Elise Blanchard is a freelance photojournalist who was based in Afghanistan for over seven years. Her work focuses on the impact of war, particularly on women and girls, humanitarian crises, climate change, extremism, and the Taliban’s governance.
Blanchard worked for the Agence France-Presse (AFP) bureau in Kabul for two years, covering the fall of Afghanistan in 2021, before returning to freelance reporting. She continues to document life in the country, particularly in remote areas, with recent work focusing on access to maternal healthcare. She has also done in-depth reporting from rebel-held areas in Myanmar and from Ukraine, while still travelling regularly to Afghanistan for assignments
Her photographs have been published in outlets including TIME, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, Die Zeit, The Guardian and Le Figaro, and she is a regular contributor to Getty Images.
Blanchard received the UNICEF Photo of the Year Award in 2025. Her work has been shown in group exhibitions across Europe, and a book based on her recent work is scheduled for publication in 2026.
Blanchard holds a dual degree in journalism from Columbia University in New York and Sciences Po in Paris.
World Press Photo Involvement:
2026 World Press Photo Contest winner
Elise Blanchard on Social Media:
Instagram: @eliseblchrd
