In May and April I went back into the Amazon rainforest for yet another time. But this stay was different. Over huge distances I travelled back to many of the places were it all started for me; the forest near Puerto Ayacucho in Venezuela, and visiting old friends in Leticia, Colombia and Belen Bajo in Peru. It might turnout to be the last trip before the long term project is finished - the next couple of month of processing and editing will tell... I’ll keep you posted, but until then here’s an image from my stay with the Yanomami in south Venezuela.

Join my workshop at Fatamorgana! This summer I’ll be teaching a three days workshop at Fatamorgana - Danmarks Fotografiske Billedkunstskole. We will be concentrating on telling important stories in the personal language of the photographer. It’s in Danish and you can read much more here and visit Fatamorganas website here.

I’ve been waiting for this moment for some time.... Finally I can present to you the photo essay: Oumas Weddng - A Child is Getting Married. It’s a short story on a 14-year old girl from Niger who is being married. Niger has the world record of child marriages. More info on the story here. Tear sheets here. And the pictures here (more available on demand).

In May my photo essay ‘Fever, Gold Fever’ will be exhibit in Øksnehallen. It’s a very cool place located in central Copenhagen were it used to serve as a slaughterhouse. The exhibition that I’m a part of is called 5 x Personal Projects and consist of works from five young Danish documentary photographers. Posters and signed and numbered fine art prints are for sale.

My photo essay 'Fever, Gold Fever' has received a 2nd prize in the Environmental Picture Story category at the annual Best of Photojournalism 2010 (BoP) contest. The photo essay is from South Americas largest illegal goldmine Eldorado do Juma located in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest. The essay was made during the Joop Swart Masterclass and is part of my long term project AMAZONAS. You can visit the Best of Photojournalism site here.

The picture story Oumas Wedding - A Child is Getting Married received an Award of Excellence at the annual UNICEF Photo of the Year. You can see the images here and read about the UNICEF award here.

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At the annual Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) I was selected as the best photographer of the year! Visit the Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) and take a look at my portfolio here

My picture from the mass arrest of nearly 1000 protesters during the international climate summit COP15 in Copenhagen in December 2009 has received a first prize as the best Danish news picture at the annual Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto). Visit the Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) here.

My picture story 'The Fieldhospital' has received a first prize as the best foreign news picture story at the annual Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto). Visit the Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) and see the story here.

My photo essay 'Fever, Gold Fever' has received a first prize as the best foreign picture story at the annual Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto). The picture essay is from South Americas largest illegal goldmine Eldorado do Juma located in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest. The essay was made during the Joop Swart Masterclass and is part of my long term project AMAZONAS. See the essay here. Visit the Danish Picture of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) here.

I've been selected as the second best 'Photographer of the Year' at POYi (Picture of the Year International). Photographers from all over the world participated with portfolios existing of approximately 40 images taken during the year 2009. See my portfolio here

My photo essay 'Fever, Gold Fever' has received a third prize in POYi - Picture of the Year International!! The picture essay is from South Americas largest illegal goldmine Eldorado do Juma located in the middle of the Brazilian rain forest. The essay was made during the Joop Swart Masterclass and is part of my long term project AMAZONAS. See the essay here

I'm glad to announce that I've been nominated for this years Danish Press Photo of the Year contest (Årets Pressefoto). It's still unclear which of my stories or images will be rewarded, since the final result will not be revealed until March 5th. I've contributed with three stories, a multimedia and a few single images from the year 2009; One story is on the Field Hospital in Afghanistan that I visited in October, another story, or picture essay, is the Fragments of Afghanistan. And last, but not least, is Fever, Gold Fever - a picture essay which is a part of my personal long term project 'Amazonas'. Part of this story can be seen at the Joop Swart Masterclass website. In 2007 my image on overpopulation in the Philippines won the first prize of the contest.

In December my hometown Copenhagen, Denmark hosted the international UN climate summit COP15. I mainly covered the variety of protests that took place in the streets. But I also had an exclusive opportunity to witness the last meeting of the delegates on the night between December 18 and 19, 2009. On this night the agreement was finally turned down...

