In today’s episode, W. Scott Olsen speaks with Toby Binder, an award-winning documentary photographer with experience in areas of war and crisis.
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Toby Binder is a German-born documentary photographer (b. 1977, Esslingen) educated at the Stuttgart Academy of Arts and Design. From the beginning of his career, he has gravitated toward underreported narratives—documenting children stigmatized as witches in Nigeria, the country’s first female mayor of Afghanistan, and conflict-afflicted miners in the DRC—with a strong commitment to raising social awareness through imagery. His work is deeply rooted in long-term projects that center on youth and marginalized communities, underpinned by his belief that society owes a better world to the next generation.
His acclaimed “Wee Muckers – Youth of Belfast” project, published in 2019, is a striking exploration of working‑class youth in Northern Ireland. Building on this, his recent project “Divided Youth of Belfast,” which poignantly captures how the legacy of the Troubles continues to shape life even for those born after the peace agreement, earned him the top documentary prize at the 2025 Sony World Photography Awards. Since then, Binder has also received further recognition—awards, grants, and publications—including LensCulture’s Portrait Awards (Juror’s Pick 2023), UNICEF Photo of the Year Honorable Mention (2021), and many more, while his work continues to appear in prominent outlets worldwide.






TOBY BINDER
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