious five-day workshop and network with and learn from prominent professionals during guided exhibition tours, hosted practical sessions and lectures. This year’s speakers include legendary photojournalist James Nachtwey, award winning alumni Rehab Eldalil and Yuki Iwamura, as well as renowned photographers and photo editors such as Anush Babajanyan, Paolo Verzone, Thomas Borberg and Dimitri Beck.

Students will also have the opportunity to showcase their work to and gain feedback from some of the industry’s finest experts including Olivier Laurent (The Washington Post), Fiona Shields (The Guardian), Benoit Baume (Fisheye magazine), Chiara Bardelli Nonino (Vogue Italia), Bonnie Briant (Designer) and Marco Longari (Canon Ambassador and AFP Chief Photographer in Africa).

Canon presence at Visa pour l’Image

At the festival, a range of exhibitions will be held in Perpignan. Multi-award winning documentary photographer and Canon Ambassador, Brent Stirton, will be showcasing his National Geographic Magazine essay on bushmeat, sustainability and zoonotic disease, photographed in Guyana, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Papua New Guinea, the USA and the Republic of Congo. Both winners from the Canon Female Photojournalist grants in 2020 and 2021, Sabiha Cimen and Acacia Johnson, will also be displaying their grant winning projects. Additionally, Canon will be hosting a dedicated product showcase area at the festival’s headquarters in Perpignan’s Palais des Congrès, inviting visitors to experience Canon’s product portfolio. All accredited photographers can also receive a complimentary check-and-clean service by expert technicians from Canon Professional Services (CPS).