Matthew Abbott (1984) is a storyteller and photojournalist based in Sydney. He specializes in identifying, researching and executing in-depth long form visual stories. He believes that storytelling is most effective and powerful when it is based on a close connection to the subjects and an understanding of the stories behind the lens.
Abbott has reported from across the globe, but in recent years has focused his attention on what he knows best: his homeland Australia and neighbouring countries. He regularly contributes to The New York Times, Washington Post and National Geographic. His work has been recognized through a number of prestigious awards, including winning the 2020 Deadline Club Award for Spot News, the Nikon-Walkley Australian Press Photographer of the Year and News Image of the Year 2020, the inaugural 2019 Rust Belt Biennale and the 2019 and 2018 Nikon-Walkley Journalism Award for Australian Daily Life.
His prints have appeared in exhibitions and collections around the world, including in Paris, New York, Berlin and Daegu. In 2021, Abbott’s first book A Fire Inside about the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires in Australia was published by Thames & Hudson, going on to become a best seller and award winning.
He is represented internationally by Panos Pictures in London and is a current member of the Oculi collective, Australia’s leading co-operative of visual storytellers.