Katerina Churbakova (born in Murmansk, Russia) is a documentary photographer based in Cyprus. She is a member of Women Photograph community. In 2021 she graduated from School of Modern Photography “Docdocdoc”. She mainly works on long-term documentary projects combined with extensive research. Photography for her is a way to investigate the daily life and ideology of different groups and communities in the context of social changes. Her work involves exploring the issues of isolation, discrimination and trauma. 

Her works were published in Takie Dela, The Calvert Journal, Republic, Dodho magazine, The Edge of Humanity Magazine, Octagon media, Zapovednik and others. 

About. Katerina Churbakova | Documentary photographer

Awards

2024 | Portrait of Humanity, shortlist 

2024 | Sarajevo Photography Festival, 3rd place, Portrait category

2023 | Julia Margaret Cameron Award, category winner

2023 | Eyeshot Open Call, honorable mention

2023 | Sarajevo Photography Festival, finalist

2023 | POY Asia, finalist

2023 | Rovinj Photodays, 2nd place, Documentary category

2022 | In Memory of Alexander Efremov Reportage Photo Contest, honorable mention

2022 | Helsinki Photo Festival, shortlist 

2022 | Athens Photo Festival, shortlist 


Exhibitions

2024 | Group exhibition at Sarajevo Photography Festival, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2023 | Group exhibition at Magazzini Fotografici, Italy

2023 | Group exhibition at the Rovinj Photodays Festival, Croatia


Scholarships 

2022 | “The Locals” project from international festival workshop of film schools “Kinoproba”, documentary filmmaking workshop

2021 | Summer School, photography workshop


Education

2024 | International Class of Photojournalism and Documentary Photography, Hochschule Hannover  — University of Applied Sciences and Arts 

2019 — 2021 | “Docdocdoc” school of Modern Photography, St. Petersburg

2020 | Portrait intensive course by Dmitry Lukyanov, Fineart school of photography

2019 | Course of Documentary photography by Mary Gelman, School of academic photography

2015 — 2016 | Humboldt University of Berlin

2012 — 2016 | Moscow City Pedagogical University, German studies


Lectures and other initiatives

2021 | Artist talk in Russian-American Student service network on Disability and Art