Join Canon’s rising student stars at Visa pour l’Image 2020

Following the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 will see the first digital edition of the Canon Student Development Programme. This unique three-day educational initiative runs during Professional Week at Visa pour l'Image photojournalism festival.

It's an industry opportunity like no other, giving the next generation of photojournalists the chance to learn from their heroes. "The purpose of the Canon Student Development Programme is to expose future professionals to the reality of the industry, shining a light on their skills and creativity, discovering and sharing the best in contemporary photography," explains Canon Europe's Programme Director Luca Rocco. “Last year, we hosted over 240 students from 115 universities and schools. Thanks to the excellent results of the previous editions, in 2020 we are expanding the opportunity to students residing other countries, including those in Eurasia, Middle East and Africa – offering further evidence of Canon’s dedication to the new generation of professionals.”

"Visa is the best platform in the world to meet professionals," says Visa's Director Jean-François Leroy. "In Perpignan, young photographers can meet people from The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Stern, Paris Match – the whole world." Over the past 31 years, the festival has built a formidable reputation as the place to see outstanding, cutting-edge visual journalism. In this environment, you will be fully immersed in the professional photography world – and inspired by new ways of thinking and seeing.

Expand your skillset

Throughout, the programme will focus on raising the game of your visual storytelling, developing a strong authorial voice, and increasing the impact of your narratives, by hearing different perspectives debate the latest trends and developments shaking up the imaging industry.

In 2019, for example, Canon Ambassador Ilvy Njiokiktjien gave students a masterclass in the importance of using video to enhance your skill-set, starting with her earliest foray into motion, a World Press Photo-winning 2011 project, shot in Kommandokorps camp for Afrikaner boys in South Africa using a Canon EOS 5D Mark II (now succeeded by the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV).

Tina Ahrens, a mentor on the 2018 and 2019 programme and director of photography for Philosophie Magazine, said: "I had the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of photography students from all over Europe, which allowed me to survey a wide range of photographic practices and examine emerging talents. In order to stay fresh and relevant in what we do as photo editors and photo producers, we need to regularly question and renew our approach to photography to ensure a healthy future for the medium. Spotting emerging talent is an exciting part of my work as a director of photography."

How to apply

The programme is open to any student enrolled in an educational institution for the academic year 2019 to 2020. The programme is conducted in English, so proficiency in the language is highly beneficial.

Click here to apply. Submit a portfolio with one or two stories, each consisting of up to 20 fully captioned images, with an accompanying description or synopsis, along with details of your school, institute or university, a short photographer’s bio and, if available, a supporting letter of presentation from a professor or editor, before 31 May 2020.

To see more portfolios from former participants in the Canon Student Development Programme, visit our Visa pour l'Image event page.