About – Carmen Yasmine Abd Ali

EXPERIENCE

Carmen Yasmine Abd Ali is a photographer and storyteller based in Senegal, working primarily across West Africa. With a background in Journalism and a diploma in Documentary Photography and Transmedia Writing, she began her career in 2019 as a freelance contributor for Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Since then, she has regularly collaborated with leading international media outlets such as The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and The New York Times, among others. In parallel with her editorial work, Carmen Yasmine develops long-term personal projects that are regularly exhibited or published, while also collaborating with NGOs, associations, and companies to create impactful visual content for their communication strategies.

After five years with the Hans Lucas Studio and one year with the Inland Stories collective, she now works independently.

You can find her resume here.

APPROACH

Carmen Yasmine Abd Ali approaches each project and assignment as an opportunity to explore the intimate dimensions of human experience. She believes that individual stories offer vital insights into broader global issues and help foster connections between diverse communities—especially in a world where she believes empathy, sensitivity, and a sense of belonging must be re-centered.

Though her recent work has given her the opportunity to engage deeply with security issues in the Sahel region, her core interests remain focused on exploring themes of identity, human mobility, cultural heritage and narratives, societal norms and resilience, capturing the strength and adaptability of individuals and communities in the face of challenges. Her practice is deeply rooted in individuals, encounters, and human connection. With a commitment to fairness and inclusion, she uses her work to bring attention to realities that are too often ignored or misunderstood. Carmen Yasmine aims to build authentic and trustful relationships with those she photographs, giving them the space to share their stories through a thoughtful blend of documentary and artistic storytelling.

PUBLICATIONS

Places she’s worked :

CORPORATE CLIENTS

DISTINCTIONS

2021 – Named Maghreb Photographer of the Year, series «Mbelha», Maghreb photography awards, Morocco.

2020 – Shortlisted at session#8 of the Mentor Prize with the series “Mbelha”, Freelens association, Festival Face à la Mer, Tangier.

2017 – First audiovisual prize with «Supercoop», Young reporter for the Environment, Teragir.

EXHIBITIONS / PROJECTIONS

2025 – Image Festival Amman, 13th edition, series «It’s not trafficking, it’s transportation», Darat Al Tasweer, Zara Centre, Amman, Jordan.

2025 – The 14th Bamako Encounters – The African Biennal of Photography, series «Mbelha», Bamako, Mali.

2021 – Official selection / “Rencontres Photographiques du 10ème”, series «Mbelha», Collectif Fetart, Paris, France.

2019 – Projection of images from elections in Senegal, Visa pour l’Image : International photojournalism Festival, Perpignan, France.

2018 – Exhibition of the series «Moroccan Spaces», Cultural meetings of Lespinassière, Emmaüs France.