Meet the 2023 Shortlisted Photographers!

Atiko Anthony is a passionate documentary photographer based in Kampala, Uganda. He strives to shed light on untold narratives and make a positive impact. With every photo he  takes, he aims to immerse himself in the vibrant cultures and diverse landscapes of this beautiful continent. From the bustling villages of Uganda to the serene villages of Tanzania, Atiko documents the everyday lives of people, their struggles, their triumphs, and the resilience that defines them. Through his photography, he hopes to bridge the gap between different cultures and bring awareness to social issues that often go unnoticed. Each image tells a story, a story that moves hearts, challenges perceptions, and inspires change.

Bereket Tassew is a passionate young photographer and videographer, based in Ethiopia. With a deep love for photography and  visual storytelling, Bereket finds joy in every aspect of his craft: from the people he meets to the places he explores. His photography style could be characterized by a blend of creativity, authenticity, and attention to detail. He believes in capturing genuine moments and creating images that evoke emotions and leave a lasting impact. Whether it's a portrait, landscape, or event, he strives to create visuals that tell a compelling story and resonate with viewers.

Brian Otieno is a freelance photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya, who focuses his lens on the realities of everyday life. Hailing from Kibera, his hometown, Brian embarked on the KiberaStories photography project in 2013. With a genuine passion, he captures the essence of this vibrant community, striving to unveil its multifaceted aspects of life through socio-economic, cultural, political, and environmental viewpoints. Brian's visual journey found international recognition with exhibitions in Paris, Kampala, Lisbon, and New York. In March 2019, he was selected to attend the New York Times Portfolio Review. Since 2017, he has contributed to Everyday Africa and worked for major media outlets, including Al Jazeera, The Guardian or Der Spiegel. Brian's KiberaStories won the inaugural East African Photography Award in October 2018. In 2019 he received the prestigious Reuters Photojournalism Grant.

Daniel Irungu Mwangi is a Kenyan photojournalist widely recognized for his exceptional work in capturing and documenting news events in the East Africa region. He started his journey in photojournalism at an early age, honing his skills and passion for visual storytelling. In 2013, he started working  with the European Pressphoto Agency (EPA), which enabled him to expand his reach and cover significant news events across the East Africa region. His relentless pursuit of capturing stories from the front lines has led him to document a wide range of events, including political conflicts, social issues, and natural disasters. Mwangi’s images have been featured in both local and international publications. He also won several photography awards, including Kenya Photography Awards and  the East African Photography Awards. His image was also listed among the Top 100 photos of 2019 by Times Magazine. Through his lens, Mwangi reveals the stories that often go unheard and brings attention to the untold narratives of the region.

Fabrice Mbonankira is a Burundian visual storyteller born in Bujumbura. His artistic practice has been influenced by the experience of living with the stigma inflicted by the war that Burundi experienced in 1993 which almost decimated his entire family. Fabrice is passionate about reportage journalism inspired by listening to the BBC and RFI. Unfortunately, due to lack of financial means he failed to follow his higher education to fulfill his dream of becoming a journalist. Fabrice was introduced to photography by his older brother. He has been working as an event photographer since 2012. For the past few years, he has been trying to combine his lifelong passion for reportage with photography with the help of some online training. His career as a documentary photographer took off after training in storytelling and conceptualization in photography around 2019. His motivation is based on contributing to the improvement of the well-being of the people or communities he meets and photographs.

Hashim Hamza is a Khartoum-born, self-taught Sudanese photographer. His artistic practice took off in summer of 2020 when he started exploring visual ideas around the emotions caused by living in politically and economically challenged Sudan. He uses his phone camera to experiment with self portraits and staged imagery. Hashim participated in group exhibitions in Khartoum as well as Egypt (Cairo Photo Week, 2023), and Germany. Currently he is working on various visual projects focusing on issues of gender equality and diversities among the Sudanese and global communities.

Immaculate Naddunga is a student at the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Arts at Makerere University with a strong passion for photography.

Immaculate Bashaba is a Ugandan based in Kampala with a sincere passion and dedication for capturing stories within her community and those that portray daily life. Her work is a way of bringing to light unconscious thoughts and feelings that are repressed. She doesn't limit herself to one medium or concept. However, conversations, poetry, paintings, music, encounters often spark a different type of emotion which she draws inspiration from for the creative process. Immaculate is the 2019 recipient of the Young Photographer Award presented by the Uganda Press Photo Award.

Joshua Victor Semaganda is a documentary photographer and visual artist based in Uganda, working with both analog and digital photography. His work is greatly inspired by indigenous medicine and its related practices as he explores photography and materiality in an attempt to reimagine the archival process and to create a viable reference point and in the long run to mitigate stereotypes associated with indigenous medicine thus aiding cultural revival, sustainability and continuity amidst the ever changing climate spectrum. He is a bachelor’s degree holder in industrial and fine arts from Makerere University Kampala and as well currently finalizing with a MAFA degree at the same university.

