Picture by Guillaume Koessler in Arles, France. June 2022.
Maria Contreras Coll is a Barcelona-based visual storyteller and documentary photographer. A National Geographic Explorer and recipient of the National Prize of Culture of Catalonia, she collaborates with The New York Times and other leading media outlets.
Maria sees storytelling as a powerful tool for transformation, focusing on how women challenge patriarchal systems and reshape social structures across different cultures. Through a collaborative, research-driven approach, she intimately documents personal stories while critically examining the power dynamics involved in image-making.
After earning a degree in Fine Arts in Barcelona and completing postgraduate studies in Photojournalism at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Maria began her career covering the refugee and migrant crisis in Melilla, a Spanish enclave in Northern Morocco. She later spent a year in Nepal documenting how women are challenging and transforming menstrual restrictions. Her long-term project, Women Revisiting Religion, explores women's roles in redefining religion and spirituality in countries such as India, Mexico, and Austria, with support from organizations like the National Geographic Society and the Catalan government. She has been mentored by industry leaders including James Estrin (The New York Times) and Ed Kashi (VII Photo Agency), and Silvia Omedes (Photographic Social Vision).
Maria's work has been published in National Geographic Spain, The Washington Post, and Marie Claire, among others. She has worked as a unit set photographer for HBO and exhibited her photography in cities such as Dubai, London, and Barcelona. As a teacher and mentor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, she is an active member of Women Photograph and Dones Visuals.
Currently, Maria is expanding her creative work into filmmaking, developing her first short film after completing a Postgraduate Degree and a Master’s in Film Direction at ESCAC (Escola Superior de Cinema i Audiovisuals de Catalunya) . Simultaneously, she is working on a project exploring Mediterranean heritage, with support from the prestigious National Geographic Meridian Grant.
maria.contreras.coll@gmail.com | +34630711850
PUBLICATIONS | CLIENTS
The New York Times, HBO, Fundation CHANEL, Bloomberg, Wall Street Jorunal, The Washington Post, Bloomberg, Der Spiegel, The Volkskrant, GEO Magazine, Marie Claire, 6Mois, Al Jazeera, Internazionale, Information, Le Temps, WOZ Die Wochenzeitung, Le Figaro, Revista 5W, Open Society Fundations, Vice Media, Bistandsaktuelt, El Pais, El Mundo, Diari Ara, El Nacional, Pear Video, among others.
AWARDS
2023
ESCAC full scholarship to study a Master’s on film direction
2022
National Geographic Society Meridian Grant
Casa Garita Art Residency in Oaxaca, Mexico
Full Member of Diversify Photo
2021
National Prize of Culture of Catalonia
The New York Times Portfolio Review
2020
National Geographic COVID-19 Emergency Fund For Journalists
National Geographic Storytelling Grant
I Joana Biarnes Fellowship
2019
POY Latam, 3rd place, Los Jóvenes Se Expresan Category
International Women Photographers Award
ASPAwrds, Blow Up Prize
Voices Off Award 2019, selected
Joop Swart Masterclass, nominee
Smithsonian Photo Contest, Finalist
Lucie Foundation Scholarship, shortlisted
2018
XXXI Eddie Adams Workshop
Women Photograph Mentorship
"31 women to watch out for", British Journal of Photography
The Year In Pictures, Women Photograph
Joop Swart Masterclass, nominee
Prix ANI-PixPalace at Visa Pour L´Image, selected
PH Museum Women Photographers Grant, honorable mention
Lucie Foundation Scholarship, shortlisted
Marilyn Stafford Fotoreportage Award, honorable mention
Days Japan International Awards, finalist
