Hannah Reyes Morales

Born in 1990, Morales was raised in Manila, Philippines with her mother and 12 relatives. In high school, Morales tutored children in poor communities and gained valuable experience during that time. Enrollment in a photography class while attending the University of the Philippines led to an internship at the European Pressphoto Agency and further exploration in photography. It was at the University where Morales was introduced to photography through one of her professors.

Over her career, she has traveled through Asia to document the daily lives of individuals and families within struggling communities. Between 2013 - 2016, she lived in Cambodia where her work included photographing Cambodian bride trades and forced marriages. In 2016 she began photographing the people affected by the Philippine drug war. When she first began photographing the effects, she documented the deaths that were occurring regularly. Her focus quickly shifted to the stories of the individuals and families in the neighborhoods where the deaths took place. Her themes of resilience within community can also be seen in a variety of projects such as Shelter from the Storm, about women forced into the sex trade industry due to displacement by natural disasters. Additional projects include Roots from Ashes, Eagle Hunters, and Seasons of Darkness. As her career has progressed Morales's practice has seen an increasing focus on the arts and an evolution beyond journalism. In 2021 she co-founded the Emerging Islands art residency and artist collective based in La Union, Philippines

Morales has worked with numerous newspapers, magazines, and projects. Her work has been shown in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN Philippines, and the Atlantic. Additionally, she since working as a National Geographic Explorer since 2017. In 2020, she was named a cultural leader by the World Economic Forum.