Palestinian freelance photojournalist, Fatima Shbair, received the International Women’s Media Foundation 2021 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award for capturing the events in Gaza during the May escalations.
Her work titled “11 Days of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” allowed the world to view Gaza through a woman’s eyes. Shbair was additionally awarded a cash prize of $20,000.
“I left my home and my family for 11 days. I went directly into the field, moving from one office to another,” Shbair said in conversation with VOA News. “I just stayed there in the streets, running toward what was happening. It was not easy, but in some way, I did it.”
The photographs capture the severity of the situation in Gaza and the extent of the damages done to the city’s infrastructure. They also portray Palestinians’ perseverance as they stand united atop all the rubble. Moreover, Shbair’s work goes even further to provide a unique outlook in capturing the humanity of Palestinians.
For instance, one photograph shows a group of men making a pot of Turkish coffee on a portable gas burner. The act of using small portable items and the smiles planted across the men’s faces symbolizes the Palestinian resilience and their determination to continue living no matter the circumstances. It further reverses the dehumanization of Palestinian men.
“People endure all kinds of things, and no matter how lost or disappointed they are, no matter what difficulties they face, they somehow continue as if they can see something beautiful at the end,” Shbair added in her Visa pour L’Image portfolio.
In addition to the uniqueness of her photographs, Shbair faces the three-fold difficulty of being a woman photojournalist working in a conservative male-dominant industry whilst also living under siege.
“Fatima’s stunning photo essay is one of the strongest entries the jury had the pleasure of reviewing these past several years,” said Corinne Dufka, one of the jurors for this year's award. “Her work with light, angles, and composition is remarkable as she weaves through a forest of destruction in her own backyard.”
“She clearly spent a great deal of time with her subjects and pursued what’s beyond obvious for most photojournalists,” added Jacqueline Larma, another juror. “Within these 11 days, Fatima took the time to pursue intimate storytelling, showing us both the physical and emotional toll on her subjects while operating in extreme danger.”
Anja Niedringhaus was a Pulitzer prize winning photojournalist who worked for the Associated Press. She was also the recipient of the 2005 IWMF Courage in Journalism Award. One of her famous photographs encapsulates two women enjoying a ride in an amusement park in Gaza City.
On April 4th, 2014, Niedringhaus was killed by a policeman who opened fire on her car while she was reporting on the presidential elections in Afghanistan. The IWMF created the Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award in honor of her memory and to celebrate other courageous women photojournalists.
“Courage is not just about taking risks; being human first is the true courage of a photojournalist,” reflected Shbair. “It is a great honor to receive this award, especially in Anja’s image, as we are all still learning from her creativity, journey, and pursuit of the truth.”
In September 2021, international photo editors also selected Shbair’s report on Gaza titled “A Life Under Siege” for the Ville de Perpignan Rémi Ochlik Award. Her photography was exhibited during August and September at the Visa pour L’Image Festival in Perpignan, France.
Shbair studied business administration at Al-Azhar University in Cairo before transferring to Journalism. She began her photojournalism journey by capturing the escalations between Palestinians and the Israeli military. As a freelancer, Shbair has worked on assignments for Getty Images and The New York Times.
“As there were no institutions for photojournalism in Gaza, I had spent years, from 2013 to 2017, learning through experience,” said Shbair in her Visa pour L’Image portfolio. “It all started as I live in a conflict zone and have a message that I want to convey to the world.”