The Photojournalism Hub Calendar 2026 showcasing the incredible work of photojournalists and documentary photographers who have contributed to our mission.
Wondering about West London? is a local news-based zine run by the Photojournalism Hub and produced by young people living in west. The third issue […]
The fourth issue of Wondering about West London? presents photo stories and street photography on Christmas and Winter Holidays with London in full lockdown as […]
I am incredibly pleased to present the first edition of 'Capturing Crisis' photography and reporting magazine produced by our youths group living in west London […]
We are incredibly pleased to present the third edition of 'Capturing Crisis' photography and reporting magazine produced by the group of youths of the 'Stories, […]
We are incredibly pleased to present the fourth edition of Capturing Crisis photography and reporting magazine produced by the group of youths of the 'Stories, […]
I am incredibly pleased to present the fifth edition of Capturing Crisis photography and reporting magazine produced by the group of youths of the 'Stories, […]
In this new edition of ‘Capturing Crisis’ youth photography magazine, we present a special edition on a local coffee shop to learn of its championing […]
Photojournalism Hub presents Why shop small business? – the latest edition of documentary photography and writings from our local young and senior participants of our […]
Photojournalism Hub presents What home means to me – the latest edition of documentary photography and writings from our participants of our documentary photography workshops. […]
The Photojournalism Hub is proud to present the latest edition of documentary photography and writings from our workshop participants. This issue focuses on the theme […]
Photojournalism Hub is proud to present the latest magazine edition of documentary photography, photojournalism and writing showcasing the work from our photography workshop participants. In […]
Claire Thomas is a photographer and photojournalist from Wales, UK, currently based between London and New York. Her photojournalism work focuses on issues relating to global political and military conflicts, human rights, and humanitarian and environmental crises. During her extraordinary career, Claire has produced compelling and timely images and has been extensively covering frontlines battles in ISIS in Iraq.
Q. How did you end up going to Iraq?
In December 2016, I decided to travel to Iraq independently with the goal of focusing on stories related to the military offensive to liberate the city of Mosul and the humanitarian crisis of people displaced by ISIS. Before that, I was based in Greece covering the refugee crisis where I met Kurdish and Iraqi families who had been displaced by ISIS. Hearing their stories, I wanted to better understand the horror that was driving people to flee their homes and risk their lives trying to reach the safety of European shores. As there was a lot of media attention on the war against ISIS in Mosul at the time, I decided to head to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and an entry point to Mosul.
Q. How long were you there for in total?Will you go back?
My first visit to Iraq was for just 2 weeks, but I returned a few weeks later and ended up living in northern Iraq for two and a half years. I’ve been back for a few short trips since I left in June last year, and I hope to return later this year or next year. Erbil was my home for a long time, and I became very fond of the place and the people, so I think I’ll always go back whenever the opportunity arises. There’s certainly no shortage of stories to cover in the country, and I’m particularly interested to follow the progress of rebuilding the city of Mosul, which was heavily bombed during the battle against ISIS.
Q. This is very traumatic work, what do you do to decompress after a trip like this? How do you look after your mental health while working?
I was lucky to have a great support network in Iraq, among other photographers and journalists, the medics I embedded with in Mosul, and also local friends and fixers. My way of decompressing is simply to talk about the situation, which helps me process my own thoughts and feelings, and I was glad that I had a lot of people I could talk to in Iraq.
I think it’s important to be aware of the emotional impact of doing this kind of work, and also to keep in mind that, as outsiders, it’s our choice to be there and we’re extremely lucky to be able to leave the war zone and go back to the safety of our homes at any time.
Of course, being confronted by violence and death is challenging and disturbing, and even more so is seeing people suffering the terror, pain and loss of war. The images that stick in my mind are of mothers crying over the bodies of their children, of soldiers wailing uncontrollably over a fallen comrade, of proud fathers broken by the loss of their loved ones, and the tearless look of shock on the faces of traumatised children. However, I try to focus my thoughts and energy on the incredible strength and resilience of the survivors and the people who helped them survive.
