Applications now being accepted for fourth annual Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2012 /CNW/ - Applications for the fourth annual Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award are now being accepted online. Canadian photojournalists who have been in the business less than five years - from students to freelancers to photographers working at regional publications - are encouraged to submit their portfolios for consideration. The deadline for submissions is January 7, 2013. Award criteria and application instructions are available at http://cjf-fjc.ca/awards_tomhanson.

Last year's winner, Michelle Siu, completed a six-week internship with The Canadian Press at the head office in Toronto. During her summer internship, she covered staples of the city's cultural and sporting scene, such as the Toronto International Film Festival and Toronto Blue Jays' games. She also covered news stories, photographing the first female American Iraq war resister to come to Canada and the youngest swimmer to cross Lake Ontario.

"Ultimately the internship has made me a better visual story teller," says Siu. "The experience has taught me the importance of knowing the story and pushed me to learn how to make a single compelling photo that communicates the story to a wide audience."

Siu is now a full-time, Toronto-based freelance photojournalist and her work appears regularly in The Canadian Press and some of Canada's largest daily newspapers. Her full report of her internship experience, including select images, can be found online. Past recipients of the award have gone on to enjoy success in the industry. Aaron Vincent Elkaim (2011) was recently selected as one of the top 50 photographers--and was one of only two Canadians--in this year's Photolucida Critical Mass, a program that provides career-building opportunities for photographers from around the world. Adrien Veczan (2010) is a staff photographer with The Chronicle-Herald in Halifax. "I'm amazed at the wealth of up-and-coming talent that we have had the opportunity to see and work with," says Graeme Roy, director of news photography at The Canadian Press. "Michelle's enthusiasm and energy as our award winner last year was really inspiring to see, and it helps us move forward for this year's award with even more excitement and anticipation."

Finalists for the 2013 Tom Hanson Award will be interviewed by the selection committee in January with a winner announced in February, 2013. The award will be presented at the 16^th Annual Canadian Journalism Foundation Awards on June 13, 2013.

This award is generously supported by Nikon.

ABOUT THE TOM HANSON PHOTOJOURNALISM AWARD
#tomhansonaward
The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and The Canadian Press launched the Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award in 2009 in memory of award-winning photojournalist Tom Hanson. The award offers a six-week paid internship at The Canadian Press head office in Toronto for a photojournalist in the early stages of his or her career. The selection committee is made up of CJF board members, photographers and photo editors from The Canadian Press and daily newspapers and members of Mr. Hanson's family. The winning applicant will complete the internship between April and September, 2013, and be paid a salary equivalent of the start rate for photographers at The Canadian Press.

ABOUT TOM HANSON
Tom Hanson was a swashbuckling photojournalist whose images from the Oka conflict to the cut-and-thrust of the House of Commons told vivid stories. He was an award-winning photographer for The Canadian Press who travelled around the world and across the country, shooting some of the most iconic news and sports images of the last 15 years. When Hanson died suddenly at age 41 in 2009, his family, friends, colleagues at The Canadian Press and the country's photojournalism community wanted to find an appropriate way to honour his memory, talent and spirit. The result was the creation of the Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award.

SOURCE: Canadian Journalism Foundation