Andy Spyra, born in 1984, is a freelance photographer currently based in Hagen, Germany. He worked for a year as a freelance photographer for a local newspaper in his hometown of Hagen before starting to study photography at the Hanover University of Applied Sciences, until he dropped out in early 2009. In addition to assignments, he works on personal long-term projects in crisis areas around the world.
Andy Spyra, travelled through Central America and Southeast Asia where he discovered his love for photography. He then worked on war fronts for years: in Kashmir, in Syria, in Iraq and in Nigeria. He photographs almost exclusively in black and white and prefers to work on long-term projects.
His photos have been published by numerous renowned newspapers and magazines, including TIME Magazine, GEO, Stern, FAZ, Zeit, One-Mag, Middle East Report, 360° Magazine and many more.
Andy Spyra was also the first German winner of the prestigious Getty Images Grant in 2008 for his very first photos. In the years that followed, he won many other prizes and grants for his photographic work.
Spyra’s work has been exhibited around the world and in galleries such as: Getty Images Gallery London, New York Photo Festival, International Shanghai Photo Exhibition, Month of photography, Los Angeles, c/o Gallery Berlin, Karl Ernst Osthaus Museum, Hagen, LVR Landesmuseum, Bonn, Deutsche Börse, Frankfurt, Städtische Galerie Iserlohn, UN Headquarters, New York City, Visa Pour L’image.
You can find out more about Andy Spyra on his official website
http://www.andyspyra.com/biography/