MELVILLE, N.Y., November 6, 2017 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to celebrate world-renowned photographer and Explorer of Light Stephanie Sinclair at the third annual Imaging Alliance’s “Salute Photographers Who Give Back” Awards, Nov. 6 at the SVA Theatre in New York City. Stephanie will be honored for her program Too Young to Wed, a nonprofit multimedia platform that seeks to raise awareness of child marriage while empowering girls in these circumstances to express their creativity through photography. Sinclair will be among three honorees at this year’s ceremony. In addition, images from Too Young to Wed created by child marriage survivors will be on display at the World Photo Press exhibition from now until November 26 at Dupont Underground in Washington, D.C.

The Imaging Alliance will salute Sinclair alongside two other professional photographers: Brooke Shaden and Jerry Ghionis. The trio is being honored for using their talent and passion to give back and heighten awareness of important social and cultural issues through the power of imaging. In addition, one SVA student who has used photography to educate and create awareness will be awarded the Anthony M. Ruotolo Photojournalism Award. The event will feature presentations by the three honorees followed by a short Q&A with the audience. Robert Caplin of The Photo Brigade will serve as master of ceremonies.

“It is with the utmost pleasure that at this year’s Imaging Alliance Awards we get to celebrate our very own Explorer of Light Stephanie Sinclair and her amazing work,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A. “With her Too Young to Wed initiative, Stephanie has dedicated her life for the last decade to inspiring change through imaging. We truly feel that she represents the embodiment of what our company stands for—an unwavering dedication to help people tap their creativity to reach new heights of their potential.”

Stephanie Sinclair is a New York-based photojournalist who has gained international acclaim for her attention to human rights issues. Through her photography and her Too Young to Wed foundation, she has shone a spotlight on issues such as child marriage, female circumcision, war and polygamy. Too Young to Wed provides visual evidence of the human rights challenges faced by women and girls around the world. The mission is to amplify courageous voices and build a global community dedicated to ending child and forced marriages, and to support positive change for these girls through programs such as literacy classes and the Tehani Photo Workshop. Named after an 8-year-old child bride in Yemen, this five-day workshop brings together 18 brave child marriage survivors to help them gain the skills to become budding photojournalists while learning tools to manage their trauma, express themselves, advocate for girls’ rights and become mentors to subsequent workshop participants.

Since the creation of the program in 1995, Canon’s Explorers of Light have been leaders in their respective fields, garnering awards and accolades for their work. These individuals work with Canon extensively as representatives, ambassadors, educators and as role models for aspiring creative artists. They participate in workshops, seminars, gallery showings and personal appearances throughout the United States. 

In addition to her honor at the Imaging Alliance Award, images of Too Young to Wed will be on display at the World Photo Press exhibition. World Photo Press exhibition, on display from now until Nov. 26 at Dupont Underground in Washington, D.C., is a partnership with the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), which named Sinclair its 2017 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism award winner for her extensive work on child marriage. Along with images from Too Young To Wed created by child marriage survivors, the exhibit will feature the work of Louisa Gouliamaki and Nicole Tung, who earned honorable mentions from the IWMF, which highlights the role of leading women photographers and videographers as well as show powerful images of the struggles of young women suffering from tremendous inequality.

For more information on Stephanie Sinclair as well as the Explorer of Light program, visit: http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/explorers_of_light/eol_home.shtml.

About Imaging Alliance:
The Imaging Alliance is a non-profit organization representing the bold and diverse imaging industry, with a membership that encompasses manufacturers, software and application developers, retailers, media, photographers and others. It brings together critical assets from two respected, long-time industry associations: the Photo Manufacturers and Distributors Association (PMDA) and the Photo Marketing Association International (PMAI). The Imaging Alliance actively promotes the economic growth and sustainable development of both current and future imaging applications. Its members work together to create a sense of community through philanthropic activities that support visual communications. For more information, see http://www.theimagingalliance.com/.