Award-winning visuals director creating ambitious photography & film projects for a global audience
Drawing on more than two decades working in media and visual storytelling Amy brings deep knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking to stills and motion projects. She partners with brands, cultural institutions, publishers, creative agencies, and photographers to develop and direct ambitious visual narratives for campaigns, books, exhibitions, print, and digital media.
Some examples of past projects include; Olympism Made Visible, an original global fine art initiative (Olympic Foundation for Culture + Heritage) spanning five continents produced over two years featuring new commissions by ten artists; Lorenzo Vitturi (in Cambodia), Vanessa Winship (in the UK), Alex Majoli (in Brazil), Max Pinckers (in Palau), Nico Krijno (in Rwanda), Rinko Kawauchi (in Japan), Dana Lixenberg (in Jordan), Wayne Lawrence (in Kenya), Luis Alberto Rodriguez (in Mexico), and Tézenas + Delangle (in France) which launched as an exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina with further exhibitions in development, The Geography of Poverty, a two-year, eight-part series on the inequities of wealth distribution in the United States by Matt Black (MSNBC/Time Magazine), Continental Drift a partnership with Magnum Photos on the global refugee and migrant crisis with ten photographers working across five continents over an entire year (MSNBC), Political Theatre a seminal two-year examination of the current socio-political landscape of the United States by Mark Peterson (MSNBC/NBC/Steidl Books), and Our Old Familiar Globe is Gone an immersive experience about the global climate crisis (MSNBC).
She has collaborated with a variety of brands and organizations including; Airbnb, Apple, IBM, The International Olympic Committee, The Olympic Museum, UNHCR, NRDC, The New York Times, T Brand, Claxton Projects, Magnum Photos, Magnum Foundation, Steidl Books, NBC News, MSNBC, The New Yorker, TIME Magazine, Newsweek, Committee to Protect Journalists and others.
In addition to directing and curating, Amy also acts as a creative advisor for groups and organizations, regularly sits on juries for international photography prizes, and on occasion mentors photographers in fellowships or masterclasses on the craft of visual storytelling. Previously she was the Photography Director at MSNBC, longtime Senior Photo Editor at Newsweek, and a Photo Editor at The New Yorker.
For inquiries: amy@amypereira.com
JURIES, REVIEWS + WORKSHOPS
Jury, Counter Histories, Magnum Foundation, 2022
Jury, Photography and Social Justice Fellowship, Magnum Foundation, 2020
Jury, Lucie Photo Book Prize, 2019
Mentor, Photography + Social Justice Fellowship, The Magnum Foundation, 2018-2019
Jury, Getty Images Reportage Grant, 2018
Jury, Lucie Photo Book Prize, 2018
Reviewer, Blink Portfolio Review, New York, NY, 2018
Mentor, Photography + Social Justice Fellowship, The Magnum Foundation, 2017-2018
Jury, The Alexia Foundation, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, 2017
Guest Speaker, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University, 2017
Jury, Flash Forward Emerging Photographer Project, The Magenta Foundation, Toronto, Canada, 2017
Guest Lecturer, The International Center of Photography, New York, NY, 2017
Nominating Committee, The CatchLight Fellowship, Berkeley, CA, January 2017
Speaker, The News Impact Summit, European Journalism Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2016
Speaker, Steidl X Strand, Interview with Photographer Mark Peterson, New York, NY, 2016
Panelist, PDN/PhotoPlus Expo, Javitz Center, New York, NY, 2016
Master Teacher, The Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2016
Jury, The Fence, Photoville, Brooklyn, NY, 2016
Jury, LensCulture/Magnum Photography Award, New York, NY, 2016
Reviewer, New York Times Portfolio Review New York, NY, 2016
