By Ron Chen, Correspondent ASEAN Region

In 2020, Canon EMEA expanded its world-renowned Ambassador Programme with 59 new professionals joining the ranks. The first of its kind, the Canon EMEA Ambassador Programme was created to represent and support current and future generations of photographers and filmmakers by sharing their passion and technical know-how with fellow professionals, as well as enthusiastic amateurs who want to develop their skills.

With the largest ever intake, now featuring a total of 115 Ambassadors across EMEA, this is Canon’s most exciting and diverse programme to date. Among them are 17 incredible young photographers including Ksenia Kuleshova and Michele Spatari, alumni of the Canon Student Programme and Young Photographer Award winners.

In the most competitive selection process yet, an esteemed panel of 13 judges reviewed nominations for more than 450 photographers and evaluated over 20,000 images – covering news, documentary, wildlife, weddings, portraits, sports and more. Celebrating visual storytelling, and stories that resonate, the Canon EMEA Ambassador Programme brings together the best of the best within the imaging industry.

ITCG European Marketing Director for Canon EMEA Susie Donaldson said: “The Ambassador Programme is our opportunity to work with an amazing group of bold and inspirational individuals in the photo, video and print industry. With this refresh we are enabling and empowering photographers and filmmakers with unique perspectives from across the region, supporting them with the tools to tell those stories that matter.

“We’re always evolving the Programme to seek out and welcome photographers and filmmakers from a multitude of genres and all backgrounds across age, gender and race. This year we’ve significantly increased the number of Ambassadors under the age of 30 from two to 17, which shows the remarkable range of talent within the industry and our commitment to nurturing creatives through our student programmes as their career progresses. With this latest intake we hope to pave the way for the next generation of visual storytellers, with a fresh new perspective to the Programme.”

Sales and Marketing Director at Canon Central and North Africa Amine Djouahra added “It is a privilege to be part of a programme that inspires talent and creativity in Africa. We continuously seek creative talent to cultivate the love of photograph and to showcase the rich beauty of the continent. The ambassador programme is now furthermore enriched with photographers representing diverse backgrounds and cultures, as well as a balanced mix of both genders. We have extended appointments with five female African photographers and expanded the programme with three new female ambassadors from the continent.”

Joining the Programme in 2020 from Africa include:

Clement Kiragu – Clement is an award-winning commercial and wildlife photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. His work has been published around the world.

Emmanuel Oyeleke – A versatile photographer influenced by fine art and documentary styles. His work covers a broad range of genres including weddings, fashion editorial and advertising campaigns for international brands. He is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Hassan Hajjaj – One of Morocco’s foremost artists, Hassan’s practice includes portraiture, performance, installation, video and fashion. A photographer since the late 1980s, Hassan lives and works between Morocco and the UK where he moved in the 1970s. His work bridges Moroccan and British cultures.

Karim Tibari – one of Morocco’s most prominent photographers. He covers high-profile music and film festivals and institutional events held by major corporations, as well as shooting fashion, portraits, wildlife and sports.

Menna Hossam – an Egyptian fine art and fashion photographer whose imaginative work is inspired by myth, fantasy and visual storytelling.

Yagazi Emezi Agazie – Nigerian artist and self-taught photojournalist whose work focuses on stories surrounding African women and their health, sexuality, education and human rights. Having worked extensively across Africa, Yagazie also covers stories on identity and culture, social justice, climate change and migration.

Yasmin Al Batoul – Based in Batna, Algeria, Yasmin completed a professional diploma in photography in 2017 and is now a freelance photographer, specialising in food and product imagery.