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Hey photography fam…listen up. There is a very important conversation that really needs to happen right now. Pull up a chair and let’s talk. In her most recent post, the brilliant Dr. Tomaiya Colvin shared some valuable information about racial diversity and representation in the photography industry. I was part of her number crunching team and our findings were shocking, heartbreaking & disappointing to say the very least.
To say that Women and BIPOC people are underrepresented in ambassadorship programs run by Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji and Olympus would be an understatement. It is just ridiculous!! Swipe to see the summary charts I put together……see what I mean. Now pick your jaw up off the floor. This overrepresentation of Caucasian men and under-representation of everyone else is not because photographic talent is a skill that is SOLELY POSSESSED by Caucasian men. It also is not because they are the ONLY people that purchase cameras. My personal belief is that it is either an organizational culture or individual bias that allows Camera Brands to preferentially pick one group rather than representation that reflects their entire customer base. Now, my camera Luther, he is a child of Fuji. He is a beauty and when we work together he listens to me and does exactly what I have asked of him. Unlike Luther, his parent company FujiFilm seems not to be even aware someone like me exists let alone has something valuable to say. So, fortunately or unfortunately for FujiFilm, I will be hounding them asking for representation as a Black Woman. Y’all should do the same thing with your respective camera brands (Call, Email, DM, comment & Tag). I’m sharing the following image on social media of my Black Lady hand holding Luther to show Fuji that I am one of their many under-represented photographers. I invite you to all do the same; post a picture of your camera with your hand in the frame. Be sure to tag your Camera Company and use the tag #UnderrepresentedPhotographer. . My white photographer hubby suggested #NotAWhiteMalePhotographer....we laughed and laughed, and then sanity and political correctness prevailed.
