@simonbruty’s journey to becoming a #CanonExplorerOfLight: “Documenting the story of soccer in Zambia began for me with an assignment. In 1993 the entire national soccer team died in a plane crash whilst attempting to qualify for a world competition. I traveled there to capture how Zambians chose to recover from such a tragedy. In going I feared I would be looking at ghosts but instead I found resilience, honor, and a love of the game that united the country. I went back in 2016 to update the story and while I was traveling, I saw these young men playing in a field. The beauty of Africa, the simplicity of sport, the camaraderie of the players all came together for me in this photograph, an extension of the moments I saw twenty years earlier when the children played in the dirt, a handmade ball of string being passed between their feet.
The spark I felt when I went to my first exhibition in London as a teenager – some people call it the power of a photograph – is what started my career. Looking at those images taught me that good was not good enough. During my first job I was lucky enough to find mentors, colleagues, and competition. Sporting events and weekly games comprise a large part of my work, but I have also had the good fortune to work on more in-depth stories like the Zambian soccer story, and portraits. All along the way I have always used Canon cameras and lenses. To be invited into the Explorer of Light program is recognition, yes, but it is also the chance to be a part of a community, one that can help, inspire, and mentor, as I was.”
Image 1
📸 #Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
Lens: EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
Image 2
Credit: Simon Bruty/Getty Images
📸 #Canon F-1
Lens: FD 400mm f/2.8L
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