Balazs Gardi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Balazs Gardi
Balázs Gárdi
Gardi on the USS Rafael Peralta in 2023
Born	Budapest, Hungary
Alma mater	MÚOSZ Journalism School [hu]

Balazs Gardi is a photographer born in Hungary, who now lives in America. He is famous for his powerful photos. In 2008, he won two top awards from the World Press Photo contest. He also won a special prize for his war photography from the Bayeux-Calvados Award. These awards were for his amazing work in Afghanistan.

Learning Photography

Balazs Gardi first learned about photography from József Hefelle. This was at a special high school in Budapest, Hungary. Later, he went to the MÚOSZ Journalism School [hu] in Budapest. He also studied at the University of Wales, Cardiff.

Photography Adventures

Gardi started his career around 2000. He worked as a photographer for a daily newspaper called Népszabadság.

Documenting Communities

In the mid-2000s, Gardi spent two years taking pictures of the Roma communities. These groups often faced tough times in many Eastern European countries. His photos showed their daily lives.

His pictures have been shown in many famous magazines and newspapers. These include National Geographic, The New York Times, Time, and The Guardian.

The "Thirst" Project

One of Gardi's important projects is called "Thirst." This series shows how people live in places where water is hard to find. The "Thirst" project is part of a bigger effort called Facing Water Crisis. This project highlights how more people on Earth can lead to less water for everyone.

War Photography

In 2010 and 2011, Gardi worked with a group called Basetrack Live. He photographed soldiers from the First Battalion, Eighth Marines. He followed them during their mission in the deserts of southern Afghanistan.

While in Afghanistan, Gardi even tried using an iPhone to take pictures. He published a photo story about it called "The War in Hipstamatic."

Exploring South Africa

In 2011, Gardi traveled to a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. He took pictures of the communities living there. His work was supported by a special grant from the Magnum Foundation.

Historic Events

In 2021, Gardi was on assignment for The New Yorker magazine. He photographed the events during the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. His pictures were featured in an article about the event.

Awards and Recognition

Balazs Gardi has won many important awards for his photography:

• 2005: He received a Getty Images Grant. This helped him continue his work with the Roma community.
• 2006: He won the Alexia Foundation professional prize. This was for his series called Afghanistan - Between War And Peace.
• 2008: He won the Photojournalism prize at the Bayeux-Calvados Award. This was for his powerful photos from Afghanistan.
• 2008: He won two 1st Prizes from World Press Photo. One was for General News Stories, and the other for General News Singles.
• 2009: He won the Global Vision Award from Pictures of the Year International. This was for his "Thirst" series.
• 2018: He received a Sony World Photography Award. This award was for his photos of Afghani Buzkashi players.