Stefanie Glinski

"I was in Afghanistan when the country was experiencing daily attacks," recalls Stefanie Glinski, a photographer and journalist who lived in the Central Asian country for four years, from 2018 to 2022. "There was a lot of violence, but people were also going about their daily lives. I wanted to capture this too."

Documenting stories like these has taken Stefanie all over the world. As well as photographing the events in Afghanistan, she has captured the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and the effects of climate change in Somalia and Kenya. Born in Germany, Stefanie has moved a lot – living in Canada, the US and the UK, which is why she says her identity isn't rooted in where she came from. As well as her native German, Stefanie speaks English, French, Persian and Spanish – now she's learning Turkish, as she's currently based in Istanbul.

Stefanie's passion for photography stems from her childhood, influenced by her father, who gifted her a camera and introduced her to DSLR photography. Growing up in a family where capturing moments was the norm, she honed her skills under her father's guidance, always relying on Canon cameras.

At 16, she began her journey in photojournalism at a local newspaper, mentored by the editor in chief. "He taught me about newspaper layout and stories," Stefanie recalls. "He gave me a camera to work with and sent me out to photograph local events. The photos were published in the newspaper and I consider that editor in chief to be someone who really pushed me to pursue this career. He left a pretty big mark on my life and my choices." With a clear goal in mind, Stefanie went on to pursue a master's degree in journalism at City, University of London.

Since then, Stefanie's tenacity and talent have seen her secure a healthy roster of clients including AFP, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, The Economist, the Los Angeles Times and Reuters. She's covered breaking news worldwide, including the aftermath of the 2021 war in Gaza, the explosion at the Port of Beirut in Lebanon, the arrival of the Rohingya people in Bangladesh, the East African drought in Somalia and Kenya. She has also photographed the Lake Chad Basin displacement in Niger, the Nepal earthquake, the Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone and the Syrian war.

"I focus on covering news, conflict, climate change, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses," explains Stefanie, who has also won a Prix Varenne for her work in South Sudan, where she lived for two years working for AFP.

Why do you prefer long-term projects?

"There's much more depth to it, rather than just stepping into a context that you don't know. The longer you spend in a place, the more your understanding of it grows and with that, your reporting also deepens and becomes more authentic."

Why do you consider languages to be such an important part of your work?

"I work internationally and languages are a great way to connect with people. They open doors; they build trust. In the past, whenever I had moved to a new country, I made sure to dive into language classes. I want to show respect for the place I call home – even if it's a temporary home – and learning a country's language is part of this."

What kind of access does it give you?

"I think rather than access, languages create connection, trust and respect. I want to make sure that whoever I am interviewing and photographing feels safe, understood and is portrayed the way they'd like to be portrayed. Understanding someone's language – even if only partially – also lets me ask people directly for their consent, which is incredibly important for me."

What drives you to do what you do?

"Injustice and the people facing it. Too many people I meet have experienced incredible injustices, whether that's in war, due to the consequences of climate change, or whether that's because of gender roles and stereotypes within society. People often want to share those experiences. Think about victims of war and violence, for example. Sadly, many might never get a chance to testify in court; to receive justice. It's my goal to document such injustices and to tell people's stories."

"Sometimes it's better to not take the photo. While it's my job to capture people on camera, I've occasionally found myself putting the camera down. Sometimes photography is unwanted; and some situations I've found myself in are so difficult, sad or horrible that taking an image would be inappropriate and disrespectful. I want to be humble while I'm working and I want to ensure I have consent from each person I'm photographing. If the camera is not welcome in a certain situation, I will put it aside."

Instagram: @stephglinski

Twitter: @stephglinski

Website: stefanieglinski.com