Laura Boushnak is a Palestinian documentary photographer based in Amman. She mainly works for The New York Times, assigned to long-form photo essays covering war and conflict areas.
As a visual storyteller, Boushnak develops long-form personal projects that incorporate still images, sounds, and moving images.
After receiving a degree in Sociology from the Lebanese University in Beirut in 1999, Boushnak infused her interest in social issues with her passion for the visual arts and began her career as a photographer for the Associated Press in Lebanon. She then went on to work with the Agence France-Presse (AFP) at its Middle East hub in Cyprus and its headquarters in Paris.
As of 2008, she has been working as an independent photographer, commissioned for editorial assignments, while also giving more of her time to long-term personal projects in the Arab World.
Boushnak’s primary focus has been on her ongoing projects, “I Read I Write” and “Survivor.” The former focuses on Arab women’s education and literacy, while the latter highlights the aftermath of war and its lasting impact on individuals long after the fighting has ended. Both projects have received honorable awards and recognition.
Boushnak is a TED Fellow and has been invited to give talks in various parts of the world, including two separate TED talks in 2014 and 2016, where she shared the stories behind her “I Read I Write” and “Survivor” projects to a worldwide audience.
