George Nickels is a freelance photojournalist, and the focus of his work covers social conflict and humanitarian issues across Asia. His in-depth photography and editorial provide an often un-reported aspect of current affairs and news. Based in Cambodia, George is available for international reportage, editorial, travel assignments and corporate projects, and has a wealth of experience to assist the promotion of brands, and business.
Currently based in Cambodia. In 2014 and 2015, a selection of his work was awarded NurPhoto Pictures of The Year. In 2016, Getty Images also featured his photography in their Best of News April. Born in Oxfordshire, England in 1982, he is a self-taught photographer, with work published in leading newspapers, magazines and media outlets worldwide.
George is motivated to record and communicate the personal testimonies and experiences of the people he meets. His in-depth photography and editorial provide an often un-reported aspect of current affairs and news. He explores the reasons for past and present conflicts, and exposes human rights issues.George has worked ona number of personal projects, such as documenting the political situation inAsia, with particular focus on the Cambodian national elections in 2013 and the2014 coup d'é·tat in Thailand. For publications such as SouthEast Asia Globe, and Vice Magazine, his photography provided an insight into the current contrasts between the political parties, and the reality of the voters and their rights.
The ever-present threat of landmines in South East Asia is also a primary focus for George. For the past five years, he has built up a large body of work documenting the continuing effects of landmine and UXO’s, and the work of demining organisations such as The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) and Apopo. He works on a one to one basis with Khmer deminers, highlights their training and techniques used in the field. An integral part to the story is the vast number of people who have been physically and mentally injured; his photographs often reveal their history, struggles and ultimately their resilience to survive. His research has lead to photo essays published in Vice, The Huffington Post, Discovery News,The Atlantic, Life Force Magazine, Quest L'édition du soir, Defence World, Geographical Magazine, El Mundo and DFID (United Kingdom Department for InternationalDevelopment).
In 2014, his work ‘Perfect Soldiers’ was also selected for a collaborative exhibition entitled ‘Documenting Cambodia’ presented by NGOInsider, and his project covering MDR’s (mine detection rats), ‘Training for theK5 belt’ was selected for the Impact Project and was screened at The Foreign Correspondents Club at the Angkor Photo Festival in 2015, and most recently in October 2016 he was part of a touring exhibition with Tim Page entitled ''Resilience'' commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords in Cambodia.
Since 2014, George has also been working on a long-term project covering migration, human trafficking and the modern day slave trade. On assignment for The Guardian, The European Union, The European Journalism Centre and Europe Aid, he has been documenting the effects that modern day slavery has on people, their lives and environment. His photographs have been published worldwide, and were also featured on the front page of the East West Centre and the Stanford University WSD Handa Centre’s 2015 report on evaluating the presence of human trafficking in SouthEast Asia, ASEAN.