For the first time in 25 years, a Quebec photographer is one of the winners of the prestigious World Press Photo competition. Documentary photographer Charles-Frédérick Ouellet was rewarded for his photo A Day in the Life of a Quebec Fire Crewpublished in The Globe and Mail.
His photo taken during the summer 2023 forest fires was recognized in the Unique Images category for the North and Central America region. “This image resonates like a long silence, far from the world of human beings. It evokes this moment when we realize that we are an integral part of the ecosystem, that our survival depends on our understanding of nature,” underlines Charles-Frédérick Ouellet, in a press release.
The photo will be part of the World Press Photo Montréal exhibition, which will be held at Marché Bonsecours from August 28 to October 14.
After Roger Lemoyne in 1999, Charles-Frédérick Ouellet becomes the second Quebecer to stand out in this prestigious photography competition.