Oksana Parafeniuk is an independent photographer based in Kyiv, Ukraine, where she is exploring the manifestations of human resilience and dignity among people facing hardships. Her main interest is to explore creative approaches in documentary photography.
In addition to her personal projects, Oksana has worked with and published her work in The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, NBC News, BuzzFeed News, The Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera English, Rest of World, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, MSF Doctors Without Borders, UN Women, UNHCR, L’Oeil de la Photographie, and others.
Oksana was an instructor at the National Geographic Photo Camp in Moldova in May, 2023.
Oksana has completed Hostile Environment First Aid Training (HEFAT) and is PADI Open Water Diving certified.
She is a member of Women Photograph and The Journal Collective.
Oksana holds an MA degree in French/Francophone Civilization, Culture, and Society from Middlebury College where she was awarded the Kathryn Davis Fellowship for Peace.
Oksana speaks fluent English, French and Russian, in addition to her native Ukrainian.
UAPP is an independent association of professional Ukrainian photographers, designed to protect their interests, support, develop and promote Ukrainian photography as an important element of national culture.
UAPP's activities span educational, social, research and cultural initiatives, as well as book publishing.
UAPP represents Ukrainian professional photography in the international photographic community and is an official member of the Federation of European Photographers (FEP) — an international organization representing more than 50,000 professional photographers in Europe and other countries around the world.
