History
This agency was conceived by Gary Knight and John Stanmeyer in Stanmeyer's house in Hong Kong in 1999, shortly after they both left the photo agency SABA Press Photos which had been sold by its proprietor Marcel Saba to Corbis. Knight and Stanmeyer worked with James Waite and Jay Connors to build the framework of the agency.
VII was officially launched at the Visa Pour l'Image Photo Festival in Perpignan, France on September 7, 2001 by Alexandra Boulat, Ron Haviv, Gary Knight, Antonin Kratochvil, Christopher Morris, James Nachtwey, and John Stanmeyer.
Four days after the agency was launched, James Nachtwey photographed the collapse of the World Trade Center building in New York. He was soon joined in New York by fellow members, Morris, Haviv and Kratochvil. At the same time, Boulat, Knight and Stanmeyer flew to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Thus began the agency's association with covering conflict-related photographic stories.
This group of photographers have documented the following historical events: US elections, Genocide, 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. One of the goals of the founders is the use of innovative methods to distribute and communicate its content, independent of traditional media platforms. In addition to servicing traditional editorial clients, the agency has entered into financial arrangements with NGO’s (Non Governmental Organizations), such as Human Rights Watch, and Médecins Sans Frontières, and corporate sponsors, such as Canon USA and Apple.
In late 2008 the agency launched a program to nurture emerging photographers called the VII Mentor Program. Participating photographers are paired with a VII member for the duration of their two-year fixed-term contract, during which time the agency offers training in professional practice, syndication, and marketing support.
From its inception until late 2004, the agency was constituted as a British company, VII Photo Agency Limited. The first Managing Editor of the company was Ashley Woods formerly of LookAt Photo Agency based in Zurich who worked from 2001 through until 2003. Woods was replaced by former Magnum employee Jean Bernard Maurel from 2003 to 2005. In early 2005, this British entity was closed down as an operating concern and a new limited liability company was established in the USA, VII Photo Agency LLC. Frank Evers was hired as the Managing Director and served from March 2005 to May 2008. Stephen Mayes was hired as CEO in June 2008.
The agency has sales offices in New York and Paris, and a gallery/bookstore in DUMBO, Brooklyn.
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