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.
Maria 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, including the Cortona On The Move Award in 2024 and the World Press Photo Award in 2025.
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.
maria.abranches.studio@gmail.com
Winner, Inglewood Photography Festival Book Grant
2024 Winner, Cortona On The Move Award Winner, LensCulture Emergint Talent Awards
Honorable Mention, Novos Talentos Fnac
Finnalist, Blow Up Press Book Award
Finnalist, APhF Dummy Award
Finnalist, Prix Virginia 2025 World Press Photo 2025, Worldwide Exhibitions
Cortona On The Move: Come Together, Cortona, Italy
Presentation at Les Rencontres d’Arles, Fujikina, France Photo London 2025, London, UK
2024 Masterclass 23/24, Narrativa
Retrospetiva: Masterclass Narrativa, Barreiro, Portugal
2022 Trançar o Mundo, Casa Independente, Lisbon, Portugal
A Tarde Talvez Fosse Azul, Casa da Imprensa, Lisbon, Portugal
Memória do Agora: Marvila, Biblioteca de Marvila, Lisbon, Portugal
Mescla, Livraria-Galeria Municipal Verney, Oeiras, Portugal
Memória do Agora: Marvila, Biblioteca Camões, Lisbon, Portugal
2021 Pele Escura, Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal
‘M Magazine: Le Monde’ Article
‘De Donkere Kamer’ Podcast
‘LensCulture’ Article
‘Antena 3: Catarina Palma Apresenta’ Podcast
‘Narrativa’ Podcast