To kick off October, Canon has announced that they have added five more photographers to the Explorers of Light program.

Members of Canonā€™s Explorers of Light program have shared their knowledge and vision with the photography community for more than 25 years. As photography has evolved over the years, so has this program. They are embracing new talent with new perspectives while still honoring the masters before them.

Meet the new Canon Explorers of Light

Lara Jade: Fashion, beauty

Lara Jade is a British born fashion photographer and educator based in New York City. She started her career as a self-portrait photographer and eventually found her feet in the fashion and beauty world. She is inspired by feminine strength, unique beauty and timeless style.

Thoughts on Photography: ā€œFashion photography isnā€™t just about selling a product ā€” itā€™s much more than that. You strive to capture iconic imagery and be a convincing storyteller no matter the project. There are so many elements that have to be right to create a successful and memorable fashion image!ā€

Lynsey Weatherspoon: Portrait, editorial

Lynsey Weatherspoon is a portrait and editorial photographer based in Atlanta and Birmingham. The fingerprint of heritage can be found on assignments and personal projects featuring Black Lives Matter, Gullah Geechee culture, unsung players in the Negro Baseball League and the last of a dying breed ā€” a shoe cobbler.

Her work has been exhibited at The African American Museum in Philadelphia and Photoville NYC. She is an awardee, The Lit List, 2018. Her affiliations include Diversify Photo, Authority Collective, and Women Photograph.

Thoughts on Photography: ā€œAs a photographer and artist, my priority is to archive the moment when someone realized that they were making a difference through their lifeā€™s journey and telling their story. Images can be described in such a way that it affects the hearts of those who see them. In that instance, the purpose of being a photographer comes full circle.ā€

Kahran & Regis Bethencourt (CreativeSoul): Cultural storytellers

World-renowned child photographers, Regis and Kahran Bethencourt are a husband and wife duo and the imaginative forces behind Atlanta, GA-based CreativeSoul Photography. The pair gained global recognition with their AfroArt series. The collection, which showcases the beauty and versatility of afro hair, was conceived as a way to empower kids of color around the world.

The couple recently authored the coffee table book, ā€œGloryā€ which brings to life past, present and future visions of black culture. With more than eleven years of working with hundreds of children, families and brands, they specialize in child and lifestyle photography while incorporating authentic visual storytelling.

Thoughts on Photography: ā€œAs artists, we are constantly responding to the world around us. We don’t want to just question traditional standards of beauty ā€” we want to shatter them.ā€

Atiba Jefferson: Sports, culture and portraits

Atiba Jefferson is an American photographer. Born in Colorado Springs he grew up skateboarding there then moved to California in 1995. He now is lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. He is best known for his 25 years of skateboarding photography.

Over the years Atiba has worked for all the major skateboard publications and now works at Thrasher Magazine. He has a deep history in basketball and was a staff photographer for the LA Lakers during the Shaq and Kobe years. Antiba has also shot more SLAM magazine covers than any other photographer. Other subjects include music and just life in general.

Thoughts on Photography: ā€œWhat I love the most about photography is the moment in time you capture that will never happen again. Itā€™s magic. I also believe you are only as good as your subject so Iā€™m so honored when people allow me to take their photograph. I see pictures everywhere I look. Photography is in my blood, which means I havenā€™t really worked a single day in 25 years.ā€

Click here for samples of their work and the other Canon Explorers of Light.

Congratulations to them all on becoming Canon Explorers of Light!