VISIT THE ONLINE GALLERY AT WORLD PRESS PHOTO HERE

'Sort of Safe' - Photo essays on Nordic Welfare.
"Fifteen young Nordic photographers present us with diverse and sharp view on the welfare state. Their essays should inspire us to rethink our notion of welfare and democracy."
Exhibitions in most Nordic countries during this summer and fall. Currently (-until 16.10) exhibit at Store Strandstræde 18, Copenhagen (near Nyhavn)

The photo essay from Afghanistan was recently published in the Danish newspaper 'Berlingske'. There's also a Multimedia - though at this moment only in Danish.

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"I found the whole experience to be somehow surreal and felt myself surrounded by fear. (...) This photo essay tries to reflect that ambiance..."
See the new photo essay here

I'm happy to announce that among 179 candidates I've been selected as one of 12 participants for the 16th Joop Swart Masterclass, which will be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in November 2009. During the next months I'll be shooting a photo essay for this year's theme 'Touch'. Read more here....

"Considering the number of rounds that the Jury has already been through, being nominated is truly an award in and of itself.  We are very proud of this year’s Nominees.  It is clear that they represent the Future of Contemporary Photography, and we wish them continued success."
Read more here...

The national Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star wrote an article on my 'Tibetan Unrest' story when it was exhibited at The Chobi Mela V international festival of photography. The Daily Star is the largest circulating English daily newspaper in Bangladesh.
See the 'Tibetan Unrest' story here. And Read the article here

Until April 2nd I'll be in Helmand, Afghanistan on assignment for Berlingske Tidende. Among other things we'll be focusing on the rebuilding of the war torn country. I'll try to keep you posted with images...

This week I'll be in Aarhus, Denmark teaching the photojournalists at the Danish School of Journalism. The same school from where I graduated two years ago.

Last Friday my picture story from the Sichuan earthquake in China received a second prize in the 'Best Foreign News Picture Story' category (Bedste Udlandsreportage) at the Danish Press Photo of the Year contest (Årets Pressefoto). See the images here

I've been busy updating the website and even more is coming soon. Please explore the many new changes and features...

Together with Chinese actor/ celebrity Jet Li and Donatella Versace I went back to Sichuan-province to visit the earthquake-hit areas for TIME Magazine. Jet Li devoted his professional life to charity and has started "The One Foundation" who helps the victims. His foundation has in many ways revolutionized the world of charity - not just in China but worldwide. link here

Tonight the nominations for the Danish Press Photo of the Year (Årets Pressefoto) was announced. I contributed with three stories, a multimedia and a few single images from the year 2008; One story was on the Sichuan-earthquake in China in May, another from Niger on a 14-year old girl, Ouma, and her day of marriage. And last, but not least, a more broader story called The Chinese Olympic Dream which among other things deals with patriotism and how some ordinary Chinese reacted towards the games. It's still unclear which of my stories or images will be rewarded. The final result will be revealed on March 6 at Brandt Klædefabrik in Odense.

After freelancing almost two years in China I decided to return to Copenhagen, Denmark, where I've been offered a job as staff photographer at Berlingske Tidende, one of the leading Danish newspapers.

It's been some exiting and unusual years for both China and myself. Dramatic events that I covered such as the Tibetan unrest, the Sichuan Earthquake, the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the poor state of the country's environment all left me deeply affected.

What triggered my initial interest in China was the last decades of amazing development and growth. I was fascinated and curious about this blooming superpower and the Chinese who have undergone so much. But also frightened and worried about the conditions and the consequences of all this.

And though I'd already read and heard much about China's rise before, I guess I had never expected it to be so overwhelming - in a both fascinating and frightening way. I'm grateful that I could experience and document a glimpse of this historic moment and I sincerely hope that my images left you just a little wiser and closer to the millions of ordinary Chinese who with clenched teeth are struggling to move upwards.