Q. I’m new to photojournalism – self teaching at the moment. How did you get started and did you go through formal means? And how did you get to work in Iraq? Did you pitch to someone as an independent? Would be great to know how it all works.
I’m also self-taught with no formal training in photojournalism. I studied Politics at University, and after I graduated I spent several years travelling and working overseas. During that time, I developed my interest and skills in photography, and eventually started doing some freelance photography work for my local newspaper in Wales. After a few assignments in Wales I travelled to Palestine where I began producing photo essays about life in the occupied West Bank, which I pitched to several mainstream media outlets.
As a freelancer, I really appreciate having the flexibility and freedom to choose which countries I work in and which stories I cover. Of course, that flexibility comes with the necessity for extreme self-motivation, self-discipline and organisation, as well as the financial burden of paying our own expenses in the hope of selling the work afterwards.
My decision to go to Iraq was one I made independently – I wasn’t sent there by any media outlet. Once I arrived in Erbil, I spoke with a lot of other journalists and fixers to better understand the context and get an idea of stories I could cover that weren’t as widely covered as the military operation in Mosul. In the beginning, I captured the content needed for the story I wanted to cover – photos and interviews – and then sent a pitch with a small sample of images to media outlets. Once editors got to know me and my work, I started to get more commissioned assignments, often working alongside a writer.
It took me a long time to understand how the industry works for freelancers. For me, the most difficult part about being a freelance photojournalist is not the photography or journalism work itself but finding ways to get the attention of editors and my work published. I’m still learning myself, and the best advice I can give is to be persistent and determined, and get to know the publications you want to contribute to.
Clare Thomas www.clairethomasphotography.com https://www.instagram.com/claire_thomas_photography/
The third Photojournalism Nights event guests speakers Jillian Edelstein, Roland Ramanan, Valentina Schivardi answer questions posed from the audience on their work and practice. Their answer lead us into their journey of resilience and commitment in voicing stories of prejudice, injustice and poverty.
From Sabrina Merolla : Well, you say you are not a photojournalist, but you are showing a stunning example of long-form traditional documentary photography. And the method you described, plus the interviews, make me think of serious socio-anthropological research perspectives. Out of curiosity: what do you teach and what kind of formation do you have? I would certainly say that I am working within the long form documentary tradition with people like Eugene Richards being a big influence. Richards was a social worker and I am a special needs teacher. I started as a primary school teacher and now I work with a local authority advisory service. I think this gives me a certain training to be able to work with people, empathise and present my ideas.
Really powerful stories and you have shown them all as whole human beings without judgement. You obviously gained their trust, how did you establish consent?
I establish consent by showing them honesty and trying to be clear about what I am doing. That was not always easy and I had set backs. A piece about my work in the local newspaper (which I thought was written sensitively) damaged my relationship with some individuals for a long time. I have more or less given up on trying to get formal written consent, I think it establishes more barriers than it removes. I try to show the work as its developing as much as I can practically can. At the start of the project I didn’t really know what my aims were, now I can be much clearer with people what I’m trying to do and that really helps to build trust. That, and just being there; relentlessly!
Roland, how do you feel about the work now and how do you see the work evolving or is it now finished.
Well, its not finished in terms of becoming a book. I have this on good advice from my mentor and others I trust so I need to keep working and thinking about different angles. Sometimes, nothing happens in the work and I get very down and frustrated but it just takes one good picture to lift my spirits. Just being there and hanging out for hours is something I find gets harder but its what I need to do. You need to find new angles to generate different situations. So at the moment , that means going to the foodbank/church and joining there – once it starts up again. That may lead to other things like photographing a baptism which would be amazing – tantalisingly now just out of reach. But I’m in no particular hurry.
Very interesting work but there are some ethical issues for me when photographing vulnerable people. Do you make people aware of the fact the photos are being made public? Do you get model release forms from people?
I did worry a lot, previously about model release but I don’t need it for a documentary/art project. It is non-commercial use. In the end, you simply have to demonstrate your own integrity and question your own motives over and over again. No model release is a substitute for that.
