VII MENTOR PROGRAM

The VII Mentor Program provides a structured professional environment for emerging new talents in the industry. The program – the first of its kind – was launched by VII Photo Agency in 2008 and is now managed by VII Academy. This hybrid program pairs ten selected visual journalists with experienced VII Photo contributing photographers. The VII Mentor Program has nurtured the careers of many visual journalists who have become leading practitioners.  

2023-24 VII Mentees

Kurdistan, Iran

Cairo, Egypt

Tbilisi, Georgia

New Delhi, India

Bosnia-Herzegovina

Athens, Greece

VII Mentor Program 2022-23

Kashmir, India

Mexico City, Mexico

Kolkata, India

Manila, Philippines

Lagos, Nigeria

Tripoli, Iran

Jakarta, Indonesia

Casablanca, Morocco

Belgrade, Serbia

Tabriz, Iran

Leica Women Foto Project x VII Mentor Program

In the 2022-23 VII Mentor Program cohort, three mentees were sponsored by Leica USA through the Leica Woman Foto Project initiative.

Minneapolis, USA

New York City, USA

New York City, USA

VII Mentor Program 2008-2023

Agnes Dherbeys (2008-2011), Benedicte Kurzen (2008-2010), Maciek Nabrdalik (2008-2010)*, Adam Ferguson (2009-2010), Anastasia Taylor-Lind (2009-2011), Don McNeill Healy (2009-2011), Giulio di Sturco (2009-2011), Erin Trieb (2010-2013), Giovanni Cocco (2010-2013), Ilana Panich-Linsman (2010-2011), Peter DiCampo (2010-2011), Tanyth Berkeley (2010-2011), Amanda Rivkin (2011-2013), Chi Yin Sim (2011-2013), Jost Franko (2011-2013), Laura El Tantawy (2011-2013), Mikolaj Nowacki (2011-2013), Nafis Ahmed (2011-2013), Ali Arkady (2014-2020), Arthur Bondar (2014-2016), Cristobal Olivares (2014-2016), Maika Elan (2014-2016), Poulomi Basu (2014-2016), Arnau Bach (2016-2018), Esa Ylijaasko (2016-2018), Linda Bournane Engelberth (2016-2018)* , Luisa Dörr (2016-2018), Mojgan Ghanbari (2016-2018), Chris Lee (2018-2020), Esther Ruth Mbabazi (2018-2020), Fabiola Ferrero (2018-2020), Hector Guerrero (2018-2020), Leonardo Carrato (2018-2020)*, Line Ørnes Søndergaard (2018-2020), Mathias Svold (2018-2020), Sharon Castellanos (2018-2020), Valentina Sinis (2018-2020), Forough Alaei (2019-2022), Fred Ramos (2019-2022), Nolan Ryan Trowe (2019-2022), Prin Rodriguez (2019-2022), Swarat Ghosh (2019-2022), Taha Ahmad (2019-2022), Zinyange Auntony (2019-2022), Debsuddha (2021-2023), Farshid Tighehsaz (2021-2023), Grace Ekpu (2021-2023), Joshua Irwandi (2021-2023), Juan Pablo Ampudia (2021-2023), Kimberly dela Cruz (2021-2023), Marko Risovic (2021-2023), M’hammed Kilito (2021-2023)*, Nada Harib (2021-2023), Sharafat Ali (2021-2023), Brooklyn Kascel (Leica Women Foto Project x VII Mentor Program 2022-2023), Jackie Molloy (Leica Women Foto Project x VII Mentor Program 2022-2023), Natalie Neuhaus (Leica Women Foto Project x VII Mentor Program 2022-2023).

(*) Indicates that the individual is now a VII Photo contributing photographer. 

VII Mentor Program Tearsheets