A goalpost is seen after a riot and stampede that killed 135 people following soccer match between Arema vs Persebaya at Kanjuruhan stadium, in Malang, East Java province, Indonesia, October 2, 2022. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Willy Kurniawan is a West Sumatran-born Indonesian photographer. His line of work covers general news, politics and economy, natural disasters, and sports, with a focus on social issues. He developed his passion on photography and journalism at Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara (GFJA), through a year intensive photojournalism workshop batch XX “Pijar Lintang”, mentored by Oscar Motuloh and Rully Kesuma. Photography has become a part of his life. He contributes to the local photography community, clubs, and forums. He also took part in several collective photography exhibitions. Willy published his first photobook entitled “Memoar” in Bandung (2016), which was edited and curated by Sandi Jaya Saputra. Besides doing his job, he is a photography mentor for students in Bandung and Jakarta until now. Willy currently works as a Staff Visual Journalist for Reuters based in Jakarta, Indonesia Bureau. His photographs have been published in major international news outlets around the world, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Telegraph, The Guardian, Vice, The Week, Straits Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Willy is a 2020 Pulitzer Prize awardee for Breaking News photography with the Reuters team covering the Hong Kong Protests.
Quick links to POY Asia 2023 Judges: Zhou Yang / Takaaki Iwabu / Uma Bista / Ki-Ho Park / Parisa Azadi / Willy Kurniawan / Suzanne Lee / Jilson Tiu / Sandipa Malakar / Nathan Tsui
Musmin, 55, a local who lost his grandchild, rests on a rock while visiting the area that he believes is where his grandchild is buried following the Mount Semeru volcano eruption in Sumberwuluh, Candipuro district, Lumajang, East Java province, Indonesia, December 10, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
"I respect the subjects I photograph. Most of them teach me how to walk in their shoes."
Willy Kurniawan
Villagers transport a mattress on a motorcycle as Mount Semeru volcano continues to spew ash and smoke in the background following an eruption, in Gunung Sawur, Candipuro district, Lumajang, East Java province, Indonesia, December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
Amirudin, 43, a field supervisor of the state tin mining company PT Timah, rests on a makeshift hammock, on a tin pontoon off the coast of Toboali, on the southern shores of the island of Bangka, Indonesia, May 1, 2021. Timah has been ramping up production from the sea. Company data shows its proven tin reserve on land was 16,399 tonnes last year, compared with 265,913 tonnes offshore. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
An aerial view shows wooden pontoons equipped to dredge the seabed for deposits of tin ore off the coast of Toboali, on the southern shores of the island of Bangka, Indonesia, May 1, 2021. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
A demonstrator holds a tear gas canister to be thrown back to police during a clash between demonstrators and police following a protest against the new so-called omnibus law, in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 13, 2020. REUTERS/Willy Kurniawan
