Claire Thomas is a photographer and photojournalist from Penygroes in South Wales. Her work on issues relating to global political and military conflicts, human rights, and humanitarian and environmental crises has earned her recognition at the 2017 British Journalism Awards, the 2018 UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards, and the 2018 Amnesty International UK Media Awards.
From within the camps that emerged from the refugee crisis in Europe to the war against ISIS in Iraq, Claire has covered a range of stories in various countries, contributing images and photo essays to leading newspapers, magazines and news agencies worldwide. Her editorial clients include The Sunday Times, The Guardian, National Geographic, Greenpeace and Al Jazeera, to name just a few. She also works regularly with United Nations agencies and international NGOs, including Amnesty International, OXFAM and Save the Children.
On this episode, Gideon and Richard chat with Claire about her path in photojournalism to the front line in Iraq, her coverage of the torched oil fields in Qayyarah and her experiences at a makeshift field clinic in Mosul - the location of one of the deadliest urban battles since World War II. They discuss the role of a photojournalist in a humanitarian crisis as well as some of the more unique psychological aspects of her job, including what it’s like returning back to Wales after being in a war zone.