Photojournalism 3rd place winner

This series documents life in Mosul as the city rebuilds after the devastation left by ISIS. Through portraits and street scenes, it captures both the scars of conflict and the quiet persistence of everyday life returning. Among the ruins, there’s a sense of resilience — shopkeepers reopening their doors, children playing in streets, and families piecing their homes back together brick by brick. These photos aren’t about war, but about what comes after: the strength of ordinary people reclaiming their city.

I am a middle school teacher and travel photographer from Australia. As a photographer I am passionate about people, religion, and texture. I believe photography is a powerful tool for cultural preservation and education, and for highlighting that, despite our surface-level differences, people are more alike than different. I'm captivated by moments like boys in Iraq playing football amongst the rubble, Buddhist monks in Thailand doom-scrolling on their phones, or a Day of the Dead dancer taking a moment to sit down and catch their breath.