Sanja Knežević is a photographer based in her home town Belgrade. In her work she strives for socially engaged topics that concern freedom, justice, ecology, cultural phenomena, but also challenges of marginalised populations.
During 2020, she photographed a week long turbulent protests in the Serbian capital and the photo she took there marked the previous year by winning Grand Prix at Press Photo Srbija 2020, but also Grand Prix at Beta Agency regional contest 2021.
Sanja's photographic approach is also recognisable in her commercial work such as event photography. She equally enjoys capturing decisive moments at these events, since they depict life and they are of huge importance of people who engage her.
Sanja Knežević graduated photography at the Faculty of Applied Arts in Belgrade and attended prestigious workshops and festivals, which contributed to developing her career. From 2012, Sanja spent several years living in one of the most vibrant countries in the world - Indonesia, traveling and taking pictures in the South-East Asia. In 2018 she was chosen to be among 10 female photographers from all over the world at the Festival Pil'Ours in France. She won awards at the biggest national photography contests, among them Grand Prix at Press Photo Srbija and Beta Photo Contest. At the ''Photo Week D.C'' in Washington D.C. she won the first prize for a portrait. Sanja's work has been published in the National Geographic Serbia, Vice UK, The Economist, Financial Times, Boston Globe, KfW Chancen - Hamburg, Global Post. She has also been collaborating with UNOPS, UNDP, Open Society Foundation and Amnesty International.
Sanja is a board member of the ULUPUDS – The Association of Applied Arts Artists and Designers of Serbia.
2021 Belgrade, I award - PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA , portrait category ''Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta''
2021 Belgrade - Grand Prix - Beta Photo of the year, regional contest - ''Trapped'' (U Klopci)
2020 Belgrade, Grand Prix - PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA , Photo of the year ''Trapped'' (U Klopci)
2020 Belgrade - Grand Prix - Beta Photo of the year, regional contest - ''Greatness'' (Veličina)
2018 Belgrade – III award at the annual contest ReFoto ”Identity” for the photo ''Son''.
2017 Belgrade – III award ”New Perspectives”, Mixer Festival and Swiss Cooperation Office
2016 Ljubljana, Slovenia – II award Different worlds, for the project ”Family Matters”
2015 Press Photo Serbia, Winner in Environment reportage category ”Kawah Ijen”
2015 Shortlisted for ”Magnum 30 under 30”
2014 Press Photo Serbia, Winner in Everyday life reportage category ”Dead-End Street”
2014 Belgrade, Grand Prix for the portfolio, ReFoto Magazine ”100 Best”, on the occasion of its 100th issue of the magazine.
2013 Kiev, II award, Golden Camera International Award
2012 Washington D.C. First prize at FotoDC for portrait from ‘’Kamar’’ series.
2012 Belgrade, Grand Prix, Beta Photo of the year, regional contest - for the photo ‘’Mother and daughter’’
2011 Belgrade – Winner in Everyday Life category, Press Photo Srbija, Project ”Family Matters”
2010 Belgrade – Grand Prix, PRESS PHOTO SRBIJA for the photography ‘’Couple” from the project Uprooted community
2009 New York, Honorable mention, En Foco
2008 Belgrade – Winner, Serbia Press Photo, Environmental and Everyday Life reportage category
2006, 2009 Cacak, III and II prize for collection, Republic Exhibition, Serbia
2022 Belgrade, Serbia - ''The power of images the images of power'' in partnership with Friedrich Naumann Foundation.
2021 Kragujevac, Serbia - Fotorama festival with National Geographic female photographers - ''Anti-lockdown protests''
2021 Slovenia, Maribor - ''Anti-lockdown protests''
2018 France, Saint Gilles – Festival Pil’Ours
2017 Novi Sad, Serbia – Kultural Center – Kamar
2015 Belgrade, Serbia – ArtGet gallery – Kamar
2013 Jakarta, Indonesia – Kamar
2013 Brazil, Belo Horizonte – Kamar
2013 Italy, Bari – Kamar
2012 Taiwan, Taipei – photo exhibition Witnessed of silence – National 228 Memorial Museum.
2011 Belgrade and Bratislava – New Pictures of Belgrade’
2010 France, Sarcelles, Photosoc Festival
2009 Stockholm, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Belgrade, Applied Nostalgia
2009 Amsterdam, Balkan Snapshot Film Festival
Formal education and workshops:
2021 VII Academy (level 2), 9 months ''Sarajevo seminar for narrative photography and documentary practice'' with Dr. Paul Lowe and Ziyah Gafic.
2020 VII Academy (level 1) with Christopher Morris and Dr. Walsh
2010 World Press Photo Masterclass.
2008 MA in Photography at the Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Belgrade.
