Canon celebrates works of rally photojournalists in new book

Global imaging company Canon and Nation Media Group have partnered to produce a colourful coffee table book celebrating Kenyan rallying.

The 44-page, full colour, hardcover book features the works of four sports photojournalists – Anwar Sidi, Mwangi “Mwarv” Kirubi, Alvin Kibet and Sila Kiplagat.

Sidi is a long-time Nation Media Group (NMG) photographer while Kiplagat, the 2022 Kenyan Photographer of the Year, is also in the NMG stable.

The book features images by the four photographers drawn from last year’s WRC Safari Rally and this year’s East African Safari Classic Rally.

Canon provided professional services at last year’s WRC Safari Rally and are back again this year, also offering master class training for motorsports photojournalists, in collaboration with NMG, as a build-up to this year’s WRC Safari Rally that runs from June 23 to 26.

The first master class was held last weekend with the second planned for Friday at Nation Centre.

“Collaboration is more than just a word for us at Canon, rather a deeply rooted value that’s embedded in each activity, association, or action,” Amine Djouahra, Canon’s Sales and Marketing Director for Central and North Africa, says in his foreword for the coffee table book.

“Collaboration is the impetus that pushes us to transcend borders with creativity, innovation, and imagination. The philosophy of ‘Kyosei’ – a Japanese term meaning living and working together for the common good underscores all our efforts and initiatives at Canon.

“As part of this collaboration with Nation Media Group Ltd., a leading media house in Kenya and East Africa, we are capturing the world of sports photography that is truly an intuitive experience, by showcasing and bringing to life the splendid works of four talented Kenyan sports photographers, Anwar Sidi, Alvin Kibet, Mwangi Kirubi and Sila Kiplagat,” he adds.

“The World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally is one of the most recognizable athletic events in Kenya, as we all know. Sports photographers in Kenya are thrilled that it has returned after a lengthy absence.

“For us, it's even more exciting to preserve the Safari Rally's rich heritage by using our cutting-edge technology to bring this exhilarating sport to life.

“The World Rally Championship is an opportunity to showcase to you the capabilities of our revolutionary imaging technology where fleeting moments in time are captured on camera in ways that you never thought were possible.”

Djouahra notes that Canon has prioritized educating Kenyans about sports photography and the preservation of the WRC legacy for future generations, hence the publication of the coffee table book that celebrates the four photojournalists.

One of the featured photojournalists, Kibet, is also a drone pilot and specializes in rally photography alongside wildlife and landscape.

Sidi is a veteran of the trade, having contributed to the Daily Nation for close to four decades.

Sidi’s work has also been published in leading magazines and websites such as Autosport, Rally Sport, Motoring News, Rally Course, Bulletin alongside Reuters and AP news agencies. He is also the Media Safety and Route Liaison Manager at WRC Safari Rally.

Kirubi is a storyteller at heart and conveys messages through photography and film. He has won several awards for his photography and film-making that focus on Africa.

Kiplagat was recently named 2022 Kenya Photojournalist of the Year at the Media Council of Kenya awards gala. He also won the China Kenya Relation award (2021) and is attached to Nation Sport.

The four photojournalists are also lead resource persons at the Canon/NMG motorsports photojournalism master class sessions.