Shambhala

Photographer with a conscience

Shambhala

Once a fashion model on the catwalks of Europe, French-speaking Shambhala gave up that glamorous career to explore the human condition with her camera. Here, especially for The Chronicle and the first time on the Internet, she tells of her transition, and exhibits some of her powerful images in black and white.

Shambala says:
"I decided to give up my 7-year long career as a model because I was against the artificial image fashion promoted.

Picking up a camera was the best way for me to reveal people's beauty in their real lives.

Everyone has a story to tell and photography enables me to learn about Mankind.

My experience in war-torn Sarajevo confirmed my interest in Human Rights.

My work has been published in observer Life Magazine, the Sunday Times Magazine, the Independent, Marie Claire, Pride, Untold, and the Black Media Journal."

Tuareg from Niger

The Contortionist

Man Smoking Pipe

Brother and sister Zak and Indra, children of Horace Ove, a pioneer black film maker

Free jazz saxophonist Archie Shepp

In Sarajevo