CANON FUTURE FOCUS

Future Focus connects photography and filmmaking students to the professional community. Join the community to hear about the Canon Student Development Programme and upcoming opportunities launching later this year.

Canon Student Development Programme

Advance your career and take the next step to becoming a pro photographer with the Canon Student Development Programme.
Canon Student Development Programme

Activities coming later this year

Canon Future Focus is growing. Check here for updates about our events calendar.

Events calendar

We’ll help you discover photography and film making events happening near you. Launching soon.

CANON STUDENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 2024

Applications for the 2024 programme are now closed. Sign up to receive the latest updates, discover this year’s finalists and hear when 2025 applications will open.

The student programme focused on making you a professional

Find out more about our exclusive Canon student discounts, to help you take the leap into the pro world.

Canon student discounts

The right kit can help turn your vision into reality. Save money on Canon equipment and accessories.

Success story

Discover Ksenia Kuleshova’s experiences of the Canon Student Development Programme. Learn how Ksenia became not only a professional photographer but also a Canon Ambassador, capturing inspirational and compelling stories worldwide.
Canon Future Focus editorial with Ksenia Kuleshova

Be a part of the community

Get the most out of our student programme with access to mentorships, portfolio reviews, exclusive discounts and live event calendars by joining the Canon Future Focus community.

Learn from the pros themselves and sharpen your skills with our in-depth editorial articles.

Best cameras and lenses for photojournalism

Looking forward to your first assignment as a photojournalist? Our experts explain the best kit to get you started in documentary photography.

Challenges facing young photojournalists

Explore key challenges facing photojournalists today, from generative AI to mental health, with insights from the Canon Student Development Programme.

Meet the 2024 CSDP winners

This year's winners of the Canon Student Development Programme reveal how it has benefited and stretched them.

CSDP: documentary photographers of tomorrow

Presenting an opportunity for photojournalism students, the Canon Student Development Programme opens doors as well as minds.

Freelance or staff? How to make a living as a photojournalist

Acclaimed photojournalist Brent Stirton offers his advice on building a career in the competitive world of photojournalism.

Building a winning photography portfolio

Four industry pros share their tips on preparing the perfect photography portfolio – from building a narrative to presenting your work.

Canon Student Development Programme: what I learned

Thinking about applying for the Canon Student Development Programme? Five students from the 2022 cohort share their tips for making the most of it.

What's in a pro's kitbag? – Canon Europe

Fashion and portrait photographer Emmanuel Oyeleke reveals what's in his kitbag and explains how its contents have evolved during his career.

How to make a standout showreel

Wildlife filmmaker Roxy Furman offers her tips on how to promote your work with a powerful video showreel.

Best cameras and lenses for photojournalism

Looking forward to your first assignment as a photojournalist? Our experts explain the best kit to get you started in documentary photography.

Canon L-series RF lenses and what you can achieve with them

Find out what makes L-series RF lenses extra luxurious, and enjoy our inspirational gallery of some of the best images shot on them.

Tips for photographing wildlife

Pro Dani Connor shares her best advice for industry success with an aspiring young wildlife photographer.

How to pitch for work: insights from the industry

Photography can be a difficult career to break into, but these seven tips from experts can help you ace your pitch and land the job.

The best Canon kit for students: stills and video

What's the best Canon kit for students? Canon Ambassadors and product experts advise on still and video cameras, lenses and printers.

Michele Spatari: from photography student to professional

News photographer Michele Spatari talks about the Canon Student Development Programme and how it kick-started his career.

Concept to edit: how to plan and execute a fashion shoot

Canon Ambassador Evely Duis guides budding pro Killian Jouffroy through his first professional fashion shoot.

Best kit for aspiring pros

Three Canon Ambassadors discuss the best cameras and lenses for those starting out in the industry.

Challenges facing young photojournalists

Explore key challenges facing photojournalists today, from generative AI to mental health, with insights from the Canon Student Development Programme.

Making a name in the film world

Three rising stars in the film industry share how they built their brands and platforms, from seeking mentorship through to developing a unique style.

The student photographer covering the Congo's unseen stories

Guerchom Ndebo's homeland has been under-represented in the media. At just 22 years old, he's changing that, shooting for the likes of Getty Images and AFP.

Learning to hone your photographic style

Acclaimed documentary photographer and recent graduate Bebe Blanco Agterberg on finding her professional voice.

Give your printed portfolio a professional edge

Even on a student budget, you can stand out from the crowd with a printed portfolio that does full justice to your photographic skills.

How to pitch to photo editors – insider tips

Want to get published? Three professional photo editors reveal the dos and don'ts of successful story pitching.

Experts share how to impress with your photography portfolio

A top magazine editor provides her tips on preparing the perfect photography portfolio, from the images you choose to the design of the portfolio itself.

Students’ views on the future of photojournalism

The next generation of photojournalists met Magnum photographers at Visa pour l’Image and shared their hopes and plans for their futures.

Pro business advice for breaking into photojournalism

Leading photojournalists and photo editors share their tips for making a career in the industry.

How to keep audiences captivated

How does photojournalism tell a story, and how can you create dynamic stories? Leading experts share their know-how.

How important is video to a future photojournalist?

With demand for video ever growing, how do the next generation of photojournalists feel about its creative uses and their ability to shoot it?

Photojournalists debate: what's keeping women out?

At the Visa Pour l’Image photojournalism festival, three Canon Female Photojournalist Award winners discuss the barriers women face.

When subjects become the storytellers: Unfiltered

How Canon and the ICRC's Unfiltered project gives people in unstable areas the tools and training to tell their own stories through photography.

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