Julius Odeke is a freelance photojournalist and writer based in Soroti. He worked with various media outlets in Uganda, most notably the New Vision, Daily Monitor and The Independent Magazine. He also worked with international media organizations including the BBC, Xinhua News Agency and African News Agency in Cape Town. Odeke is a regular radio panelist in Mbale and Soroti where he regularly discusses pertinent issues that affect our society. He writes informative commentaries about current affairs, human rights and media freedom and the politics of Uganda and East Africa as a whole.

Kampala Lookman was born in Kampala and works as a freelance photographer. His photos have been featured on various online platforms and in publications by several media houses and the international press. In 2020, he documented the presidential election campaign in Uganda. While photographing opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, he was brutally arrested and sentenced to over six months in Kitalya Maximum Security Prison. In 2022, he went on an enriching study trip to the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Austria and Germany. The purpose of this trip was to further refine his skills and explore new creative horizons in photography. With the long-term documentary "The Ugandans", Lookman is attempting to capture the diverse and vibrant people of his home country through portrait photography over several years. Through his  work, he hopes to provide a deep insight into the lives and stories of his fellow countrymen.

Katunguka Andrew is a filmmaker, videographer and photographer with a penchant for capturing timeless imagery of life's moments and weaving them into compelling stories that leave a lasting impact.

Kirabo Serina is a final-year journalism student from Uganda Martyrs’ University Nkozi and 2023 Media Challenge Fellow. She is a tenacious journalist and budding photographer, driven by an unquenchable thirst for stories. Born and raised in Kampala, Serina's journey into photography and storytelling began with her phone which she uses to shoot, edit and share her images on her Instagram. Currently pursuing a degree in journalism, Serina has honed her craft and storytelling prowess. She is also a leisure blogger (The Black Obsession Blog) with keen interest in storytelling and solution-based journalism. Determined to make a difference, Serina's work is a testament to her commitment to social impact. She uses her storytelling skills to amplify marginalized voices and shine a light on critical issues. As a final-year student, she stands at the cusp of an exciting career in journalism and photography. 

Kuteesa Joseph Nathan is a passionate photographer with four years of experience in the field. His love for photography drives him to constantly seek new ways to improve his skills. His passion lies in documentary photography, event photography, corporate and wedding photography. His keen eye for detail and composition allows him to create images that are not only beautiful but also meaningful. One of his strongest skills is his ability to work with colors. He understands how colors can enhance the mood and atmosphere of an image, whether it's a bright and vibrant photo or a soft and romantic one. He believes that every image should be treated differently, and color grading is an essential part of the editing process. Nathan is committed to delivering the highest quality images to his clients. He takes great pride in his work, and he is always striving to exceed his client's expectations.

Miriam Watsemba is an award winning documentary photographer and writer based in Uganda, with a background in journalism and communication. She is also a certified Canon Trainer in Uganda. She is passionate about storytelling, and believes that stories can be an effective avenue for driving change and development. Her dream is to help people express themselves authentically, through storytelling. Miriam is a multiple time grantee, who has published and exhibited both locally and internationally. Through her works, she seeks to archive the truth and provoke necessary action.

Ruphael Wolde is a medical student at Jimma University Medical Center, located in Jimma, Ethiopia. He has had a strong passion for photography since childhood but began his journey about a year ago when his older brother bought him a Samsung smartphone. Ever since he’s been experimenting and learning more about the craft of photography, motivated and inspired by other photographers he met. He dreams about developing his passion into a career and about working professionally as a photographer.

Tera Peter is a passionate photographer with interests in documentary, travel, nature and lifestyle photography. He loves visiting and documenting rural communities with unique cultures and traditions. His journey into photography was ignited by his cousin who encouraged him to get some photography literature and magazines and give it a try. Later his sister bought him his first camera which gave him reason to travel and practice the craft. Currently, he is migrating his visual practice  into filmmaking. Tera often shares his photography skills and knowledge with budding and fellow photographers.

Vanessa Mulondo is a passionate and dedicated photographer with more than two years of experience. Her current interests and personal projects are centered around storytelling, community, climate change, wildlife and art photography. She is deeply drawn to wildlife and the environment and is enthusiastic about telling stories that play a part in the global effort to sustain and conserve the environment, wildlife and endangered species.

Walaa Yassien is a visual storyteller from Sudan. Walaa's fascination with visual storytelling started when she finished her architecture studies at fine arts school. She had so much free time to explore herself and her surroundings through her camera. Her visual stories are based on personal events. In her work she focuses on the concepts of relationship, transitioning, unsettlement, memories, attachments and letting go.