Beyond The Frontline - Nicole Tung
14/01/2027
18:30 – 20:30
Beyond The Frontline - Nicole Tung
Nicole Tung
Nicole Tung is a freelance photojournalist, born in Hong Kong. She graduated from New York University in 2009, and freelances for international publications and NGOs, primarily covering the Middle East region and most recently, Ukraine.
Her work often explores those most affected by conflict and the consequences of war, and regularly photographs for The New York Times, Harper’s Magazine, The Washington Post, Le Monde, and other publications.
Her work has been exhibited at various festivals worldwide and has received multiple awards, including the 2018 Online News Association’s James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting, and the 2020 Visa Pour l’Image French Ministry of Culture’s Production Grant. Nicole is part of VII Foundation’s “Imagine: Reflections on Peace” exhibition and book, and FotoEvidence’s book “Ukraine: A War Crime”. She is the 2025 recipient of the Philip Jones Griffiths Award, finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography and finalist for the 2026 Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography as part of a team for her work in Ukraine for The New York Times, as well as being the 15th laureate of the Carmignac Foundation's Photojournalism Award in 2025, with which she investigated the opaque world of overfishing in Southeast Asia. She is the 2026 recipient of XPOSURE Festival's Independent Freelance Photographer Award, the 2026 World Press Photo Award for her story on a Syrian city rebuilding after the war, and the 2026 IWMF Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. Nicole has previously served on the board of the Frontline Freelance Register, advocating for the safety of freelance journalists around the world. She is based in Edinburgh.
(Leica Client Services Soho)
15 Greek Street 1st Floor
London
W1D 4DP
United Kingdom
Join Leica Akademie London for an evening with freelance photojournalist Nicole Tung, renowned for her extensive coverage of conflicts and humanitarian crises around the world.
Drawing on 15 years of work, Nicole will take us through her personal journey as a photojournalist and explore bodies of work from Syria, Ukraine, her hometown of Hong Kong and beyond.
Through photographs and the stories behind them, Nicole will discuss the experiences and challenges of working in places shaped by conflict and identity politics, while exploring some of the deeper questions that have come to define her practice.
At the heart of the evening will be themes of returning to the places and people she has photographed, the periphery of war, empathy, and the limitations of the photographic narrative. What can a photograph tell us about conflict and what inevitably remains outside the frame?
Offering a candid insight into the realities of contemporary photojournalism, Nicole will reflect on today's reporting landscape, the responsibility of bearing witness, and above all, the people at the centre of the stories she photographs.
The evening will include an illustrated presentation by Nicole, followed by an audience Q&A and an opportunity to continue the conversation over drinks and networking.
About Nicole Tung
Nicole Tung is a freelance photojournalist born in Hong Kong. After graduating from New York University in 2009, she began working internationally, with a particular focus on the Middle East and, more recently, Ukraine.
Her work explores the lives of people affected by conflict and the consequences of war, and she regularly photographs for publications including The New York Times, Harper's Magazine, The Washington Post and Le Monde.
Her photography has been exhibited internationally and recognised with numerous awards, including the James Foley Award for Conflict Reporting, the Philip Jones Griffiths Award, the World Press Photo Award and the IWMF Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award. She is based in Edinburgh.