Moscow International Foto Awards, bronze winner
Up Residency in Milano
ND Awards, Editorial Daily Life, third place
Portraits - Hellerau Photography Award, finalist
2017
Click Grant Catalan Goverment
XVIII Seminar of Photography and Journalism Grant in Albarracín for studying Photojournalism in Efti School
XVIII Seminar of Photography and Journalism Grant in Albarracín, winner
ND Awards Editorial: Documentary Photography category, honorable mention
International Photography Magazine & Grant, nominee
Lucie Foundation Scholarship, nominee
Renaissance Photography Grant, nominee
EXHIBITIONS
2020
”Santa Anna”, Santa Anna Field Hospital, Barcelona, Spain (solo exhibition)
"Journey To Impurity", Cassà De La Selva, Spain (solo exhibition)
"Journey To Impurity", Humanes, Madrid, Spain (solo exhibition)
”The Journal”, Anderson Ranch, Aspen, USA
2019
"Journey To Impurity", Madrid Docu Fest, Madrid, Spain
"Journey To Impurity", International Street and Authorial Photography Festival, Alghero, Italy
"Journey To Impurity", IWPA traveling show, Dubai - Beirut - Amman - Paris - New Delhi - Toulouse - Riyadh - Marseille"Journey To Impurity", Les Bernardes, Girona, Spain"Journey To Impurity", After Nyne Gallery, London, UK
"Mortal Again", Espai Elizade, Barcelona, Spain
"Mortal Again", Casa Golferichs, Barcelona, Spain
2018
"The Sound Of The Suburbs", Fabrica del Vapore, Milano, Italy
"Journey To Impurity", Love me Tender global tour by Slideluck Editorial, Barcelona, Spain, Lagos, Nigeria, Bari, Italy, Fortaleza, Brazil
"Journey To Impurity", showcased Photo Vogue Festival, Milan, Italy
"Journey To Impurity", Aljub Espai Art, Figueres, Spain (solo exhibition)
"Journey To Impurity", Biennal Xavier Miserachs, Palafrugell, Spain
"Mortal Again", Visa Off, Visa Pour L'Image, Perpignan, France, (solo exhibition)
"We Keep Waiting", Les Bernardes, Girona, Spain
"Hope", Dresden, Germany
2017
"Melilla, the gateway of Europe", IX Jornades Masnou, Masnou, Spain
"We Keep Waiting", Espai Català Roca, Docfield, Barcelona, Spain, (solo exhibition)
"We Keep Waiting", Looking For Refuge, organized by CEAR (Spanish Commission for Refugee Assistance), Casa de Vacas, Madrid, Spain
"Hope", Renaissance Photography, Getty Images Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2014
"Persona”, Freedonia Gallery, Barcelona, Spain, (solo exhibition)
"Persona", Titols, University of Fine Arts, in Barcelona, Spain
“Ah!",Espai Català Roca, in Barcelona, Spain, (solo exhibition)
TEACHING | SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
From 2016 to present
Teacher and Mentor, Postgraduate Degree in Photojournalism, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
2023
Conference about image making processes and representation, Confederación Española de Fotografia, Spain
Conference about “Women Revisiting Religion”, INSPAI, Girona, Spain
Photo lead activity at the Young Leadership Programme, organised by European Forest Institute, Spain
2022
Speaker at Explorers Festival, National Geographic Headquarters, Washington D.C, USA
Photo Lead Activity to the National Geographic Spanish Explorers, Madrid
Quatre Cantons High School, Menstruating here and in Nepal workshop, organized by La Rafega Photo Collective, Barcelona
2021
Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, Photojournalism and Migration, Spain
National Geographic Campaign, Palabra De Mujer, Spain
National Geographic Campaign, High schools on being an Explorer and working on Menstruation, Spain
Aula Fotografia, Humanes, Madrid,, Viaje A La Impureza, Spain
2020
Journey To Impurity online lecture, Humanes, Madrid, Spain
2019
Espai Català Roca, Barcelona, Spain
DateCuenta school, Pati Llimona, Barcelona, Spain
Erasmus + program from the UK, Barcelona, Spain
IES Badia, Mataró, Spain.