"Claire Thomas: Witnessing War, Resilience, and Peace"

From the Mongolian steppe to the frontline hospitals of Mosul, this episode goes where photojournalism gets real.

This week on The Camera Café Show, we’re joined by Claire Thomas — a Welsh photojournalist whose path to storytelling was anything but expected. A photo she took while traveling ended up being published in National Geographic, and from there, her career took off — across Iraq, Ukraine, Greece, and much of the Middle East, where she’s spent the past decade photographing conflict, culture, and the human condition.

Claire’s work has appeared in leading publications and with organizations such as Amnesty International, Save the Children, Oxfam, International Rescue Committee, CARE and various UN agencies. But her story is not just about the places she’s been — it’s about the people she’s photographed and the relationships she’s built.

In this episode, we talk about:
📷 Her project on the wives and mothers of ISIS fighters
❤️ The GoFundMe photo that helped a young Iraqi girl, Maya, living with a rare skin condition
🐴 Her lifelong love of horses (and photographing while riding!)
⚠️ How keeping your balance in a war zone
🩺 What it feels like to photograph inside a trauma clinic during a battle

Claire brings humor, humility, and honesty to a conversation that reminds us that photojournalism is not just about getting the shot — it’s about the people, the ethics, and the purpose behind the lens.

🎧 Hit play to hear the powerful story of a photographer who shows up for the world — even when the world is on fire.