Roland Ramanan’s compelling image of Nina from his powerful ‘Gillett Square’ series is featured among other great photographers in Paul Sng’s This Separated Isle photobook, which is currently being crowdfunded on- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/invisiblebritain/this-separated-isle If you can, please support this photobook of stories and portraits exploring concepts of identity in modern Britain.
How did you protect yourself from the trauma of these stories?
I think it was hard for people to see people (mainly men) who had performed unspeakable acts and atrocities, walk free …but the concept of forgiveness espoused by Tutu, Mandela allowed that to happen. It is to be commended and admired. It was a powerful ‘tool’ to call upon, to draw out, to involve many victims of human rights abuse, torture and conflict. The fact that it happened was remarkable. It helped. It may not have healed but it was powerful in the transition process. I don’t think it ever hoped to turn things around overnight. The compromise is that it is human fragility, survival , emotion at stake ; sadly we don’t seem to learn from history.The after effects of Apartheid and it’s ugly legacy will be felt for decades to come.I was lucky enough to be able to ‘come and go’ as I had my work, my family life in the UK, so being able to leave it, feel a certain distance from it and then later revisit the horror of it intermittently was an enormous saving attribute.
Excellent thanks! How long did you document their ceremonies and are you still in touch with the community? The first ceremony was back in 2009. Yes, we are still in touch – I’m still working on this project.
Just wondered why the men in this community were not featured so much in the photos?
I guess because women are more photogenic. I’m just kidding. Actually, there were more men than women featured in the editing I showed.
Is the project ongoing? what’s next?
Yes, it’s an ongoing project. I’d love to make a book next.
When you were working on the project were you thinking about making photographs for them at the same time as making pictures for yourself? Did you take different approach for these?
This is a very interesting question for me. Yes, when I’m working on this project I think about both taking pictures for them as well as for myself, which can be tricky. Luckily, it’s been clear in my head since the beginning: I was able to start this project because I was hired to take photos for them. This allowed me to find a point of entry to their community. When possible, I work with an assistant, to make sure that he/she can cover the event for them, so that I can focus on my own project.
Given that the subjects seemed very keen to pose, did you capture moments where subjects had their guards down?
Oh yes. This is a question I had in my head since the beginning. What makes a photograph a more authentic and honest representation of someone? On one hand, it’s fascinating to see how my subject is very conscious of the camera. There’s something very strong about the way they always seem to know exactly how to pose. On the other hand, I’m also interested in showing how contradictory and much more complex we can be, by trying to capture my subjects off guard.
Oh yes. This is a question I had in my head since the beginning. What makes a photograph a more authentic and honest representation of someone? On one hand, it’s fascinating to see how my subject is very conscious of the camera. There’s something very strong about the way they always seem to know exactly how to pose. On the other hand, I’m also interested in showing how contradictory and much more complex we can be, by trying to capture my subjects off guard.
Kashmir in the last 30 years has been reduced to a land of pain and misery with thousands dead, disappeared, raped, detained and tortured. When an anti-India insurgency began in 1989, the mighty forces that India employed here crushed the rebellion. Since then more than 90,000 people have died and 8,000are disappeared.
The ongoing conflict mounted scars not only on the adults but the new generation. The young children’s were badly affected with hundreds killed, thousands blinded, amputated bodies, and detained in Indian jails.
With more than half a million Indian troops stationed, Kashmir has the distinction of being the most heavily militarized zone in the world. The Indian forces enjoy special powers under laws such as the Armed Forces special Powers Act (AFSPA) that gives them immunity and impunity to arrest or kill anyone on mere suspicion, without the fear of facing legal action.
The turmoil has devastated an entire generation. People have gone through worst in these turbulent times. The story is all about the Children’s who are the Future of Kashmir and a yearning of new generation to live a life of peace and dignity.
The images shot by me are somehow my own childhood experiences, as I grew in such condition seeing things periodically right from the time when rebellion broke out in Kashmir.
Mubashir Hassan Mubashir Hassan is a freelance photojournalist based in Kashmir valley, India. For the past six year, Mubashir has covered many stories on politics, conflict, human rights violations, as well as day to day life, art, culture and architecture. He is available for assignments.
