AFP photo chief to present Pulitzer photo, discuss freelance war photography, noon, July 10

Mladen Antonov, director of photography for North America at Agence France-Presse, will discuss "The Year of Freelance War Photographers" at a luncheon meeting of the National Press Club Photography Committee at noon, Wednesday, July 10, in the McClendon Room.

All Club members and their guests are welcome. No reservations are required. The program will start promptly at 12:15 p.m.

Antonov will also present a special gift to the Club at the meeting: A copy of a Pulitzer-Prize winning photo shot by Javier Manzano, a freelance photographer based in Turkey working for Agence France-Presse. Manzano won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography for this extraordinary photo of two Syrian rebels guarding their position in Aleppo.

Antonov will present the Pulitzer photo to Club President Angela Greiling Keane. The photo will hang in a place of honor on the Club's walls, along with the other Pulitzer photos. This is the second year in a row that a photographer for AFP has won a Pulitzer prize.

Antonov also will describe the services of AFP, including how the photo service produces 3,500 or more news images daily. He will explain the specifics of financing, security, logistics and access for freelance photographers working in war zones, such as Syria, Libya, Mali and the DRC. In addition, Antonov will discuss why AFP continues to use freelancers despite the presence of staff photographers on the ground and how AFP tries to keep its freelancers' spirits up.

Please join us for this meeting and special presentation.