China is not the easiest place to work as a photojournalist, but despite putting themselves in danger many people opened their homes to me and my camera. Many thanks to all of you.

Mads Nissen, 2009

My picture story from the Tibetan unrest last spring has been selected for 'The Chobi Mela V International festival of photography'. The festival is being held in Bangladesh from Januar 2009 and is one of the largest photographic festivals in Asia. This years theme is "Freedom" and you can see my pictures from the story here.

I spent most of October in the Ecuadorian Amazon working on my book. I had some amazing weeks with some amazing people and I look forward to showing the images to you all. Now, I'm back home in Shanghai, China and am once again available for assignments. Please note that my cell number has changed, my new number is: +86 151 021 76 163.

From October 22 until the 24 I'll be attending the first Nordic Master Class in Norway. For more info read previous blog.

See it here or check out the picture story A Chinese Olympic Dream

From August 2nd to August 26, I'll be working in Beijing covering the Olympics for Der Spiegel. The focus will be the Hutongs, the people and everything in between.

In July I spend two weeks in Japan with freelance writer Rasmus Thirup Beck. During the two weeks we covered a range of stories from the famous annual Fuji Rock Festival to the Amami-Islands in South Japan; the place on earth where people live the longest.

These are some of the tear sheets for a feature story for Der Spiegel on the world of spirit giants and how they are breaking into the Chinese market. See all the tear sheets here.

Last year the German 'Greenpeace Magazine' assigned me to do a story on the environment and the Orangutans in Borneo, Indonesia. It's just been published. Link to Greenpeace Magazine. Link to the article

A 8.0 sized Earthquake hit Sichuan province on the 12th of May. Almost one month after the earthquake, death toll is measured at nearly 70 000, with 17 500 still missing. See the picture story here.

This story is about a Chinese Elite Athletes School and it was recently published in the Danish magazine PLEASURE. Tear sheets.

I'm pleased to announce that I've been selected for the first Nordic Master Class. The Nordic Master Class is a brand new after education seminar launched by Nordisk Journaliscenter and Update in cooperation with The Danish Photojournalism Programme.

The first part of the seminar will be in Norway in September and from during September and November all the participants will be working on a story from either of the Nordic countries. Finally we'll meet again in the end of November to discuss and edit the stories and all stories will be published on a new website and released in a photo book. Read more here (Danish only)

My ongoing project 'Amazonas' has been selected and will be exhibit at the 'Lumix - Festival for young photojournalism', which will take place from June 18- 22 in Hannover, Germany. My next trip into the Amazon will take place in the fall/ winther 2008.
Link to 'Lumix - Festival for young photojournalism'.
See a selection of the images Amazonas - voyage into the wilderness

In May I went back to the Tibetan areas in China - this time for Stern Magazine. You can see some of the pictures and the tear sheet here.

In Marts I covered the Tibetan unrest in China for Newsweek. You can see some of the pictures and the tear sheet here.

Picture story from the opening of the 11th National People's Congress in The Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China. See it.

I just arrived back in Shanghai after three weeks on assignment in Niger. This image is from the marriage of a 15 year old girl named Oma in the Hausa-village of Gabi. More pictures will be published this spring.

I'm on assignment in Niger from January 26 until February 18th, 2008. The first time I visited was back in 2005, during the worst food crisis this poor country had experienced in more than 20 years.

This time I'm going back together with 'Care International' and a Danish student NGO named 'Operation Dagsværk'. The aim is to raise money for schools and education for kids in Niger so they will be able to break the cycle of poverty.

Picturestory: Food Crisis in Niger, 2005
Care International
Operation Dagsværk (Danish)

I recently joined the Getty Images team available for Global Assignments.

My online portfolio.
Contact Getty Images

"Beijing 2008, building/ rebuilding" is the story about one of the biggest transformations that a city capital has ever experienced. A visit to the Olympic sites; witness world class architecture and the migrant workers who are building it all... So far published in Der Spiegel and Børsen Pleasure-Magazine. Take a tour....

