Biography:
Hazel Thompson is a seasoned and multi award-winning British photojournalist and filmmaker.
In the last 20 years, she has taken up assignments and advertising campaigns worldwide in over 65 countries for media organisations,NGO’s and international companies such as The Guardian, The New York Times, Vogue, Channel 4 News, ABC News, The Body Shop, Turkish Airlines,The Observer Magazine, Women for Women International, M&C Saatchi, A21, Stern Magazine, Tesco’s,Tearfund,The Sunday Times,, Sony BMG and Bosch
Most recently, ‘TAKEN’ represents Hazel’s consuming passion; to document the disturbing truth around India’s sub-culture of sex trafficking, Hazel has immersed herself into Mumbai’s sex trade since 2002, and during this time she spent over 6 months living in Kamathipura, gaining unprecedented access into the second largest sex district in Asia. The result is an extraordinary glimpse into the secrets of Mumbai’s red light that reveals the moving real-life stories of girls tricked, trafficked and sold into 21st century sex slavery. Hazel worked closely with iBooks developers at Apple, creating the groundbreaking multi-touch, documentary eBook ‘TAKEN’ (available on iTunes) which combines stunning photography, film footage, audio commentaries, interactive maps and images and video interviews to take the reader behind locked doors into Kamathipura, Mumbai’s oldest and largest red light district. Hazel donated the worldwide profits from TAKEN to Jubilee Campaign to rescue more girls out of sex trafficking in India.
Hazel applies her skill, and her passion, to photograph and film injustice and prejudice; telling powerful stories and creating global awareness around social and humanitarian issues.
She often works closely with NGOs, where she tackles sensitive subjects, such as ‘Kids Behind Bars’ which was aired on ITN & CNN. She was able to capture exclusive images of children imprisoned inside Filipino jails.
Her essay on the UK’s teenage runaways ‘Home & Away’ evolved from an assignment for Observer Magazine into a three part news series for channel FIVE NEWS, where Hazel wrote, reported and presented the story on camera.
Hazel’s short film 'Riva & Albert' - a compelling story about friendship & love beyond generations - has been selected to screen at Brief Encounters as part of the global Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival 2013. Hazel was both the co-producer and director of photography for this film.
Her recent advertising campaigns include ‘Turkey Home’ Tourism campaign, Bahrain’s Tourism Campaign and A21’s ‘Can You See Me’ Anti-trafficking camapign.
Hazel has also been engaged by The British Council to represent the best of British Photojournalism as an arts ambassador to Myanmar, Uzbekistan, Denmark & Vietnam. This relationship has evolved into a more recent commission for her to document the role of women in Qatar and Bahrain as part of an international arts project called “My Father’s House’’, which has toured the Gulf and UK for 3 years.
She is also a highly acclaimed speaker, workshop facilitator and judge for wide variety of conferences, festivals and competitions around the world.
Hazel is available for assignments worldwide.
Awards:
2016 ‘Best Newspaper Article’ - Human Trafficking Foundation & The All-Party Parliamentary Group Media Awards - ‘The Vanished’ - The Guardian
2014 ‘Most Innovative Media Initiative’ - Human Trafficking Foundation Media Award - UK Parliament - ‘Taken’ eBook
2011 NPPA – The Best of Photojournalism Awards- 2nd in non-traditional publishing for CAGE 2010 Asia Mass Media Awards – ‘Best Photojournalist of the Year’.
2009 International Photography Award – Honourable Mention – “Jihad Blogger”.
2009 International Photography Award – Honourable Mention – “Maryam”.
2009 PX3 International photography award - Political Photojournalism.
2009 PX3 International photography award - General Photojournalism.
2007 Named a Hero of photography by American Photo.
2007 3rd Days Japan International Photojournalism. Awards- Readers Prize- Kids Behind Bars.
2006 CARE International Award for Humanitarian Reportage-Visa pour l’image/Perpignan.
2006 Le Prix Special du 60th Anniversaire de CARE – ‘Kids Behind Bars’.
2006 Photo District News (PDN) Annual 2006- Winner- ‘Kids Behind Bars’.
2006 Picture Editors Award – Special Award. – ‘Kids Behind Bars’.
2005 The Observer Hodge Award Winner – 1st – ‘Kids Behind Bars’.
2004 The Observer Hodge Award Prize Winner – 3rd - For ‘Hidden Legacy’.
2003 The Sunday Times Ian Parry Award – Highly Commended- ‘Innocents Delivered .
2002 The Sunday Times Ian Parry Award – Highly Commended – ‘Modern Crusaders’.
2001 The Observer Hodge Award – Highly Commended – ‘Bikers for God’.
Books:
2017 The New York Times EXPLORER - Beaches, Islands and Coasts, Taschen
2013 ‘TAKEN’ - Exposing Sex Trafficking & Slavery in India, eBook on iBooks / iTunes - www.takenebook.com 2010 CAGE - The Horror and the Hope, 2010, Bombay Team Challenge
2006 5000+ Days - Press Photography in a Changing World, David & Charles (D&C)
2005 Assignments - The Press Photographer’s Year, Prestel