On the project ‘Children: The forgotten future of Kashmir’ is an ongoing project by photojournalist Mubashir Hassan that focuses on the children living under the conflicted area of Kashmir valley. It documents the impact that the conflict has on their lives; from being physically maimed, psychologically traumatised and deprived of a future. ‘Children: The forgotten future of Kashmir’ is a personal project. It is an important story that needs to be seen and told. If you would like to support Mubashir, please be in touch with him. He is looking for commissions, representation and/or donations, which albeit small would make a huge difference for him. You can get in touch with Mubashir directly on:
In April 2015 I travelled to Ukraine to document the long-lasting implications of Chernobyl’s nuclear disaster for both the environment and the people 30 years after the disaster. The Chernobyl’s accident seems to have been forgotten by society. I wanted to give a voice to the lives of those carrying on with the poisonous legacy of Chernobyl. In my first trip, I visited the 30 km exclusion zone where around 200 people are still living. For my research I interviewed doctors working at the National Institute Cancer Research in Ukraine, NGOs working with victims of Chernobyl and scientists who are studying the DNA modifications both in plants and human beings. I become very interested in remote areas, which are still contaminated by radiation and where people have limited access to hospitals and doctors.
“Life after Chernobyl” portrays life both inside the 30 Km exclusion zone and Narodichi region, 50 km southwest of the nuclear plant. This turned out to be one of the worst hit areas by radiation but only detected five years later. With my collective “Food of war” we are helping to raise awareness of the Chernobyl’s accident through European exhibitions, talks and conferences. We have also collaborated with artists reflecting on the consumption of food in countries where radiation travelled after the 1986’s accident. Life after Chernobyl is an ongoing project that I would like to develop into a book and a short film.
To know more or would like to support this ongoing project, please follow this link:
Natalia, school’s teacher stands by the entrance of Maksimovichy village, where many houses were abandoned after Chernobyl’s disaster.Nastia Natsik with her daughters Iuliana, Madina and Lia in her family house in Khristinovka. Lia, 2 suffers from a brain tumour. Her father,Emil, 37, fled the conflict in Abkhazia (Geogia) when he was eleven, 3 years after Chernobyl’s disaster. Though evacuation was enforced in 1992, many families decided to stay.Tatiana Ignatiuk in her kitchen in Maksimovichy, where she lives with her three children and husband who works in the forest.Anna is holding apples from her tree. She lives in the evacuated village of Copachichi in the 30km exclusion zone of Chernobyl.
Dima, 6 years old is waiting to be seen by Alexander and Daniel, two volunteer doctors from Kiev. About 60% of children in Narodichi region suffer from malnutrition alongside cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Children are no longer considered victims of Chernobyl. Ignored by the authorities, many of those children rely on local NGOs and international aid organisations for medical treatment.
Please join the live stream of the Photojournalist Hub ninth edition of the Photojournalism Nights with an amazing line-up of photographers: Ada Trillo, Georgina Smith and Ala Buisir.
Ada Trillo, award winning Philadelphia-based photojournalist, native to the Juarez-El Paso binational metroplex, covers stories to create awareness and fight injustice. Her powerful photographs engage with migration, Black Lives Matter and borders.
Georgina Smith, photojournalist based in East Africa covering stories, photos and words for BBC, Al Jazeera English, United Nations, Guardian. Georgina will share a very coignant series on Kenya’s pastoralists who face hunger and are under threat of conflict as locust plague is unravelling in the country.
Ala Buisir, documentary photographer currently residing in Ireland with roots in Libya. Her work documents the social and political tension around us today. The aim is to raise awareness by presenting events through different perspectives in hopes that it may also bring about change.
The Photojournalism Nights is an event that promotes committed and courageous photojournalism and engages the public to social justice and human rights.
The fourth issue of Wondering about West London? presents photo stories and street photography on Christmas and Winter Holidays with London in full lockdown as well as article with Rosie Whitney-Fish, Founder and Chief Executive of DanceWest, and wonderful illustrations.
