About
Laura Riis (b. 2002, Denmark) is a documentary photographer whose work focuses on communities navigating change, within and beyond the boundaries of tradition, exploring how faith, belonging, and adolescence are experienced amid shifting landscapes. Laura’s photographic practice has taken her across Latin America and Pakistan, where she has spent several years documenting young people navigating cultural and systemic inequality.
Her ongoing series Faith in Transition from Pakistan, explores religious conversion among the indigenous Kalash community, and was selected as Highly Commended by the Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant 2025, as well as nominated for UNICEF’s Photo of the Year. In 2025,
she completed a Bachelor’s in Photojournalism in Paris. Influenced by her formative years spent in India, Laura photographs with a gentle, observant approach, focusing on trust and shared understanding to explore how people build identity within changing worlds. She is currently developing Uniformed Dreams, a long-term project on girls entering Pakistan’s militarized schools, examining how young women reshaps what authority, and national identity can look like for the next generation.
CV
Awards/exhibition:
2025
Nominated for UNICEF Photo of the Year 2025 with Faith In Transition
Award of Excellence in the The Alexia/CPOY Project Grant
Group exhibition with Magnum Photo 2025
Hamburg portfolio review - The 100 selected photographers 2025
Finalist for Joan Wakelin Bursary 2025
Shortlisted for Prix Révélation SAIF x La Kabine 2025.
2024
Winner of Arkitekt Fr. Borup og Families Legat 2024
Solo exhibition at LAGO in Copenhagen 2024
Photo Faire at Christiania Christmas market 2022 and 2023
Education:
Master in photojournalism with Magnum Photo and Spéos 2024 - 2025
Bachelor's Business International Culture
Public engagement:
Speech holder with Duckling 2025
Panelist at WAN-IFRA Copenhagen 2024
Presenting Pakistan project on TV2 live 2024
Panelist at TV2 discussing current state of journalism