Loriene Perera

Loriene is a self-taught photographer from Singapore ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฌ, who discovered her passion for photography at a young age. By the time she was 8, she was already experimenting with disposable cameras, sparking a lifelong journey into the world of visual storytelling. Her early experiences, including serving as the editorial photographer for her college newsletter and taking a social photography class in her senior year, deepened her commitment to capturing the human experience.

Shortly after graduation, Loriene embarked on her professional journey at Reuters, where she spent over a decade as a photo editor. In addition to editing breaking news images for major global events, she contributed her editorial stock photography, with her work seened on prominent international outlets such as the BBC, The New York Times, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal. During her time at Reuters, she honed her skills in real-time editing, navigating the high-pressure demands of significant events like the U.S. presidential elections, the Olympics, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Driven to capture spontaneous, authentic moments, Loriene seeks to reflect the beauty and complexity of daily life through her photography. She believes in getting the shot right in-camera and uses post-processing techniques to enhance her images rather than "rescue" them.

Currently based in the United States ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ, Loriene is pursuing her MFA in Communication Media Arts at Ohio University, focusing on photography and documentary video. Her latest project, Chesterhill, explores the transformation of a small Appalachian village through the lens of its history and community resilience. Recently, she has been honored with several awards, including the Sonyโ€™s Photojournalism Scholarship from the National Press Photographers Foundation and twice winning the ONPA Chuck Scott Student Photographer of the Year for 2023 and 2024. She also received the 35 and Under Award at the 2024 WideOpen: Excellence in Photography juried exhibition. Through her craft, Loriene remains dedicated to telling meaningful stories and connecting with people from all walks of life.