Maria Abranches is a Portuguese independent documentary photographer and photojournalist who uses photography to highlight critical issues, amplify marginalized voices, and inspire change.
Originally trained as an architect, Abranches worked in the field for several years before studying photography at Ar.Co and MEF in Lisbon. This led to an internship in photojournalism at the Portuguese newspaper Público, after which she decided to dedicate her career exclusively to photography.
Abranches developed an interest in Portuguese colonial history while documenting the production of Dark Skin (2021), a film exploring racism and inclusion by Graça Castanheira. This experience inspired Braid the World (2022), a visual exploration of African hair heritage and its cultural symbolism, created in collaboration with Afro-descendant hairdressers.
In 2023-2024, she was selected for the Masterclass Narrativa. During this program, she began developing MARIA, her first long-term photographic essay, which has already received several recognitions.
Recently, she covered the Paralympics for Reuters, with which she regularly collaborates, as well as with Público and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Her work has been seen in major media publications such as The Guardian, The Washington Post, BBC, CNN, Libération, The Globe and Mail, The Sun, Folha de S. Paulo, and Le Monde.
AWARDS
Winner, Inglewood Photography Festival Book Grant 2025
Winner, Cortona On The Move Award 2024
Winner, LensCulture Emergint Talent Awards 2024
Honorable Mention, Novos Talentos Fnac 2024
