In the interest of creating a more diverse and inclusive brand, Fujifilm has announced some changes to its “X-Photographer” ambassador program. These include the creation of a new “Creator Website,” plans to add 10 diverse new photographers to the roster, and the creation of a transparent process by which photographers can “get on the path” to becoming an ambassador.
The plan was published on the Fujifilm-X website yesterday; an update of sorts on how Fuji is attempting to create a brand that is “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,” reads the announcement. “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.”
Fuji plans to achieve this in three ways. First and foremost, the company will establish the FUJIFILM Creator Website by August 2020. This will be a “central location” where people will be able to learn all about the various Fuji Creators and Fuji X-Photographers currently in the program, and read instructions on how to become an ambassador themselves.
Secondly, they’re de-mystifying the process of actually becoming an ambassador, which is broken out into three tiers: Fujifilm Collaborator, Fujifilm Creator, and Fujifilm X-Photographer. Instructions on how to become a Collaborator will be included on the aforementioned FUJIFILM Creator Website, essentially allowing anybody who qualifies to apply. From that point on, you can work your way up the ranks, applying to become a Fujifilm Creator, and then ultimately applying for the chance to become an official X-Photographer, a role that can only be held for 4 years before a new photographer “rotates” in.
Finally, the last step will be to expand the X-Photographer program by choosing 10 new ambassadors who will make the group “more diverse and representative of our whole community” and bring the total number of Fuji X-Photographers to 26. These 10 will be chosen from the “initial group” of Fujifilm Creators. Applications will open September 1st, and all 10 of the new X-Photographers will be unveiled on October 1st.
You can find more details about Fujifilm’s plans here, but that’s all we know for now. We expect to find out more about the application process in August when the Creator Website officially launches. As Fuji says in the announcement, “changes take time,” but it sounds like the company has come up with a detailed plan on how those changes will come about.
It really all started back at the end of 2014 when after a hefty dose of seasonal depression, I decided to revamp my creative life. I felt that I was wasting time and spinning my tires and not really getting anywhere. I rarely shot the things that I was most passionate about and was stuck in this business shooting portraits, weddings, and headshots. Put shortly, I was burnt out on photography.
I was also new to Michigan and I needed to find a community. That’s where instagram came in. Now I was #691 to sign up for instagram when it launched way back in 2009. A photographer named Cole Rise that I greatly admired had been beta testing and teasing it, and as soon as it was available, I was on it. I used it, as most did at the time, as a place for selfies, food photos, and BTS of my actual photo work. I never posted work from a camera, for some reason it just seemed like a no-no. So it mostly sat dormant, I would upload here and there, but I figured that it was as good a place as any to really start putting my best creative foot forward.
Fuji Has two fuji sponsored X photographers that are known infringers
Here are some details
//stopstealingphotos.com/fay-andrea-london-england-united-kingdom/
their X photographer page
//fujifilm-x.com/photographers/en/fay_andrea_02/#01
their website
//www.fayandrea.co.uk
their blog
//fayandrea.wordpress.com
I thought for sure they would drop them like a hot potato as soon as they were notified. To find out otherwise, and to be ignored… well… It’s more than a little disappointing.
Nikon Removed one of their ambassadors when it was found out that he was a plagiarist. No photos stolen, WORDS and they dropped him. Why? Because he is an educator (just like these two claim to be) and held to a higher standard and Nikon has integrity, ethics, and knows it has both a moral obligation and a business obligation to make sure they represent themselves professionally to their customers. Why doesn't Fuji feel the same way. Where is their moral compass? Good business ethics? IT's almost embarrassing. and I feel for all the legit photographers that were sought out to represent the Fuji brand because now they are associated with a company that allows infringers to be a part of what they THOUGHT was an elite group.