Speaker, AP31 Big Talk Panel, SVA Beatrice Theatre, New York, NY, 2015
Reviewer, Review Santa Fe Juried Portfolio Review, Santa Fe, NM, 2015
Reviewer, New York Times Portfolio Review New York, NY, 2015
Reviewer, Review Santa Fe Juried Portfolio Review, Santa Fe, NM, 2014
Speaker, 20x20 Live, SVA Beatrice Theatre, New York, NY, 2014
Jury, AP31 American Photo, New York, NY, 2014
Nominating Committee, The Magnum Foundation Fund, New York, NY, 2013
Master Teacher, Workshop, Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2003
SELECTED HONORS + AWARDS
Emmy/The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, News & Documentary New Approaches, Outstanding Interactive Media Nominee, Postcards from a World on Fire, New York Times Opinion, 2022
Online Journalism Awards, Outstanding Commentary Winner, Postcards from a World on Fire, New York Times Opinion, 2022
NPPA, First Place, Documentary Multimedia Package, Continental Drift: The Global Migrant Crisis, Magnum Photos, 2017
PDN Photo Annual, Multimedia winner, Continental Drift: The Global Migrant Crisis, Photographs by Magnum Photos, 2017
PDN Photo Annual, Photographer of The Year, Mark Peterson for Political Theatre, 2017
American Photography Annual AP32, 2017
POYi, Third Place, Visual Editor of The Year, 2017
Winner, Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, Matt Black for The Geography of Poverty, 2016
NPPA, Documentary Multimedia Package third Place Geography of Poverty, Photographs by Matt Black, 2016
POYi, Third Place, Political Theater, Photographs by Mark Peterson, 2016
Webby Award, Best Individual Editorial Experience Honoree, Geography of Poverty, Photographs by Matt Black, 2016
Webby Award, Best Use of Photography Honoree, Our Old Familiar Globe is Gone, Photographs by John Francis Peters, 2016
PDN Photo Annual, Editorial winner, Political Theatre, Photographs by Mark Peterson, 2016
SND Best of Digital Design Award of Excellence, 2016
American Photography Annual AP31, 2016
Winner, W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography, Matt Black for Geography of Poverty, 2015
EPPY Award, Best Photography, Geography of Poverty, 2015
World Press Photo, Second Place, Long Feature, The Fence by Charles Ommanney, 2015
NPPA, Honorable Mention, Domestic News Picture Story CPAC, Photographs by Mark Peterson, 2015
PDN Photo Annual, Photojournalism/Documentary winner, CPAC, Photographs by Mark Peterson, 2015
American Photography Annual AP30, 2015
PDN Photo Annual, Editorial winner, Community Wrestles with Unhealed Wounds, Photographs by Wayne Lawrence, 2014
American Photography Annual AP29, 2014
POYi, Third Place, Magazine News Story Editing for A Dictator Dispatched, Photographs by Alex Majoli, 2011
POYi, Award of Excellence, Editing (team) The Last Witnesses, Photographs by Tim Hetherington + Chris Hondros, 2011
POYi, Third Place, Magazine Picture Editing Portfolio for multiple stories (team), 2011
American Photography Annual AP27, 2011
NPPA, Second Place, Magazine Picture Editor of The Year, 2010
NPPA, Third Place, Photo Editing, Magazine Story for The Mosquito, Revised, Photographs by Francesco Zizola, 2010
NPPA, Honorable Mention, Photo Editing, Magazine Story for Africa On Its Own, Photographs by Guy Tillim, 2010
American Photography Annual AP26, 2010
Deadline Club, Winner, Photo Feature for No One Much Cares, Photographs by Eugene Richards, 2009
Art Directors Club, Silver Medal Photography for Images of an Unresolved War, Photographs by Bill Burke, 2009
NPPA, Second Place Photo Editing, Magazine News Story for Images of an Unresolved War, Photographs by Bill Burke, 2009
NPPA, Honorable Mention, Photo Editing, Magazine News Story for Green Countries, 2009
American Photography Annual AP25, 2009
Art Directors Club 87th Annual, Merit Award, Magazine Editorial for Gang Warfare, Photographs Moises Saman, 2008
SPD 43, Merit Award, Feature Photography Spread for Scars of War, Photographs Tim Hetherington, 2008
