Ian Willms (b. 1985) is a Canadian photographer and a member of Panos Pictures, one of the world’s leading photojournalism agencies. His multi-year documentary projects detail narratives of Indigenous sovereignty, ecological destruction, untold genocides, the psychological toll of the pandemic era and others. On assignment, Ian has worked around the world covering geopolitical power struggles, cultural trends, social issues, natural disasters, organized crime and more.
Ian's ancestors fled violent persecution in Ukraine before immigrating to Canada a century ago. The empathy which drives Ian’s work stems from his formative years growing up in a community with lived experiences in mental health, addiction, homelessness, poverty, racism and gender-based oppression.
As a freelance photojournalist Ian has worked with the world’s leading media outlets, including National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME, GEO, New York Magazine, The Guardian Weekly and many others. His works have garnered support and accolades from The Eugene Smith Fund, World Press Photo, Sony World Photography Awards, Pictures of the Year International, The Canada Council for the Arts, the Lange-Taylor Prize and have been shown in exhibitions internationally.
(Photo by Megan Delaire)