Melville, NY—Nikon Inc. added 10 visual artists representing a diverse variety of disciplines to its Nikon USA Ambassadors program. These individuals all share Nikon’s commitment to advancing the imaging industry through innovation, education and pushing the boundaries of creativity, the company announced.
“We are extremely proud of how the Nikon USA Ambassadors program has grown since its creation. And we are excited to announce these 10 new members, each of whom show an unparalleled desire to advance the photography industry as well as contribute to its overall growth,” said Michael Corrado, senior manager for Professional Photographer Relations and Marketing Business Development, Nikon Inc.
The new Ambassadors represent a mix of shooting styles and subject matter. They range from filmmaking, sports, travel, portrait, maternity, weddings, conflict and more. With the addition of these professionals, the program now includes 33 members, each bringing their unique style and perspective. Each of these elite photographers embody the philosophy of Nikon’s Ambassador program, which is to empower creatives through education and inspiration, while working directly with Nikon to communicate valuable insights of the evolving industry.
Nikon’s Newest USA Ambassadors
Stacy Pearsall
Conflict photographer and U.S. military veteran Stacy Pearsall is an author, educator, military consultant and public speaker. She is also the founder of the Veterans Portrait project. The project honors and thanks military veterans in the United States through portrait photography.
Pearsall is the only woman to have won the Military Photographer of the Year award twice. Moreover, she authored two books, Shooter: Combat from Behind the Camera and A Photojournalist’s Field Guide: In the Trenches with Combat Photographer Stacy Pearsall. She is also recognized for her work with Charlie, her trusty sidekick and service dog.
Jen Rozenbaum
Portrait and boudoir photographer Jen Rozenbaum is known for her dedication to helping women discover and celebrate their femininity. An educator, entrepreneur and public speaker, Rozenbaum is also the founder of Jenerations.
The New York-based boudoir photography studio aims to coach and inspire up-and-coming photographers, as well as help women embrace authenticity and vulnerability.
Rod Mar
Seattle-based Rod Mar is an acclaimed sports and action shooter. Furthermore, he is the photographer for his city’s professional football team. Mar has photographed many major sporting events in the U.S., as well as numerous international competitions for major clients.
His clients include the most popular sports publications. He is also a lecturer and workshop leader for seminars across the U.S. and Canada.
Deborah Sandidge
Sandidge is a professional photographer specializing in world travel and artistic imagery. As an educator, workshop instructor, public speaker and author, Sandidge strives to help individuals and future photographers connect to the world around them.
She is also the author of Digital Infrared Photography and a contributor to Shutterbug magazine.
Chris Hershman
A Chicago-based filmmaker and photographer, Chris Hershman is also a musician. His creative content focuses on live music acts and performances. In addition, his work has been featured in many notable publications and outlets.
Hershman’s unique storytelling style has been leveraged by a great number of artists. Moreover, it has generated an extensive portfolio that includes work for various popular bands and musicians in the U.S. and throughout the world.
Kristi Odom
Photographer Kristi Odom’s impressive portfolio ranges from weddings to wildlife photography and everything in between. As a motivational speaker, educator and professional photographer,
Odom has won more than 60 international photography awards. These included two Nature’s Best Photography awards and 26 Fearless Awards. In addition, her work has been featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as well as a variety of popular print and online publications.
Keith Ladzinski
Starting out as a young skateboard photographer in the 1990s, Colorado-based Keith Ladzinski is now a professional photographer and videographer. His content primarily focuses on natural history, extreme sports and advertising.
Moreover, he has worked on multimedia assignments around the world for various clients. They include numerous television programs as well as major consumer and technology brands. As an accomplished filmmaker, Ladzinski and his partners at 3 Strings Productions have produced more than 20 films.
Julia Kelleher
Portrait photographer and educator Julia Kelleher is the founder and owner of Jewel Images Portrait Design. The boutique portrait studio based in Bend, Oregon, specializes in maternity, newborn, child and family photography.
After working for a Portland news affiliate for six years as an on-air anchor and reporter, Kelleher left television news to pursue photography full-time. Furthermore, she is a Professional Photographers of America International Silver Medalist and Gold Level Photographer of the Year award winner.
Charmi Pena
A New Jersey-based wedding and portrait photographer, Charmi Pena specializes in the elaborate beauty of Indian weddings and maternity photography.
After studying economics and IT, she rerouted her professional career to embrace her love for photography, in hopes of highlighting tradition and modernity. Her work has been published in major newspapers as well as multiple prestigious wedding publications.
Todd Owyoung
Music photographer Todd Owyoung is based in New York. He specializes in musical lifestyle, musician and celebrity portraits as well as concert photography.
Owyoung has worked with a diverse array of clients and international brands. In addition, his work is regularly featured in a variety of major news and lifestyle publications.
To learn about all of Nikon’s USA Ambassadors, visit nikonusa.com/ambassador.
