Veronique de Viguerie
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2024 – State of the World
Curatorial Selection – NO WOMAN’S LAND
Q: How has your personal background or life experiences influenced the global issues and stories you choose to capture through your photography?
When I arrived in Afghanistan in 2003, I was full of preconceived ideas. Mainly about Afghan women being submissive and silent victims. Very quickly I realised that it was far from the truth. Afghan women, like any other women in the world, can be loud, strong, funny, etc. From this time, I tried to picture women as they truly are: proud, powerful and real fighters.
Q: What inspired you to submit your work to The State of the World competition, and how has receiving this recognition from PX3 impacted your journey as a photographer?
Since 2021, when the Taliban took over the whole country. Once again Afghan women are too often represented as silenced and submissive victims. And I wanted to show how they authentically are. Protesting, organizing clandestine schools, etc.
Q: Your work highlights some of the most crucial and pressing issues in today’s world. How do you balance technical precision with the raw emotion needed to create a powerful, thought-provoking image?
I think I don’t think about it a lot. I just try to give a closer picture of what I am witnessing with my eyes so the person looking at it will have the same emotion.
Q: Photography has the ability to raise awareness, shift perspectives, and even inspire action. What role do you believe visual storytelling plays in addressing global challenges?
I think the role of photojournalists is to create bridges between people watching the photograph and people appearing in the picture through emotions which are universal. So people can get concerned, empathized…
Q: Your winning image is a reflection of an important moment or reality—how do you approach the responsibility of documenting such impactful stories?
I am just doing what my guts are telling me to do or to show without thinking too much about it.
Q: Looking ahead, are there any social or environmental themes you feel compelled to explore further through your work?
Yes, I am getting quite passionate about representing women how they really are all over the world.
Q: What motivates you to continue capturing the world through your lens, and where do you hope to take your work in the future?
I cannot help, really; I am in awe with my job. I cannot do anything else. I am so lucky.