Canon Searches For The Best Storytellers In Photojournalism At Visa Pour L’image 2022

Today, Canon Europe announced the launch of its annual photojournalism grants, in search for standout professional photographers and filmmakers. Championing the very best in storytelling, the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant celebrates an outstanding photographer in recognition of her contribution to photojournalism; whilst the Canon Video Grant acknowledges those wanting to magnify a social, cultural or economic issue in documentary form. Run in conjunction with Visa pour l’image, one of the world’s leading photojournalism festivals, both grants give recipients the funding to pursue their project alongside a platform to be seen and heard. The winners will be officially presented at this year’s festival, which takes place during September in Perpignan, France, with their work showcased the following year.

Canon’s Video Grant

For the third year, Canon’s Video Grant celebrates creative documentary making, recognising the best emerging filmmaking talent. The winner will be selected by a jury of professional figures in the world of photography in June and awarded a grant of €8,000 plus the loan of Canon kit to support the production of a short-film documentary. Entries will be judged on the presentation, relevance and originality of their project.

Last year’s recipient – Camille Millerand – used the funding to work on his project The Invisibles, focusing on illegal workers who are an essential part of France’s economic activity. He also received the loan of pioneering Canon professional video equipment to support the project. His documentary will be screened at the 2022 festival.

The very best of female photojournalism 

For the twenty-second year in a row, Canon and Images Evidence will be presenting the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant to an outstanding photographer in recognition of her contribution to photojournalism – €8,000 will be awarded, supporting the winning photographer with her year-long project ahead of their exhibition the following year.

The 2021 recipient, Acacia Johnson, received the grant money to carry out her project in Alaska – To Know The Earth from Above: The Bush Pilots Connecting Rural Alaska. Currently, only 20 per cent of Alaska is accessible by road, and dozens of its remote settlements, largely Alaskan Native communities, rely on bush aircraft for essential services, including food, medical care, and emergency transport. Starting in her hometown of Anchorage, the grant allowed Johnson to put this community into light through large-format portraits of pilots with their aircraft and aerial photographs of aircraft in flight in the Alaskan landscape. Johnson will be showcasing their body of work at Visa pour l’image 2022.

Past recipients of the grant have received funding, support and exposure, as well becoming a source of inspiration for other female photographers in the industry. Acacia Johnson, winner of the 2021 grant, says:

“I was honored to be awarded the 2021 Canon Female Photojournalist Grant. The grant money has allowed me to spend time, energy and creativity on a slower, more in-depth project, with the hope that it will be a lasting contribution to my home community. If you are thinking about applying, I encourage you to – the grant could be career-changing. It has allowed me to undertake a longtime dream project.”

Entries to both grants are now open, with submissions closing on 17^th May 2021.

For more information on the Canon Female Photojournalist Grant, please visit: https://bit.ly/36mR3Nl