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Svetlana Bachevanova is an accomplished photojournalist and pioneering advocate for human rights through visual storytelling. Her career began during Bulgaria’s tumultuous democratic transition, where she served as the chief photographer for Demokrazia, Bulgaria’s first anti-communist newspaper. Her fearless coverage of landmark historical events includes the fall of Bulgaria’s communist regime, Boris Yeltsin’s coup attempt in Russia, the revolution in Romania, the conflicts in former Yugoslavia, the Baltic independence movements, and the Balkan wars. Her images from this era capture the powerful momentum and intense conflict driving the political changes in Eastern Europe.
Following her work at Demokrazia, Bachevanova became the chief photographer for the Bulgarian News Agency, where she honed her skills in capturing the complex socio-political shifts of Eastern Europe. Her work here cemented her as one of the leading photographers in Bulgaria, known for her incisive eye and dedication to truth-telling. After years of documenting these historical changes, Bachevanova emigrated to New York, where she continued to bring human rights issues to the fore by founding FotoEvidence, an organization dedicated to supporting documentary photographers exposing injustice worldwide.
As the director of FotoEvidence, she has been instrumental in managing the FotoEvidence Book Award and the FotoEvidence W Award for women photographers, which have helped shine a light on critical human rights issues by supporting photographers who tackle social, environmental, and political injustices. Under her leadership, FotoEvidence has published over 40 impactful books addressing themes of human rights, ecological justice, and social equity, bringing visual narratives from 29 countries into the global consciousness. Her curation of these works has made FotoEvidence a respected platform for visual activism, with annual exhibitions such as the FotoEvidence Book Award exhibit held in New York and more than a dozen additional exhibits in Europe and the United States.
In 2024, after documenting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through two historical volumes, Bachevanova expanded her advocacy by initiating FotoEvidence Ukraine in collaboration with the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers. This initiative aims to amplify Ukrainian voices by supporting the documentation of the war’s toll and resilience, ensuring that Ukrainian photographers bear witness to their country’s experience. Her work with FotoEvidence Ukraine exemplifies her lifelong commitment to using photojournalism for empowerment, accountability, and historic preservation.
