Five Winners from Over 6,000 Entrants will Receive Funding, Mentorship, Camera Gear and More
SAN DIEGO — Nov. 14, 2018 — Sony Electronics Inc. today announced the winners of its Alpha Female Creator-in-Residence Program Contest, one of the flagship initiatives in the Company’s recently introduced “Be Alpha” campaign.
The Alpha Female initiative is Sony’s response to the imaging industry’s well-documented challenges with diversity and is focused exclusively on providing opportunities for women creators to advance their careers. The Alpha Female Creator-in-Residence Program Contest awards five winners a six-month grant of $25,000 in funds , $5,000 in Sony digital imaging product allowance, a mentorship pairing with one of Sony’s high-profile Artisans of Imagery and much more.
“Women make up the majority of the U.S. and Canadian populations and yet are significantly under-represented in the professional imaging field,” said Jennifer Geddy, head of digital marketing at Sony Electronics. “The Alpha Female initiative provides a pathway to empowering more women photographers and videographers through a combination of mentorship and financial support. Efforts such as the Alpha Female initiative help expand the industry’s pool of gifted and diverse creators and raise the bar for everyone. We are extremely excited to welcome our talented Alpha Female winners and look forward to collaborating with them.”
Judged as winners from more than 6,000 entrants, the Alpha Female Creators-in-Residence are:
Megan Allen: A wedding photographer from Ohio, Megan’s goal is to create photos that make you stop in your tracks for a moment in time. Megan’s mentor will be Artisan of Imagery Sara France. Learn more about Megan at choosestudio22.com.
Danielle Da Silva: Currently living in Toronto, Danielle is a storyteller, conservationist, scholar, activist speaker, and the founder of Photographers Without Borders. Danielle’s mentor will be Artisan of Imagery Cristina Mittermeier. You can learn more on Danielle at danielledasilva.com.
Erin Hogue: An adventure and lifestyle artist living in Vancouver, Erin focuses on capturing the impossible. Erin’s mentor will be Artisan of Imagery Brooke Shaden. Discover Erin’s work at @erinhogue.
Nitashia Johnson: An educator and portrait photographer from Texas, Nitashia’s passion is currently focused on developing a community-based media arts program for high school teens. Nitashia’s mentor will be Artisan of Imagery Me Ra Koh. Learn more about Nitashia at nitashiajohnson.com.
Colette Robinson: Collette is a photographer and creative focused on stop motion graphics and living in Northern California. Colette’s mentor will be Artisan of Imagery Caroline Jensen. You can learn more about Colette at coletterobinson.com.
To follow the journeys of all five winners throughout the program, please visit www.alphauniverse.com/alpha-female
In addition to the Alpha Female Creators in Residence grant program, Sony will support several female-backed and focused events that aim to push progress for diversity in photography and filmmaking as part of the Alpha Female initiative. The Company will also be funding several additional projects by female creators.
Additional content related to Sony’s Be Alpha campaign, including articles, videos and events, can be found at alphauniverse.com/BeAlpha
