Galit Rodan Named Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award Winner

TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) and The Canadian Press are pleased to announce the winner of this year's Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award is Galit Rodan, a freelance photojournalist whose work has appeared in the National Post, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail. Rodan will be joining The Canadian Press for a six-week internship this summer.

"As a photojournalist at the beginning of my career, winning the Tom Hanson award is an honour and a huge opportunity for me," says Rodan, who attended law school before pursuing photojournalism. "It allows me to work alongside and learn from some of the best in the business and offers the unparalleled chance to have my photos seen nationally and even internationally. I feel incredibly fortunate, nervous and excited."

The jury, which included veteran photographers and members of Tom Hanson's family, reviewed a high number of submissions from early-career photojournalists.

"She impressed the selection committee with her smart portfolio of powerful, story-telling photos," says Catherine Hanson, a jury member and the spouse of the late Tom Hanson. "Her creative eye knows what is newsworthy and her talent is evident by her impressive photos."

Rodan's submission included a range of news and feature subjects from across Canada. View Rodan's photo submissions.

"It is a great honour to be able to continue to offer this award in Tom's name, and we are very thankful for all the support that we have received," says Graeme Roy, director of news photography at The Canadian Press. "This year again we had an increase in the number of applications, and we were very pleased that we had such an amazing selection of portfolios to review and choose from. The work was truly outstanding. We've had fantastic award winners each year, and I'm totally confident that Galit will continue this history of excellence."

Rodan will be presented with the award at the 16th Annual CJF Awards on June 13 at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.

Selection Committee
Catherine Hanson, spouse of Tom Hanson
Heide Glorieux-Kaspar, mother of Tom Hanson
Graeme Roy, director of news photography, The Canadian Press
Frank Gunn, national photographer, The Canadian Press
Fred Chartrand, freelance photographer and former national photographer, The Canadian Press
Tony Caldwell, photographer, Ottawa Sun
Michael Benedict, board member, The Canadian Journalism Foundation

About the Tom Hanson Photojournalism Award
The Canadian Journalism Foundation and The Canadian Press teamed up in 2009 to launch a new photojournalism award in memory of Tom Hanson, an award-winning photographer who travelled around the world and across the country, shooting some of the most iconic news and sports images of the last 15 years. The Tom Hanson Photojournalism 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.

SOURCE: Canadian Journalism Foundation