Acclaimed humanitarian photographer Lisa Kristine creates more than images, she inspires change. A master storyteller, her documents indigenous cultures in more than 100 countries on six continents, instinctively identifying the universal human dignity in all of us. Awakening compassion and igniting action in a worldwide audience with powerful, broad-sweeping images of courage and tender, intimate portrayals, she elevates significant social causes—such as the elimination of human slavery and the unification of humanity—to missions. Her work resonates in the heart and moves us to act.
She has gained broad recognition for her collaboration with the NGO Free the Slaves. This breathtaking body of work, illuminating human enslavement, is brought together in the ENSLAVED exhibition. Lisa has received global attention for shining a light on contemporary slavery across media platforms, including CNN and Reuters, speaking at TED events, museums, NGO’s, business conferences, colleges and universities.
Lisa Kristine was the sole exhibitor at the 2009 Vancouver Peace Summit, attended by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other award winning Nobel Laureates. Lisa has enabled new social and financial capital for the causes she champions. Christie’s New York, in celebration with Kofi Annan, has auctioned her images to benefit the United Nations. The Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Queen Mother of Bhutan, and Amnesty International, have all endorsed her work. In 2013, Lisa was the recipient for the Lucie Foundation’s 2013 Humanitarian Award that recognizes achievements of master photographers. Her photographs inspired the Make a Stand Lemonade movement, which has raised more than a million dollars and has enlightened the awareness of over 100 million people toward the eradication of slavery. In December 2014 Lisa was invited to the Vatican to join Pope Francis and other global diverse faith leaders in signing the unprecedented declaration to eradicate slavery. She continues to work with the Pontifical Academy of Sciences at the Vatican as well as the Global Sustainability Network. She is also a partner with the United Nation's ILO campaign, 50ForFreedom.
She has published 6 books and has been the subject of 4 documentaries. Her work on Slavery will be featured in two films to be released in 2014. One of these films, SOLD the movie, made by Oscar Award winning team, Emma Thompson and Jeffrey Brown, includes a character inspired by Kristine and played by Gillian Anderson.
Just as she hopes this body of work will inspire awareness and change, she continues to seek out projects in which her images can have a positive impact in our world. Her purpose-driven interactions with diverse cultures, her passionate sensitivity about the human condition, and her finely-tuned craft produces truthful, profound images beauty, suffering, compassion—and above all—the dignity of men, women and children around our world.