Hannah-Kathryn Valles completes her AP Fellowship in Rio

Hannah-Kathryn Valles, a photojournalist who won the OPC Foundation Nathan S. Bienstock Memorial Scholarship this year, completed her six-week fellowship with The Associated Press in Rio de Janeiro in October. She wrote in a LinkedIn post that during her time she documented a range of stories, including Brazil’s Rock in Rio music festival, an Indigenous ceremony, and an environmental cleanup project by a marine biologist. “Every assignment was an exercise in meeting the moment – stretching the boundaries of my skills as a photojournalist and deepening my understanding of Brazil’s dynamic political and social landscape.” Valles thanked the OPC Foundation, saying the fellowship helped her to grow as a photographer and gain “a deeper sense of vision and purpose in my work.” She has relocated to Rome, Italy, where she plans to continue working full-time in editorial and commercial photography.