Walter Astrada
Argentine photojournalist
Walter Astrada started his professional adventure as photographer in La Nación newspaper in his home country, Argentina. Three years later, he took off from the office to land in Brazil, Peru, Chile and Bolivia to accomplish a personal project about “Faith” that, for eleven months, allowed him to portray images of the religious syncretism without pressure.
Thereafter, agencies such as Associated Press (AP), Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Getty Images have exalted him like an authentically freelance soul in conflicts, election, social issues and correspondent’s offices around several continents. His work has always been a denunciation of the standing of those who suffer most in the violent events. “In the Congo I want to continue with the project about the violence against women that I began in Guatemala. I want to give it a global approach and show that it is a serious problem that affects thousands of women in the world”, stated Astrada. His photographic report on “Sexual Violence in the Congo” has earned him the IX Miguel Gil Moreno Prize.
Among his most notable awards are prestigious international awards including the World Press Photo 2007, the Alexia Foundation Grant and the “Photographer of the Year” of the PGB Photo Award in 2009. “Despite winning significant awards, reports are very little published. The media tiptoe over issues like this, despite they should give them more importance”.
The award ceremony took place on May 25th, with a presidential table composed by Santiago Lyon, Director of Photography for Associated Press; Carles Singla, Head of Journalism Studies at the University Pompeu Fabra; Patrocinio Macián, Chairwoman of the Miguel Gil Moreno Foundation and David Trías, spokesman and editor of Plaza and Janes, RHM.
(Left to right)
Santiago Lyon, Carles Singla, Pato Macián and David Trías Prize.