Biography

Paola is a French photojournalist and documentary photographer, based in New York City.

Studying political science and urban development, she grows a strong interest for the urban form, and how lives are shaped within it. Drawn to street photography, she develops a keen eye for composition observing human interactions in busy places. 

With a career start in the public and development sector, she quickly feels a need to use her passion for photography to explore topics on social and environmental justice. Her topics of documentary reports range from the use of waste management as a development tool in Benin, to being an undocumented Afghan refugee in Canada, the cult of ancestors in the Voodoo religion, or the impact of community sports following the pandemic. 

She is a member of the photographers' collective and press agency Hans Lucas and of the Association of Independent Journalists of Quebec (AJIQ), and works as a stringer for AFP (Agence France Presse). 

Working across media, in both photography and video, she is currently pursuing the Documentary Practice & Visual Journalism program at the International Center of Photography (ICP), NY.

PRESS / EXHIBITION

2023. Women Street Photographers annual exhibition, NYC

2022. Large format group exhibition, International Center of Photography (ICP), NYC

2022.  2022 Pride Project online exhibition by Feminist and Art Feminist + Artist Feature

2022. Pic for Change group exhibition at the Polka Factory, Paris, France

2021. Feature in the magazine Bird in Flight - The cult of Ancestors in Contemporary Benin

AWARDS

2022. Selection in the 2022 Pride Project by Feminist and Art Feminist

2022. Laureate of the Pic for Change contest by Pic&Pick

2020. 2 Honorable Mentions at the Paris Photography Awards 

2020. Jury's pick and 3rd people's choice award, "Saveurs d'Australie" Contest, Wipplay

EDUCATION

2023. Documentary Photography & Visual Journalism, International Center of Photography (ICP), New York - Dean's scholarship

2022. Accepted at the Missouri Photo Workshop on the Bill & Duane scholarship (participation postponed due to acceptance at ICP)

2022. Selected alongside 6 other photographers to enter the mentorship of the french collective Item (participation postponed due to acceptance at ICP)

2016. Master in Urban Governance, Sciences Po

2014. Bachelor in Political Science, Sciences Po Bordeaux

Clients

AFP (Agence France Presse).

Le Devoir.    

Pivot Québec.   

The Logic.     

Guiti News.

French Ministry of Ecology.    

MSF (Doctors Without Borders).

Le Wagon coding school.

ArtUltra.

MUTEK.