To promote its new camera, Nikon enlisted 32 professional photographers from Australia, South Africa, Southeast Asia, and West Asia to test out the D850’s capabilities. All 32 of them are men. Photographers of all genders were quick to call out the camera manufacturer’s astounding omission.
“Where are the WOMEN?! Silly question I guess,” Canadian photographer Jennifer Yamagata tweeted. “Without a penis whatever would we use to press the shutter release? #fail” Daniella Zalcman, the photojouranlist who created the online database Women Photograph, told the New York Times: “We’re here. We’re working. We exist.”
In its official response, Nikon’s Asian division — which had recruited the all-male cabal of camera-testers — once again struck a tone-deaf note.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We really appreciate the support from our photography community. pic.twitter.com/e78qp4Q08a
— Nikon Asia (@NikonAsia) September 13, 2017
In a somewhat more apologetic statement to the New York Times, the Tokyo-based company owned up to its oversight.
“This unfortunate circumstance is not reflective of the value we place on female photographers and their enormous contributions to the field of photography,” Nikon stated. The Times notes that in its 2016 annual report, the company acknowledged that it needed to prioritize the “promotion of women’s empowerment.”
One year later, that doesn’t seem to be much of a priority.
