Oksana Parafeniuk

Oksana Parafeniuk is an independent Ukrainian photojournalist and documentary photographer based in Kyiv. Her work explores the manifestations of human strength, dignity, and resilience among people facing hardship, often focusing on the personal stories that exist beyond headlines and breaking news. Combining documentary photography with creative visual approaches, she is particularly interested in how individuals and communities navigate conflict, change, and uncertainty.

Before becoming a photographer herself, Oksana worked as a fixer for international journalists covering Ukraine, an experience that gave her a unique understanding of storytelling, access, and the importance of local perspectives. Over time, she transitioned behind the camera and developed her own visual voice, documenting Ukraine through both editorial assignments and long-term personal work.

Her photographs have appeared in leading international publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, NBC News, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera English, Newsweek, and many others. Her work has also been exhibited widely across Europe and the United States, including solo exhibitions in Marseille and at the International Center of Photography in New York, as well as group exhibitions in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Ukraine, and the United States.

Oksana is a member of Women Photograph, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, and The Journal Collective. She holds a master's degree in French and Francophone Civilization, Culture, and Society from Middlebury College, where she received the Kathryn Davis Fellowship for Peace. Today, she continues to document life in Ukraine while balancing her work as a photographer, journalist, and mother, bringing a deeply personal perspective to the stories she tells.