A prestigious recognition for FISU Young Photographer Salomée Michon-Vinçont

The French Young Photographer at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games saw one of her pictures win the second prize in the amateur section of a competition run by French sport “bible”, “L’Equipe”.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games Organising Committee decided to add Young Commentators and Young Photographers to FISU’s existing Young Reporters Programme for their event last July. This is how Salomée Michon-Vinçont spent two thrilling weeks learning how to capture the essence of many sports and the emotions linked to them. And a few months later, a 3×3 basketball picture she took in Germany was acclaimed by a jury of professionals.

Sports photography is very visual, especially during team events, and this is what I like about it so much along with providing pictures and happiness to other people.

She tells fisu.net about her path, moving from fencing to taking pictures of her fellow competitors.

– Congratulations on your award, Salomée! We worked with you in Germany (she took all the pictures of the FISU Student Ambassadors in person meeting), but we don’t know much about you…

– My father was a keen photographer so I believe he was my first inspiration. I started fencing when I was 9 years old. I fell in love with my sport and later on with sport in general, enough for me to want to pursue studies in that field. Four or five years ago, I realised I didn’t enjoy fencing as much as I used to as a competitor, but I still really loved being there in that special atmosphere. I received my first camera for my 18th birthday and it soon replaced my sword in my hand.

-Did you only take pictures of your friends for their own use, or had you already planned to possibly publish them on social media?

-I started off giving them to my friends, but I also posted them on my own Instagram. Then I approached other fencers that I didn’t know when I had good pictures of them and at the same time opened a specific Instagram account and a website for the fencers to come and help themselves.

-How did you hear about the Young Photographers Programme that was being set up for the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games?

-I was taking pictures at a competition in France when the coach of a Ukrainian athlete sent me a message congratulating me for my work and saying that he had seen a post by renowned sports photographer Lukas Schulze – who was to be our the mentor – mentioning the programme and that I should apply. I thought it sounded great and that I’d try to be selected. They picked me and I spent two exhausting but incredible weeks, that made me a much better photographer.

-Tell us more about that experience in Germany?

-I learnt so much! The work conditions were absolutely brilliant. I was assigned to so many different sports, being able to witness top level sports up close, in the best photo positions, without having to fight to secure my spot. I received so much advice on which angles to chose for each specific discipline. I had to be super flexible. For example on my second day, I was sent to water-polo, a sport I had never seen live before! And I loved it. And I must admit we were super spoilt: Nikon lent us the objectives we wanted, depending on what we were shooting that day. That was an incredible luxury that I miss so much!

-How did you decide to enter the Richard Martin competition?

-Richard Martin was a famous sports photographer for “L’Equipe”, who passed away due to an illness five years ago. They created this competition in his memory. It is open to both professional and amateur photographers. I decided to take part as I finally had quite a few really good pictures that I am proud of. And just like when I applied for the Young Photographers Programme, I thought “who doesn’t try will never succeed” and picked three of my pictures: the hugs, the badminton serve and the fencing one.

-And the picture who was selected was the one of the Germany 3×3 basketball women’s team hugging…

-So what did you win?

-My picture was printed in “L’Equipe Magazine”, which is already incredible. Then all winners were invited to their headquarters for a small reception. It was great to meet all the professionals from the photo department even if I was a little stressed about giving a speech. I received a large print of my picture and should also be able to follow a masterclass with one of their top photographers, which is super exciting.

-You are now back in Paris working as a communications assistant at the Fondation du Sport Français and studying for your Master II in Media, Communications and Sport. Do you still have time for photography?

-Not as much as I would like to, no. I arrived third of the internal competition we did in Germany, and I won a camera and an objective, but I need to invest in another objective and it is far from cheap! I am saving up and opened a crowdfunding, hoping the athletes that I shot for free for months might want to help me.

Pictures courtesy of Salomée Michon-Vinçont and Aurélie VAIN/L’Equipe.