London, UK, 1 September 2015 – Canon Europe and Getty Images today reveal a series of iconic images which, shot by some of the world's leading photographers, represent defining moments from the past decade and bring to light the power of photography and the role it plays in helping to affect change around the world.
Known for enabling people to tell the stories that need to be told, the Canon EOS 5D series celebrates its 10th anniversary with an initiative that showcases 10 amazing images that tell some of these stories. From exposing the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army, to uncovering illegal logging of rare and endangered trees in Madagascar, the EOS 5D has been the camera of choice for many professional photographers over the past decade and has captured some of the world’s most significant and important moments.
To view all the images and the amazing stories behind them, visit Canon’s Showcase within the Come and See website. The images will also be available to view as part of a special anniversary exhibition within Canon’s space during the professional week at Visa pour l’Image 2015, the annual festival of photojournalism held in Perpignan, France, from August 31 to September 6 2015.
Canon invites you to share your iconic images
To further celebrate 10 years of profound imagery, Canon Europe is also launching a pan-European competition that will offer participants the chance to win limited edition EOS 5D anniversary prizes.
All photographers, from amateurs to professionals, both smartphone and camera users, are invited to share an image that they feel represents a story of change. Winners will be selected by a panel of award winning judges, including Canon Ambassador Brent Stirton and Getty Images photographer Toby Smith.
The Canon Iconic Images competition will run in eighteen European countries (UK, France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Russia) from September 1 until October 2 2015.
For more information please visit the ‘Iconic Images’ competition page within the Gallery section of Canon’s ‘Come and See’ website.
“Since the launch of the original EOS 5D in 2005, the series has grown to become one of the most popular camera ranges of all time. 10 years on and now with four iterations under our belts, we’re showcasing today at Visa pour l’image how the EOS 5D series has enabled photographers around the world to tell some of the most important stories throughout the past decade,” said Kieran Magee, Director, Professional Imaging Group, Canon Europe. “We’re incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the past 10 years and want to invite everyone, both amateur and professional photographers, to share their own iconic stories and join us in celebrating the power of photography.”
The 10 iconic Getty Images photographs are:
1. John Moore, EOS 5D Mk I; Arlington, USA – May 27, 2007
John’s image of a woman weeping at the foot of her husband’s grave depicts a personal moment of change against a backdrop of simultaneously changing attitudes towards the deployment of troops in conflicts overseas such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Published within many of the world’s leading media titles, his image touched the heart of millions and showed the devastating consequences at home of war.
2. Alvaro Ybarra Zavala, EOS 5D Mk I; Colombia – November 29, 2007
Taken whilst on assignment to document the Colombian civil war, Alvaro’s image of two female guerrilla soldiers caught the attention and imagination of the mainstream media, highlighting the long suffering plight of the Columbian people and bringing the reality of this largely forgotten 50-year conflict to the general public.
3. Veronique de Viguerie, EOS 5D Mk I; Hobyo, Somalia – October 27, 2008
When Veronique de Viguerie and her journalist colleague travelled to Somalia to meet with one of the pirate chiefs it was still an unknown story outside of the region. The resulting report was ground-breaking and was published as the first landmark feature on the subject, just as it was about to enter headlines globally.
4. Toby Smith, EOS 5D Mk II; Masoala National Park, Madagascar – August 21, 2009
Toby’s body of work on illegal logging of endangered species of trees in Madagascar became part of the first prosecution on US soil of international traders using endangered species of timber.
5. Ed Ou, EOS 5D Mk II; Mogadishu, Somalia – April 24, 2010
Ed’s heart-breaking photos of young children armed with powerful weapons were published internationally and later shown in the US Senate which went on to see the US government and UN Security Council apply renewed pressure on the Somali transitional government to stop using child soldiers.
6. Marco Di Lauro, EOS 5D Mk II; Gadabedji, Niger – June 27, 2010
Marco Di Lauro partnered with UNICEF UK to document the serious food crisis gripping the West African nation of Niger. His surreal, striking photograph captured the attention of the public by offering something new, a different side to a widely reported issue. The impact of the work helped raise several million dollars in a few months to help the Nigerian people.
7. Jonathan Torgovnik, EOS 5D Mk II; Port-au-Prince, Haiti – January 10, 2011
Port-au-Prince was one of the most severely damaged places in Haiti during the devastating earthquake in 2010. Published internationally, Jonathan’s image raised refreshed awareness about the extraordinarily poor conditions that people were still living in one year on.
8. Brent Stirton, EOS 5D Mk II; Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya – July 13, 2011
Permanently guarded by four armed sentries, Brent’s image of one of the last northern white rhinos in the world was captured as part of a wider investigation in to the use of animals in black market medicines. Highlighting the fragility of the rhino’s existence, as the world’s most endangered species, the image reached an audience of millions globally.
9. Laurent Van der Stockt, EOS 5D Mk II; Jobar, Damascus, Syria – 13 April, 2013
The series of images, video footage and soil samples which Laurent and a fellow journalist took, were published globally and used by French, British and American administrations as evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian army. This lead to pressure by world leaders to stop the use of chemical weapons in this conflict.
10. Dan Kitwood, EOS 5D Mk III; Kos, Greece – June 4, 2015
Dan’s image of four Pakistani migrant men arriving on the beach of the Greek Island of Kos from Turkey captures one of the most important stories to have come out of 2015 so far. His work has been published internationally in many influential media outlets, helping to raise awareness of the issue around the world.
You can view all the images at the Canon Showcase.