Wondering about West London? Issue four is sadly our last edition for the time being. As the Editor in Chief of the magazine and project manager and facilitator of the project, I would like to share my feelings of awe at the determination, initiative and creativity demonstrated by the participants. The zine has shared meaningful, resourceful, and touching content from a youth perspective. I would like to express my thanks to our editor Laura James who has worked on the layout of the zine and to W12together for supporting this worthwhile project – Cinzia D’Ambrosi, Editor in Chief.
As Coronavirus continues to spread throughout the world, it is increasing social injustices and bringing inequalities to the forefront. In this sixth edition, documentary photographer Chiara Fabbro shares a story of refugees seeking asylum in the city of Trieste, Italy. A powerful reminder of the plight of refugees whose journey to safety is often interrupted by violence and unwelcoming measures, increasingly impacted by the current pandemic with the tightening of borders and further securitisation. These are issues we need to see, reflect upon and action.
Seeking refuge in the time of Coronavirus
By Chiara Fabbro
Faces and feet telling the story of a long journey. Walking for hundreds of kilometers, across mountains and rivers. The fear of getting caught. The appalling, repeated, pushbacks at the borders, often violent and degrading. The disrespect for human life. The relief of having made it to Italy, mixed with the uncertainty of what to expect, in a country that is forgetting how to welcome people and learning ho to keep them out instead. The commitment of those who every night take care of the people in transit from Trieste. Every night on the street to treat the feet, fill the stomachs and change the old shoes for a new pair, to walk on the next road.
I met these young men in Trieste, at the end of the Balkan route, during their journey in search of asylum in Europe. Access to temporary shelters here, like elsewhere, has been limited due to COVID-19 measures. This means that people in transit, like them, have been left with no other choice than to sleep rough. The impact of the pandemic has been, and still is, very hard on those seeking asylum. Borders have been further tightened, with increasing reports of pushbacks. Alongside this, the pandemic has fuelled negative feelings towards migrants, accused by some of spreading the virus. This has worsened the unwelcoming climate that people seeking refuge are often faced with.
In this small corner of humanity, I met the volunteers from Linea d’Ombra and Strada Si.Cura. Helping the people in transit from Trieste with the basic necessities after such a journey, but most importantly showing them that there is someone who cares. An asylum seeker in Calais once told me, about the NGOs, that even more than the practical help, what is really important is being there, offering a friendly smile…creating a little corner of humanity, as a place for healing, however temporary. For Lorena Fornasir, co-founder of Linea d’Ombra, in fact, “the hardest part every night is walking away, turning your back and going home…”.
News and Events from the Photojournalists community
News from f/8 documentary collective
F/8 documentary collective publishes Volume 1 f/8 magazine and all the 125 copies, each one numbered, were sold in a matter of a few days. It is now a collector’s item. The collective is working on volume 2 right now with Martin Mayer’s pictures of Operation Demetrius- Internment without trial of the Irish by the British, Andrew Moore’s pictures of the Irish troubles from the 90s, David Gilbert Wright story of the pilgrimage up Croagh Patrick in 93, and Mark Pinder’s coal scavengers at the Easington Colliery in the 80s as well as the other member’s sets. The magazines are published by Fistful of Books at a price of £8.
To learn more of the collective and to receive upcoming news on the latest magazines and other items : https://www.instagram.com/f8documentary/
Claire Thomas’s work is at the Xposure International Photography Festival in the UAE
Photojournalist Claire Thomas ‘s work focuses on issues surrounding political and military conflicts, human rights, and humanitarian and environmental crises. Claire is also a frontline photojournalist who has extensively covered the war in Iraq.
Wondering about West London? is a local news-based zine run by the Photojournalism Hub and produced by young people living in west. The third issue brings us a great array of photo stories from the tender visual narrative on an elderly couple, street photography and a collective photo documentary on Christmas under the threat of Covid-19. The zine is accompanied by the wonderful illustrations of two young participants of the project.
Wondering about West London? Issue 3 brings amazing creative, resourceful and touching content from a youth perspective. The work produced in and around west London is a meaningful impression of our times through the young eyes of talented local budding journalists and photographers.
I am immensely proud for this achievement and I would like to renew my gratitude to W12together for supporting this worthwhile project – Cinzia D’Ambrosi, Editor in Chief.
