Hi friend.

I’m Jesse: a native New Yorker and documentary photographer currently based between Brooklyn, Tel Aviv, and San Juan.  I am a May 2024 graduate of the International Center of Photography’s one-year intensive in documentary photography and visual journalism and participated in the 2024 Eddie Adams Workshop. I earned a bachelor’s degree in sociocultural anthropology and a master’s in international relations with a specialization in conflict resolution.

I spent my early career working in international development and human rights across Latin America, India, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East. After a decade in the field, I spent several years at the Brookings Institution, where I wrote about global geopolitics and human rights.

My documentary work explores intergenerational trauma, tradition, culture, celebration, conflict, and diasporic experience through a visual ethnographic lens. My primary guiding principle is a deep sense of empathy and a rigorous dedication to creating spaces for productive dialogue and healing.

My photography and writing has been published by VICE News, The Wall St. Journal, AXIOS, the Brookings Institution, Huffington Post, Jerusalem Post, Hollywood Reporter, World Bank, Getty Images, the ACLU, and more. 

Get in touch:

Email:  jesseilanphoto@gmail.com

Phone: +1-201-638-4555