As we continue our journey to be more representative of our community, we would like to take this opportunity to bring you up to speed with what we are doing with our X-Photographer program and how we are structurally changing it to be more open to aspiring image makers. We believe that having a diverse range of ambassadors is important and expect these changes to lay the foundation for how we will continue to offer opportunities to image makers from our community for generations to come.
Changes take time, but this transformation will begin with the addition of the U.S. FUJIFILM Creator Website, which we expect to launch in August, 2020, as well as an expansion of our X-Photographer program to give opportunities to more U.S. based image makers.
We intend to make the new FUJIFILM Creator website the central location for our audience to meet all of our photography and filmmaking ambassadors. It will be located front and center at http://www.fujifilm-x.com and will be the foundation of how we will change our X-Photographer program moving forward. This new website will be a place where fans can see a collective body of work from the FUJIFILM Creators and FUJIFILM X-Photographers alike, and a place for aspiring image makers to learn how they can get on the path to becoming a Fujifilm ambassador as well.
We truly have an incredible community of talented and passionate image makers and are proud to offer a place to feature and showcase them and also inspire new individuals to join their ranks with Fujifilm.
If you are a photographer or filmmaker interested in working with Fujifilm, the first step is to become a FUJIFILM Collaborator. Read on to learn how.
But what is a FUJIFILM Collaborator?
With few exceptions, any image maker who wants to work with us will start by first becoming a FUJIFILM Collaborator. This introduction allows us to collectively begin collaborating on ideas and helps us lay the foundation for a successful, long-term working relationship. At this stage, you most likely will not work with us on large campaigns or product launches, but we will endeavor to find projects to do with you that can be featured on our social and digital channels. The most important thing about being a FUJIFILM Collaborator is that it will help you learn how to work with the FUJIFILM brand, allow you to see what having a professional relationship with us could look like, and ultimately help you take the next steps towards becoming a successful FUJIFILM Creator.
Budget, timing, and creative vision are always factors in being selected to collaborate with us, but we will review applications and select new collaborators every six months to give new image makers a chance to work with us in our FUJIFILM Collaborators program. You can find out more on how to become a FUJIFILM Collaborator on the FUJIFILM Creator Website beginning in August, 2020.
Once you are a FUJIFILM Collaborator, the next professional milestone within our photographer alliance programs that is available is the FUJIFILM Creator program.
What’s a FUJIFILM Creator?
We choose individuals from this exceptionally talented group to work on high-visibility product launches and large campaigns. FUJIFILM Creators will also have a dedicated presence on our FUJIFILM Creator website to showcase their body of work captured with FUJIFILM X-Series and GFX System products.
This collective group of creatives, specializing in a wide range of photographic disciplines, has mastered the skill of making images. More importantly, this special group has a passion for giving back to the photographic community by educating, mentoring, and/or advocating for those around them.
We truly believe that the collective, creative curiosity and goodwill of the creative image makers in our FUJIFILM Creators program will uniquely advance the image-making community.
How do I become a FUJIFILM Creator?
To advance to FUJIFILM Creator, you’ll need to have the following:
After a successful run as a FUJIFILM Creator, you will have the opportunity to join the exclusive ranks as a FUJIFILM X-Photographer.
What’s a FUJIFILM X-Photographer?
Selected from the best of our FUJIFILM Creators, X-Photographers will be chosen not only for the images they make, but also for their contributions to the community. Each X-Photographer class will be for a maximum period of 4 years, giving greater opportunities for new talent to have their turn.
How do I become a FUJIFILM X-Photographer?
Any FUJIFILM Creator may apply to be an X-Photographer. Beginning in 2024, any existing FUJIFILM Creator may apply for consideration to be selected as part of the next X-Photographer class. These individuals will be selected by a group composed of Fujifilm staff, the outgoing X-Photographers class of photographer peers, and third-party reviewers, to represent the prestigious FUJIFILM X-Photographer program for the next four years. FUJIFILM Creators are eligible to apply for and be selected to multiple terms, so long as the terms they are selected for are not contiguous.
What does this mean for the X-Photographer program today?
We understand the need to show action and progress in the short-term in making our X-Photographer program more inclusive
As a result, we will add 10 photographers to our X-Photographer roster through the process below to make the group more diverse and representative of our whole community.
Once we have our newest additions to the X-Photographer ranks, we will collectively kick off our new process of rotating new photographers into the program every four years.
What happens to the current existing group of X-Photographers in the U.S.?
Changes like this are not possible without collaboration, and our existing group of X-Photographers have done an incredible job of partnering with us to make the X-Photographer program more diverse and inclusive.
As noted, we will be adding 10 new, diverse photographers to our existing group of X-Photographers. A total of 26 individuals will make up our X-Photographers in the U.S. Ultimately, as X-Photographers rotate in and out of their four year terms, their profile pages on our FUJIFILM Creator Website will be updated to reflect their time in the program. Once your term as an X-Photographer is over, you will still be able to proudly identify yourself as an acclaimed, prior X-Photographer, subject to certain continuing requirements.
We hope you are as excited as we are about all the possibilities!
We realize this is a lot of information, and you may have questions. Please check out our website on or about August 1, 2020 for more information. If you still have questions after that, please email your questions to photographerinquiriesusa@fujifilm.com or send them via direct message on any of our social channels and we will try to get back with you.
We remain committed to ensuring that our FUJFIILM Collaborator, FUJIFILM Creator, and FUJIFILM X-Photographer programs remain open, diverse, and composed of the best the photographic image industry has to offer. We look forward to working with you soon!
Sincerely,
FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Electronic Imaging Division & FUJIFILM X-Photographers U.S.A Team
via Fujifilm
