Abbie Trayler-Smith is an acclaimed British documentary and portrait photographer, based in the UK.
Her work is profoundly personal and naturally observed, drawing primarily on the emotional response to life. Capturing the human behind the subject and their reactions to events and social issues that affect their lives.
An expert at engaging with her subjects, Abbie’s imagery reveals the everyday, the ordinary, the anguish, the humility and the extraordinary courage of those behind her lens.
Born in Wales, Abbie has travelled extensively for her work.
During her eight years as a photographer with The Daily Telegraph, she covered significant world events such as the conflicts in Iraq and Darfur, and the Asian tsunami.
Her more recent work includes covering the environmental activism in the Antarctic and the Indian Ocean with Greenpeace, as well as chronicling national celebrations such as the Platinum Jubilee, Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and most recently the Coronation of King Charles III.
Abbie has several prestigious awards to her name, including the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize, The World Press Photo Award, and Ideastap Magnum Photographic Awards.
In 2023 she successfully published her monograph ‘Kiss It!’ this year with GOST books, part of her ongoing, personal project ‘The Big O’ on childhood obesity.
Connect
Commercial
Eileen Fisher / Oxfam / Save The Children / UNICEF / Sony / BBC Worldwide / British Red Cross / Greenpeace / International Rescue Committee / Novo Nordisk / NSPCC / Action Aid / Samaritans.
Editorial
Time / The Sunday Times / The Daily Telegraph / The Independent Review / Marie-Claire / Tatler / Monocle / Vice / CNN.
Publications
Kiss It! Published with GOST Books, 2023.
Awards
1st Prize: IdeasTap & Magnum Photographic Award, 2013
1st Prize: PPY UK Multimedia, 2009
1st Prize: The Nikon Award for Multimedia, 2009
2nd Prize: Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, 2017
2nd Prize: World Press Photo Awards – Staged Portraits, 2014
4th Prize: Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, 2009
