Laura Boushnak is a Palestinian photographer based in Amman, Jordan. Her work focuses mainly on the Arab world, exploring issues that stem from her own personal experience with gender, education, and the aftermath of war.
After earning a degree in Sociology from the Lebanese University in Beirut in 1999, Laura combined her interest in social issues with her passion for the visual arts, launching her career as a photographer for the Associated Press in Lebanon. She then went on to work with Agence France-Presse (AFP) at its Middle East hub in Cyprus and its headquarters in Paris. During this nine-year span, Laura covered conflicts such as the Iraq War and the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War.
Since 2008, she he has worked as an independent photographer, commissioned for editorial assignments by The New York Times and other publications, while also giving more of her time to long-term, personal projects in the Middle East.
Laura's primary focus has been on her ongoing projects, ‘I Read, I Write’ and ‘Survivor’. The former revolves around Arab women’s education and literacy, while the latter highlights the aftermath of war and its impact on individuals long after the fighting has ended. Both projects have garnered acclaim, including the first Getty Images’ Lean In editorial grant, the Terry O'Neill Photography Award in the UK, and two honorable mentions in the UNICEF Photo of the Year Award.
Her work is featured in both public and private collections, including the British Museum, and has been exhibited in galleries and museums worldwide, such as the Birmingham Museum in the UK, the Sharjah Art Museum in the UAE, and The Arp Museum Bahnhof Ralandseck in Germany.
Laura is a TED fellow and has been invited to speak around the world. In 2014 and 2016, she held TED talks in which she spoke about her projects ‘I Read I Write’ and ‘Survivor’ to an international audience.
World Press Photo Involvement:
2025 World Press Photo Contest jury member
2024 Joop Swart Masterclass mentor
2024 Joop Swart Masterclass selection committee
2021 World Press Photo Contest jury member
2016 Joop Swart Masterclass mentor
Laura Boushnak on Social Media:
Instagram: @lauraboushnak
