Felipe Dana was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He started his career as an assistant photographer when he was only 15 and later pursued a degree in photography, all the while working on commercial assignments and contributing to various local and international news agencies.

In 2009, he joined the Associated Press and decided to dedicate himself solely to photojournalism, focusing on the social upheaval in his native city as it prepared for the World Cup and Olympics.

His work has spanned the globe, covering social inequality and urban violence in Latin America, humanitarian crises in Europe and Africa and conflicts in the Middle East and Asia, including the Mosul offensive in Iraq, war against the Islamic State in Syria, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in Gaza, crisis in Libya, the Taliban return to power in afghanistan and the war in Ukraine.

In 2023, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography as part of the AP team for their coverage of Russian invasion of Ukraine. He was also a finalist for the Pulitzer in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and has been been recognized by the World Press Photo, Overseas Press Club - OPC, POYi, NPPA, among others. 

awards & recognition

Awards

Pulitzer Prize 2023
Breaking News Photography - AP staff - Russian invasion of Ukraine

Online Journalism Awards™ 2023
Social Justice Reporting, Single Story - Winner - Adrift

Pictures of the Year - POY Latam 2023
Photojournalists of the World - HM - Ukraine

Pictures of the Year - POY Latam 2023
Photojournalists of the World - HM - Afghanistan

World Press Photo - Contest Jury 2023
South America jury chair and member of the global  jury

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2022
Feature - 1st plate - Best of Photojournalism - Afghanistan

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2022
Feature Story- 1st plate - Best of Photojournalism - Afghanistan

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2022
General News Story - HM - Best of Photojournalism - Ukraine

Pulitzer Prize - Breaking News Finalist 2021
Member of the AP Staff finalist with their coverage of the Beirut Port explosion aftermath

Pictures of the Year - POY Latam 2021
The Pandemic in Ibero-America - Honorable Mention

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2021
Photographer of the Year – Second place - Best of Photojournalism

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2021
Feature Picture Story / Essay – 1st place - Afghanistan

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2020
News Picture Story – 1st place - Lebanon Protests

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2020
Pandemic Picture Story –  Honorable Mention - Death and Denial

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2020
Portrait Series – Honorable Mention - Hong Kong

POYi – Pictures of the Year 2019
World Understanding Award - Finalist with The Fight Against ISIS  

The Guardian - Photographer of the Year 2019
Named Agency Photographer of the Year by The Guardian

Pulitzer Prize - Breaking News Finalist 2019
Member of the AP Staff finalist with their coverage of the clashes in Gaza Strip

Pulitzer Prize - International Reporting Finalist 2018
Member of the AP Staff finalist with their coverage of the Mosul war

POYi – Pictures of the Year 2018
Spot News - Award of Excellence - Mosul Wounded

OPC - Overseas Press Club 2018
The Madeline Dane Ross Award -  AP Staff - Collapse of the Caliphate

APME - Samuel G. Blackman Award 2018
AP Staff - Collapse of the Caliphate: Triumph and Tragedy in Mosul

APME Photography News Story 2018
Honorable Mention - War in Mosul

National Headliner Awards 2018
Photo Essay - Second Place - Battle for Mosul

National Headliner Awards 2018
International News - First Place - shared with AP Staff - Brazil Violence

World Press Photo 2017
Spot News - 3rd Place - Iraq Mosul

Pulitzer Prize - Breaking News Finalist 2017
Member of the AP Staff finalist with their coverage of the Mosul war

SIP IAPA – Excellence in Journalism Awards 2017
Photography - 1st Place – Zika Outbreak

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2017
2nd place - Chris Hondros Memorial International News

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2017
Best of Photojournalism – 1st Place Olympic Story

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2017
Best of Photojournalism – HM Contemporary Issues Single - Zika

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association  2017
Best of Photojournalism – HM Portrait Series - Faces of Zika

APME Journalism Awards 2017
News Photo Story - 1st Place - ‘The Battle in Mosul’

Sigma Delta Chi Awards 2016
Society of Professional Journalists - Feature Photography

POYi – Pictures of the Year 2016
Portrait Series - Award of Excellence

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2016
2nd place – News Picture Story

AP - Oliver S. Gramling Awards 2016
Gramling Journalism Award

APME Journalism Awards 2016
Feature Photo Story - 1st Place - ‘Zika: Ground Zero’

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2016
Photographer of the Year - NY/International Monthly Clip Contest

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2016
Best of Photojournalism – 1st Place Portrait Series

World Press Photo Masterclass 2015
Selected for the 1st WPP Latin America Masterclass

China International Press Photo - CHIPP 2015
Bronze Medal – Daily Life Series

NPPA – National Press Photographers Association 2015
Photographer of the Year - Monthly Clip Contest

Premio Esso - ExxonMobil de Jornalismo 2015
Faces of Crack - Portrait series - Finalist

World Press Photo 2013
Honorable Mention – Contemporary Issues

Pictures of the Year – POY Latam  2013
3rd Place – Photographer of the Year

Pictures of the Year – POY Latam 2013
2nd Place – News Singles

Pictures of the Year – POY Latam  2013
Honorable Mention – Drug Series

NABJ - Salute to Excellence Awards 2013
Photography - Rio’s Crack Ban

China International Press Photo - CHIPP 2013
Bronze Medal – General News

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2012
1st place – Portrait

Atlanta Photojournalism Awards 2011
3rd place – Spot News