New book 'Asien Buldrer' by Jan Lund and Jørgen Ørstøm Møller.
Front cover photo from Shanghai by me. See it or Buy it.

Pictures from my overpopulation story are now being published as part of a campaign in the Philippines by "U.P. Population Institute".

********************** New Portfolio: China 2007 ********************

Henning Larsen Foundation has arranged an international photography competition on "the soul of architecture", from spatiality in modern architecture to inspired innovations in architectural photography.
Together with photographer Casper Balslev, I received an award for our long-term project on Outsourcing in Denmark.

Selected photographs are displayed at an exhibition at Tuborg's administration building , the Rosen building , Strandvejen 54 in Hellerup, Denmark from 22 August to 2 September. The exhibition will be open every day from 14 to 18.
See Outsourced picture story here
www.spaceimage.dk

The Amazonas picture-story will be showed at the 12th Festival Voies Off, which will take place from July 3rd to 7th in Arles, France.
www.voiesoff.com

Tear sheets // FOTO8 // AMAZONAS

Earlier this year I shot the 2006 Annual Report for PKA - one of Denmark's major pension funds. The idea was to show the daily life of Danish kids. (Text only in Danish) See pictures here

The long-term project "Outsourced - End of the Industrial Revolution" is now being published in FAGBLADET. Together with photographer Casper Balslev I have documented companies compounds which were left empty in Denmark after their production has been outsourced to other countries.
See picture story here // FAGBLADET // Tear sheets

My ongoing picture story AMAZONAS won the Kravling-award 2007 given to a young journalist or photojournalist in Denmark.
AMAZONAS // Kravling-award (danish) // Tear sheet, Politiken

I decided to move to Shanghai,China to take a deeper look at the country - its economic boom and the consequences of it.
I am available for freelance assignments in Shanghai, Beijing, China and the rest of the region.

Mit billede fra en fødeklinik i Filippinerne er blevet Årets Pressefoto 2006-7. Billedet er fra en reportage om overbefolkning i Filippinerne. En reportage der desuden vandt en anden plads i feature kategorien.

My picture from a maternity ward in the Philippines was selected as the best picture of the year 2006-7 in the Danish Press Photo of the Year contest. The picture is from a story about overpopulation in the Philippines. This story was also awarded with a 2nd place in best feature of the year.
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Overpopulation in Manila, the Philippines: Picture story and article
Årets Pressefoto (Danish)

The story about overpopulation in the Philippines received an Award of Excellence at this year's Picture Of The Year (POYi) in the 'Issue Reporting Picture Story' category.
POYi

Once again this year I received the 3rd prize in 'DAYS JAPAN - International Photojournalism Award'. This time it was for the story about overpopulation in Manila, the Philippines.
See picture story here: Overpopulation in Manila, the Philippines
Article here
Days Japan -International photojournalism award

The Scanpix-prize is given to a photojournalist for the best Bachelor Project at The Danish School of Journalism.
My bachelor project AMAZONAS is a personal voyage into the wilderness of the Amazon.
Scanpix-prize
The Danish Scool of Journalism
Læs begrundelse her (Danish)

Today I graduated from The Danish School of Journalism where I have been studying Photojournalism for the last four years. My bachelor project AMAZONAS is a personal voyage into the wilderness of the amazon in South America. It's an ongoing book project.

From February I will be working freelance based in Shanghai, China.

