Zohra Bensemra

Zohra Bensemra, born in Algiers, Algeria, in October 1968, developed a passion for photography at an early age. Inspired by her older brother, who was an amateur photographer, she began taking pictures when she was about six years old. After being caught using his camera, her brother, initially upset, later gave her a small camera of her own, and she began documenting her classmates. Bensemra embarked on her career as a photojournalist in 1990. She described a pivotal moment in her career in 1995 when she first encountered death while covering a car bombing in central Algiers. This experience, which left a lasting impact on her, solidified her desire to become a professional photographer. In her words, it was the moment she truly felt she had found her calling. Bensemra emphasizes the importance of accepting the challenges of the profession to succeed, particularly in photojournalism. Her early work included freelance assignments for Reuters during the Algerian Civil War in 1997. She continued to cover significant global conflicts, including the Albanian-Serb conflict in Macedonia in 2000, the Iraq War in 2003, and the South Sudanese independence referendum in 2011. She also covered the Tunisian Revolution and the 2011 Libyan Civil War, as well as the Mosul War in 2017. Between 2012 and 2015, Bensemra served as Reuters Chief Photographer in Pakistan, and she is currently based in West Africa as Reuters’ Chief Photographer for the region. Bensemra was particularly moved by her coverage of the Tunisian Revolution in 2011, calling it the assignment that left the greatest emotional impact on her. She had not anticipated that the tightly controlled state would erupt into rebellion, and she was in Tunis on January 14, 2011, when mass protests outside the Interior Ministry demanded the resignation of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. In 2011, Bensemra’s work was showcased at the Deutsche Bank building in Frankfurt, Germany. Friedhelm Hütte, the bank’s Global Head of Art, praised Bensemra for her ability to “cut through the borders of the mind,” capturing the underlying tensions in conflict situations. Her work often focuses on the humanitarian aspects of conflicts, particularly those related to women’s rights and political struggles. Bensemra’s photography usually focuses on conflicts, humanitarian crises, and the stories of women and political movements in regions affected by war, economic instability, and social unrest. She strives to use her images to foster a deeper understanding of these issues, with the aim of challenging those in power to improve the situations depicted in her work. She is especially drawn to assignments that highlight people’s struggles for citizenship, human rights, and justice. In recognition of her impactful work, Bensemra was named Agency Photographer of the Year by the picture desk of *The Guardian* in 2017. Through her lens, Bensemra has consistently captured the profound human experiences at the heart of global conflicts, using her photography to raise awareness and advocate for change.