Olivier Jobard
Olivier Jobard is a French photojournalist whose work explores migration, exile, and the lasting human cost of conflict. His visual storytelling spans decades, immersing viewers in deeply personal journeys.
He studied photography at the Louis Lumière School in Paris and began his career at Sipa Press, where he worked for 20 years covering global conflicts. Represented by the M.Y.O.P. photo agency, Jobard continues to document stories of displacement with rare proximity and insight.
Jobard’s early assignments took him to war zones, including Bosnia, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sierra Leone. In 2000, visiting the Sangatte camp in northern France marked a turning point. There, he encountered people fleeing the very conflicts he had covered. This moment transformed his approach, shifting his focus from battlefronts to the human stories behind migration.
His signature long-form projects often involve travelling with migrants on dangerous routes to Europe. In Kingsley’s Crossing, he documented a young Cameroonian’s harrowing journey to France, earning an Emmy Award and World Press Photo prize. His work Our Afghan Family offers an intimate portrait of resettlement, recognised with the Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière – Académie des Beaux-Arts award in 2022.
Jobard’s visual essays have been published by Paris Match, Time, and Le Monde, among others. His exhibitions have appeared at the Académie des Beaux-Arts, Rencontres d’Arles, Nederlands Fotomuseum, and the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. His books include Notre Famille Afghane (2024), Kotchok (2015), and Kingsley (2007).
Jobard works with trust and persistence, often following individuals and families over the years. This immersive process allows him to capture moments of uncertainty, resilience, and transformation with empathy and depth. He blends photography with film and audio to create multidimensional narratives that elevate lived experience above statistics or headlines.
His awards include the Visa d’or, SCAM Grand Reportage prize, Tim Hetherington Grant, Camille Lepage award, and World Press Photo’s first prize for Contemporary Issues. He has also received the Grand Prize from Paris Match and Care International and recognition from FIGRA, POYi, and the Festival du Scoop. His stories reveal how migration reshapes identity, challenging audiences to confront injustice and dignity.
Awards
Scam Long Format Award, Éthiopie: Tigré, au pays de la faim, 2023
Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière – Académie des Beaux-Arts Award, Our Afghan Family, 2022
Camille Lepage Award, Visa pour l’Image, 2020
Tim Hetherington Grant, World Press Photo, 2013
Visa d’or Magazine Award, Visa pour l’Image, 2011
Emmy Award for Kingsley’s Crossing, 2007
World Press Photo, 1st Prize Contemporary Issues, 2005
Grand Prize, Paris Match for Photographic Reporting, 2004
PUBLICATIONS
– Notre Famille afghane. Editions de Juillet. 2024
– Kotchok, sur la route avec les migrants. Ed. Robert Laffont. 2015
– Kingsley, canet de route d’un immigrant clandestin. Ed. Marval. 2007
EXHIBITIONS
– Académie des Beaux-Arts. Notre famille afghane. 2024
– Bibliothèque Nationale de France. A l’école de la mer. 2024
– Permanent exhibition, Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration. Kingsley.
– Nederlands Fotomuseum of Rotterdam, Kingsley’s Crossing. 2010
– Les Rencontres d’Arles. Kingsley, the hard way, the only way. 2006