NPPA, Second Place Magazine News Story Photo Editing, Gang Warfare, Photographs Moises Saman, 2008
NPPA, Third Place Magazine News Story Photo Editing, Witness on the Darfur Plateau, Photographs Paolo Pellegrin, 2008
American Photography Annual AP24, 2008
NPPA, Honorable Mention Photo Editing, Magazine Story Opener True Pain, Photographs by Paolo Pellegrin, 2007
PDN Photographic Annual for Crisis in Darfur Photographs by Jan Grarup, 2007
PDN Photographic Annual for True Pain, Photographs by Paolo Pellegrin, 2007
American Photography Annual AP23, 2007
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Finalist, Newsweek magazine for General Excellence (team), 2006
NPPA, Third Place Photo Editing, Magazine Story Opener Broken Borders, Photograph by Tim Hetherington, 2006
NPPA, Third Place Editing, Newsweek Photo Department, Best Use of Photography by a Magazine (team), 2006
SOPA, Award for Editorial Excellence, 1st Place Feature for Continental Divide, Photographs by Paolo Pellegrin, 2006
SOPA, Award for Editorial Excellence, 1st Place Photography for Living on The Edge, Photographs by Jan Grarup, 2006
American Photography Annual AP22, 2006
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Finalist, Newsweek magazine for General Excellence (team), 2005
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Winner, Newsweek magazine for General Excellence (team), 2004
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Finalist, Newsweek magazine for General Excellence (team), 2003
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Winner, Newsweek magazine for General Excellence (team), 2002
ASME, National Magazine Awards, Finalist, Newsweek magazine for Photography (team), 2002
PROJECTS, BOOKS + SHOWS
Creative Director, Responding to the Aftermath of the Fires in Maui, videos + stills, on location in Hawaii for Airbnb.org, 2023
Photography Director, IBM Blue Studio, various projects, 2023 - ongoing
Creative Director, Responding to the Aftermath of the Earthquake in Türkiye, videos + stills, on location in Türkiye for Airbnb.org, 2023
Creative Director, Responding to the Ukrainian Crisis, videos + stills, on location in Germany and Poland for Airbnb.org, 2022
Photo Director, Postcards From a World on Fire, special global report, The New York Times Opinion, 2021-2022
Photo Editor, Amen Break book, Photographs by Thomas Prior, Loose Joints, 2021
Artistic Director/Executive Producer/Curator, group exhibition featuring photographers Lorenzo Vitturi, Vanessa Winship, Alex Majoli, Nico Krijno, and Max Pinckers, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2018-2020
Guest Creative Director, States of Vulnerability, Photographs by Matt Black, TIME Magazine and TIME.com, 2018
Photography Director, This is America campaign for Global Citizen, 2017
Executive Director, Continental Drift: The Global Migrant Crisis, Photographs by Magnum Photos, MSNBC, 2016
Executive Director, Geography of Poverty, Photographs by Matt Black, MSNBC, 2015-2016
Photo Editor, Bomba, Photographs by Thomas Prior, Self-Published, 2016
Executive Director, Political Theatre, Photographs by Mark Peterson, MSNBC, 2015-2016
Photo Editor, Political Theatre, Photographs by Mark Peterson, Steidl Books, 2016
Guest Curator, Political Theatre by Mark Peterson, Just Another Photo Festival, Varanasi, India, 2016
Executive Producer/Creative Director, The Geography of Poverty zine for Magnum/MSNBC/Instagram, Photoville, Brooklyn, NY, 2015
Executive Director, Our Old Familiar World in Gone, Photographs by John Francis Peters, MSNBC, 2015
Guest Curator, Slideluck, Alice Austen House, Staten Island, NY, 2014
Photo Director, Committee to Protect Journalists Annual Report, CPJ, 2012
Photo Director, Basetrack: One-Eight Photographs book by Teru Kuwayama + Balazs Gardi, Self-Published, 2011
Photo Director, Committee to Protect Journalists, Annual Report, CPJ, 2011
Photo Editor, Afghanistan Broken Promise Photographs by Moises Saman, Charta, 2007