featured photographer: Karim Ben Khelifa

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Karim Ben Khelifa, born in 1972, is a self-taught photojournalist with dual Belgian/Tunisian nationality, based inbetween Paris and Sanaa in Yemen.
His work has been widely published in newspapers and magazines like Newsweek, Time Magazine, Stern, Le Monde 2, The New York Times Magazine and various Geo editions.
His photographs has been exhibited in solo shown in various countries, including photojournalism's major annual showcase, Visa pour l'Image in Perpignan, France in 2004.
He was among the photographers selected for the World Press Foundation Masterclass in 2000.
Twice nominated for the War Correspondent award in Bayeux, he has traveled in more than 80 countries and has covered armed conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ex-Yugoslavia and Palestine.
His body of work focuses extensively on the Arab World and Islam.


He's probably the most known and the most adventurous Tunisian photographer I know, his portfolio is a hard collection of misery all over Iraq (All along the conflicts since 1990), Somalia and Afghanistan, and even if he insists in the fact that he is not a war photographer, his fate is within the biggest conflicts of the time allowing him a handful of international prizes:

1999 - Nominated for Le prix Bayueyx for war correspondents - France.
2000 - Nikon prize in the international Photography contest - Belgium.
2000 - World press foundation masterclass - Netherlands.
2004 - Fuji film Young reporter award - France.
2004 - Nominated for Le prix Bayueyx for war correspondents - France.



His main formula is mysterious combination of more than 15 authentic reportages as:
- The two war on Iraq.
- USA after the 9/11.
- The war on Afghanistan.
- The conflicts in Somalia.
- Guantanamo detention camp.

A rising star that was qualified by:
Simon Barnett, Newsweek's director of photography, applauds Khelifa for his ability to make great compositions from seemingly chaotic scenes. "He operates effortlessly in some very tough working conditions over there," Barnett says, "yet, even in the face of danger, he is able to make consistently provocative and interesting pictures."


[Karim Ben Khelifa Website]

 
This Post has 1 Comment Add your own!
Ahmed - February 25, 2008 at 12:07 PM

C'est une fierté nationale...

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