biography

Adam Dean is a photo editor on the International desk of The New York Times based in London. Before that he worked as a freelance photographer based in China and Thailand. His archive is represented by Panos Pictures.

He was a regular contributor to The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, TIME Magazine and National Geographic Magazine.

In 2018 he won the George Polk Award for Photography for his work on the Rohingya crisis with Tomas Munita and received Pictures of The Year International (POYI) Photographer of The Year recognitions in 2018 and 2017. In 2011 he was selected as one of PDN’s 30 emerging photographers and was the recipient of The Sony Emerging Photographer Award. 

He has won first place prizes from Pictures of the Year International (POYI), NPPA Best of Photojournalism, Prix International de la Photographie as well as multiple awards from Days Japan Photojournalism Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, PDN Annual and The Press Photographer’s Year. His work has been shown at Visa Pour L’Image festival in Perpignan and exhibited worldwide.

He is also a guest lecturer on the MA International Multimedia Journalism course run jointly by Bolton University and Beijing Foreign Studies University.

awards & distinctions

2021 SOPA Awards - Excellence in Photography
2020 POYI Science & Nat History Story - 2nd Place
2020 POYI Science & Nat History Single - Award of Excellence
2019 POYI Sports Story - 3rd Place
2019 NPPA Feature Story - 1st Place
2018 George Polk Award
2018 POYI Photographer of The Year - 3rd Place
2018 POYI World Understanding Award - Winner
2018 Emmy Awards Nominee (News & Documentary)
2018 NPPA Contemporary Issues Story - 3rd Place
2018 World Press Photo, Digital Storytelling - 3rd Place
2017 POYI Photographer of The Year - Award of Excellence
2017 POYI 2nd Place 'Feature'
2017 NPPA 3rd Place 'Contemporary Issues Story'
2017 NPPA 'Environmental Single' - HM  
2013 PPY 1st Place 'News'
2012 POYI 2nd Place 'Campaign Photo Essay'
2012 POYI AE Campaign Single
2012 NPPA AE Campaign Single
2011 POYI 1st Place ‘General News’
2011 NPPA International News Story 1st Place
2011 NPPA International News Single 2nd Place
2011 The Press Photographer’s Year – Photo Essay 1st Prize
2011 PDN Annual Award
2011 PDN 30 – New & Emerging Photographer
2011 Sony World Photography Award
2011 The Sony Emerging Photographer Award
2011 PX3 Gold Medal ‘War Photography
2011 PX3 Silver Medal ‘General News’
2011 PX3 Silver Medal ‘War Photography’ 
2011 Days Japan Awards
2011 CHIPP – ‘War & Disaster’ Photo Essay
2010 PX3 1st Place ‘General News’
2010 PX3 1st Place ‘War Photography’
2010 PX3 Aftermath Hon Mention
2010 PX3 Hon Mention ‘Feature Story’
2010 PX3 Hon Mention ‘General News’ 
2010 The Press Photographer’s Year
2010 Magenta Foundation Emerging Photograper
2010 Sony International Photography Awards
2010 Society of News Designers
2009 The Press Photographer’s Year
2008 SAJA Winner
2008 SOPA Awards Honourable Mention
2007 Ian Parry Scholarship Honourable Mention
2007 Luis Valtueña International Humanitarian Photography Award Honourable Mention
2007 Masters’ Degree Photography