ABOUT
Maria Mann is a distinguished American photojournalism consultant, public speaker, and mentor based in Portugal, recognized for her extensive experience and influence in the world of visual storytelling. With a passion for nurturing emerging talent, Maria is a dedicated motivational photo coach who is actively involved in photojournalism education. She curates thought-provoking exhibits for various institutions and conducts workshops, offering her expertise and guidance to aspiring photographers and seasoned professionals alike.
From 2007 to 2019, Maria served as the Senior Managing Editor and Director of International Relations at the European Pressphoto Agency, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the agency’s photographic direction on a global scale. Prior to this, she was the Director of Global Current Events at Corbis Sygma in Paris, and Director of Photography for Agence France-Presse, both for the Americas and as the International Photo Editor-in-Chief based in Paris. Her illustrious career has seen her work on some of the most significant moments in contemporary history, consistently bringing visual narratives to life with depth and authenticity.
Maria’s commitment to education is evident in her leadership role as the Director of the IAPA/Knight Foundation Workshops for Advanced Photojournalism, where she conducted workshops across Latin America, fostering the skills of budding photographers. She has also taught in diverse locations, including Lithuania, the U.K., Turkey (World Press), China, and the U.S. Pentagon Military Workshops, reflecting her international reach and dedication to photojournalistic excellence. Additionally, she played a key editorial role in a two-year project on Ukraine, which culminated in an exhibition at the European Union in Brussels.
Her expertise has also been sought after by the Newseum in Washington, where Maria co-curated several exhibits and participated in televised panels, contributing valuable insights on pressing issues in the field of journalism. As a member of the National Press Club/Washington International Speakers Committee, she has extended her influence beyond photography, engaging in wider conversations about media and global affairs. She co-produced an e-learning module for the prestigious Poynter Institute and co-curated an exhibit for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees in Geneva. Recently, she curated a powerful book and exhibit in Portugal titled ‘Estados Desunidos’ (The DisUnited States) and is set to curate an upcoming exhibit focusing on the current crisis in Ukraine, showcasing her commitment to documenting critical global issues.
As a sought-after speaker, Maria lectures at universities across Europe and the Americas, sharing her wealth of experience and insights with the next generation of photojournalists. Her expertise in judging prestigious photojournalism contests is well recognized, having served on the panels of World Press Photo, UNICEF, Bayeux War Correspondents, Pictures of the Year, and Xinhua’s CHIPP in China. In Portugal, she served as President of the Jury for Estação Imagem, and as a category secretary for the World Press Photo contest.
Maria Mann’s career is a testament to her dedication to the craft of photojournalism, her ability to educate and inspire, and her relentless pursuit of truth and storytelling through the lens.
