Hanna Kuzmych
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2025 – Non-Professional
First Place Winner in Press – Faces of loss in Ukraine
In photographing such deeply traumatic scenes, how do you manage your sense of responsibility as a storyteller?
I always think about the people I am photographing. These shots capture the lives and destinies of real individuals. My main feeling is respect. These people did not choose to become the subjects of my photographs, and my task is to show their pain and dignity without turning tragedy into sensationalism. To me, the responsibility of a storyteller means honesty, sensitivity, and the desire to preserve memory.
How do you see this work contributing to the larger narrative of the war?
My series shows that war is not just about the frontlines. It also affects peaceful cities, where people lived ordinary lives and in a single moment lost everything. I wanted to convey a simple truth: behind every headline about a missile strike are families, faces, and stories. If my photographs help people abroad see the war through real human experiences, then they have already become part of a broader narrative.
How do you control or respond to compositional challenges in war zones?
In these situations, there is no time to stage a shot. Everything happens quickly, chaotically, unpredictably. That’s why I try to be as attentive and ready to react as possible. Composition comes from intuition: capturing the moment so that the photograph preserves both emotion and truth. Sometimes a shot may be technically imperfect, but if it conveys what people are feeling, it works.
Winning the Press Photographer of the Year title at PX3 is a major honor. What does this recognition mean to you?
For me, it is less about a personal award and more about the opportunity for more people to hear about the war in Ukraine. I am not a professional and do not work for a media outlet—I am just a person with a camera who happened to witness tragedy. PX3’s recognition gives me a sense that my voice matters, that the memory of the victims will not be lost in silence. It is a great honor and, at the same time, a responsibility to continue telling the truth.
For aspiring photojournalists who want to document human cost in conflict zones, what advice would you offer
Above all, respect the people you are photographing. They are not “objects” but someone’s loved ones whose lives have just been irrevocably changed. Listen, observe, feel—and only then press the shutter. And one more thing: do not chase sensationalism; seek the truth. Even a small, honest shot can be more powerful than dozens of flashy photographs.