Pictures from my story about overpopulation in Manila, Philippines will be part of a group exhibition on humanitarian photography. In 2007, the exhibition will be on display in Spain, Portugal, France, England, Netherlands, Germany and Japan.
Médicos del Mundo
Luis Valtueña Int. Humanitarian Photographic Award
Overpopulation in Manila, The Philippines

Too many people. Too little space.
With every passing second, there are more and more of us. By the year 2050, the global population is expected to pass nine billion people, a significant increase from the six-and-a-half billion today. In the Philippines, they are already running out of space. The capital of Manila is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world.
* Photo story: Overpopulation in Manila
* Article: "Too many people. Too little space" (English)
* Tear sheets

With Freedom Came Poverty – a reportage from Moldova
Moldova was one of the richest states in the former Soviet Union. Today it’s the poorest country in Europe. 34 percent of the population survive on less than 1,70 Euro a day. But the European Union (EU) is getting closer to Moldova. When Moldova’s neighbour Romania joins, it will be just next door. That may be as soon as in January 2007. Published in Euroman, November 2006.
See photo story here and article here

Øjenvidner 2006/ Eyewitness 2006.
Photos of the year by the photographers from Politiken.
Photo book and exhibition in Øksnehallen, Copenhagen from November to December the 4th. Together with the annual World Press Photo exhibition.
Buy book here

This august Mads Nissen represented Denmark in the Asia-Europe Forum for young photographers.
The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), World Press Photo Foundation (WPPF) and the Philippine Center for Photojournalism (PCP) co-organised the Asia-Europe Forum for Young Photographers 2006 in Manila, Philippines, bringing together 21 young photojournalists from Europe and Asia. More pictures will be released in late september.

This summer Mads Nissen has been working for the Danish national newspaper Politiken. See some of the pictures here.
More summer work at Politiken
Summer work at Politiken
www.politiken.dk

Mads Nissen will participate in a Médecins du Monde exhibition, about forgotten crisis at Visa pour l’image in Perpignan, from the 2nd to the 17th of September 2006, on the esplanade in front of the Palais des Congrès. His contribution will be a picture of a woman who lost eight children during the food crisis in Niger 2005.
www.medecinsdumonde.org

This summer Mads Nissen will work for the Danish national newspaper Politiken. Some of the pictures will be showed HERE.

After a short visit to Istanbul, Turkey this Easter, a few new pictures are now released as part of the ongoing project from the city that straddles the border between Europe and Asia. See Story.

Mads Nissen received Honorable Mention for his story about the foodcrisis in Niger -the poorest country in the world.
The Honorable Mention was given in the 'Daily Life -picturestory category' in China International Press Contest (CHIPP).
See links:
Current news about the foodcrisis in East Africa and Niger from MSF
Foodcrisis in Niger -The picturestory
China International Press Contest (CHIPP)

New book by Michael Jeppesen and Anders Lund Madsen 'Hold masken eller der falder brænde ned'.
And Front cover photo by Mads Nissen.

It has been called 'The Suicide Skyscraper', 'A Vertical Village', and 'The Perfect 'Domus Vista' - The home with a view; with its 29 floors rising 102 meters above ground. It is the tallest residential building in Denmark. Inside every window is a different story.
Published in Politiken the March 11th 2006.
See the Picturestory here. And Tearsheets here

Mads Nissen won the third prize in 'Days Japan, International Photojournalism Award', for his story about the foodcrisis in Niger -the poorest country in the world.
See links:
Current news about the foodcrisis in East Africa and Niger from MSF
Foodcrisis in Niger -The picturestory
Days Japan -International photojournalism award

Ny hjemmeside. Nye billeder.
Sammen med en ny hjemmeside, kan jeg præsentere en ny reportage fra det afrikanske land Niger. Landet har siden sidste vinter været ramt af akut fødevarekrise, og er fornyligt udnævnt til verdens fattigste land. Reportagen blev bragt i Politiken PS, 27 december. Du finder historien her.

Den nye hjemmeside består først og fremmest af en række reportager, men du vil også kunne finde portrætbilleder, tearsheets fra aviser og magasiner. Derudover vil der jævligt blive lagt nyheder på, med blogs og løse billeder der også fortjener at blive vist. God Fornøjelse.

Mads Nissen

Øjenvidner 2005.
I forbindelse med udstillingen World Press Photo i Øksnehallen, vises et uddrag af billederne fra bogen "Øjenvidner. 2005 som Politikens fotografer så det". Bogen kan købes her.