Alison Wright

Background

Alison Wright was born on December 23, 1961 in Summit, New Jersey, United States. She is a daughter of Frank and Sonia Wright.

Education

Alison Wright attended Watchung Hills Regional High School. She also attended Pepperdine University. In 1983 she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University. In 1993 she obtained a Master of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Career

Alison Wright, a New York based documentary photographer, has spent a career capturing the universal human spirit through her photographs and writing. For many of her editorial and commercial projects, Alison travels to all regions of the globe photographing indigenous cultures and people while covering issues concerning the human condition. She has traveled to 150 countries.

Wright has photographed/authored ten books including "The Dalai Lama: A Simple Monk," based on her two decade friendship with the Dalai Lama, "The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture in Exile," "Faces of Hope: Children of a Changing World," documenting the lives of children in developing countries, three books for National Geographic on "London," "Great Britain" and "China," and "Face to Face: Portraits of the Human Spirit." Her latest book "Human Tribe," is a monograph of global portraits celebrating the visual tapestry of humanity in all its diversity and splendor.

As an eminent inspirational public speaker, Alison is affiliated with the National Geographic Speakers Live series as well as Speaking Matters. She is a National Geographic Photo Expeditions South East Asia expert and teaches travel photography seminars and workshops across the world.

Achievements

• Alison Wright is famous as the author of The Spirit of Tibet, Portrait of a Culture in Exile. She was named a National Geographic Traveler of the Year as someone who travels with a sense of passion and purpose. Alison is a recipient of the 1993 Dorothea Lange Award in Documentary Photography for her photographs of child labor in Asia and a twice awarded the Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award.

Works

More photos

• book

  • The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture in Exile

    (This visually stunning, full-color portrait of Tibetan li...)

    1998
  • Learning to Breathe: One Woman's Journey of Spirit and Survival

    (Alison Wright, covered human conflict with her camera unt...)

    2009
  • Face to Face: Portraits of the Human Spirit

    (Wright's photography has been featured in National Geogra...)

    2013
  • Human Tribe

    (A page-turner in the most exquisite sense, this book of o...)

    2017
  • A Simple Monk: Writings on His Holiness the Dalai Lama

    (Lavish color photographs and wrap-around text celebrate t...)

    2001
  • Faces of Hope: Children of a Changing World

    (Alison Wright has traveled the world for more than two de...)

    2003

Views

Alison Wright has photographed for dozens of humanitarian aid organizations. Her experience working in post-disaster/conflict areas inspired her to connect photography and philanthropy by establishing a fund to help give back to the communities that she photographs.

Wright is the founder of the Faces of Hope, a non-profit organization that globally supports women and children’s rights by creating visual awareness and donating directly to grass-roots organizations that help sustain them through education and healthcare.

Membership

Alison Wright is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers.

Connections

Father:

Frank Wright

Mother:

Sonia Wright

Friend:

Dalai Lama XIV

References

• Contemporary Authors
  2000
• The official website of Alison Wright