As photographers, whether professional or amateur, we all know cameras have been an important vehicle to communicate the real and present state of our planet.
Canon is one of the world’s best known brands, and a world-leading provider of imaging products and services. However, as revealed in an expose in February 2022, Canon has two faces; while branding itself as an environmentally-friendly and socially responsible company, it has created a think tank, the Canon Institute for Global Studies (CIGS), which is a platform for climate denial.
Just like the cameras they create, we believe Canon can play a powerful role in driving climate action, both through positive advocacy to the government and by living up to its own corporate philosophy of “kyosei” (living and working together for the common good).
With our love for the planet, we call on Canon to take action and join us in a fight to tackle the climate crisis. We ask Canon to withdraw support for CIGS, until publications by its research directors denying the science of climate change are withdrawn from sale, and to make a public statement that it in no way endorses the anti-science and pro-fossil fuel views of the think tank.
“Canon, time to focus on the future. End climate denial now.”
Billboard photographed on 22nd March at Times Square, 1560 Broadway, New York
In this spirit, we decided to hold the Cameras Don’t Lie climate photo competition 2023. This competition aimed to harness the creativity of photographers around the world to challenge Canon to be the sustainable company it markets itself as.
Photographers see how the climate crisis is impacting the environment around them and how local communities are dealing with it through their camera lenses, and proved that cameras don’t lie about what is truly happening to the world. Whether it’s a photograph of drought, floods or other climate disasters, or how people are acting to reverse rising temperatures, they want the world – and Canon – to see it.
We are proud to announce that we have received more than 180 entries from over 30 countries around the world, urging Canon to end support for climate change denial and delay.
After careful consideration, the judging panel has chosen 10 finalists and 1 winner. The winning image was also displayed on a Times Square billboard, ahead of Canon’s annual shareholder meeting to pressure the camera company to publicly respond.
Winner
Finalists
Marcin Zajac
Yosemite National Park
Patrick Perkins
Corona Heights and downtown San Francisco in the background
Marie Abe
Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japana
César David Martínez
El Cerrejón: Papayal – Barrancas – Hatonuevo minning complex. La Guajira – Colombia
Hisayuki Tsuchiya
Amamioshima Island Japan
Satyaki Acharya
Kolkata, India
Wai Maung
Nyaung Oo Township, Mandalay Region, Myanmar
Katherine Cheng
Presqu’ile Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada
Kazuaki Koseki
The 9th station of Mt. Zao on the border of Yamagata and Miyagi Prefectures
Kanade Endo
Lake Abashiri Hokkaido, Japan
Jury
Supporters
To further our reach and get this important message out to the world we will be launching a hashtag campaign #CamerasDontLie, inviting everyone to join us in calling on Canon for action by posting images and comments about nature, environment or any climate crisis related issues.
#CamerasDontLie
