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AFP showcases Rugby World Cup through the eyes of young photographers from around the world
Agence France-Presse (AFP) partners with Canon to train twenty young photographers in capturing different facets of rugby culture across all participating nations of the Rugby World Cup.
Equipped with professional cameras and lens kits provided by Canon, a key partner in the initiative, each of the twenty participants paired up with a seasoned AFP photojournalist ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Through their photographs, each mentee had the opportunity to showcase to the world the significance of the competition in their respective countries, from Namibia to Fiji, and from South Africa to Scotland...
The initiative leveraged the expertise of AFP photojournalists to teach and inspire a new generation of skilled photographers while forging strong connections between the pairs.
"AFP is pleased to have shared some of the expertise from our global network of photojournalists with the emerging generation of photographers, and to offer a deeper understanding of the multifaceted passion for rugby that spans across continents," said Eric Baradat, AFP's Deputy News Director for Photo.
Local AFP photojournalists from the participating countries selected the twenty mentees based on the promising quality of their early work, their motivation to learn, and their natural ability to tell visual stories.
It was also important for both AFP and Canon to promote the work of underrepresented communities in the project and invest in the future of the next generation of sports photographers.
“Canon supports various programmes that actively engage the next generation of photojournalists trying to break into the competitive world of news photography”, said Richard Shepherd, Sector Marketing Senior Manager at Canon Europe.
“Our partnership with the AFP allowed us to not only equip young people with some of the latest high-end imaging solutions on the market, but to also give them access to an international sporting event that provides them with valuable new experiences and is able to boost their portfolio,” he added.
The photo reports offer an insight into the core values of rugby across all five continents: integrity, passion, solidarity, discipline, and respect.
The photographs from the project are available on AFP News, a user-friendly platform that brings together all the Agency’s content in one place, around the clock.
Press photos are available upon request, to be used exclusively for the promotion of this project. Authorised usage includes a maximum of 3 photos, with mandatory credit and caption attribution.
