About | Martin San Diego - Documentary and Editorial Photographer based in Manila, Philippines. His work has been published globally on The Washington Post, The Guardian, VICE, South China Morning Post, and Al Jazeera. Martin is a National Geographic Society grantee, a Diversify Photo member, and an alumnus of the Angkor Photo Festival Workshops.

Martin San Diego is an independent documentary photographer from the Philippines. He is a multiple grantee of the National Geographic Society, a Diversify Photo member, an alumnus of the Angkor Photo Festival Workshops, a Visual Journalism graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University, and a fellow of the Konrad Adanauer Stiftung Media Programme Asia.

His work gravitates towards questioning the histories written by colonizers and victors. This is most evident in his ongoing long-term project on Filipino-Muslim youth and their relationship with militancy in Mindanao, southern Philippines.

Martin regularly contributes to The Washington Post and VICE News on notable Philippine issues – the Drug War, COVID-19 pandemic, and the environment. Nonprofits such as International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees regularly commission him for missions in Mindanao.

Martin is a co-founder of Campus Journalism Lab. He graduated with a degree in Computer Science from De La Salle University in 2013.

Martin is available for assignments and engagements in Asia and beyond.

Recognitions

2021
• National Geographic Society COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists — Recipient
• The Society of Publishers in Asia: Excellence in Reporting on Women’s Issues — Award for Excellence
• The Society of Publishers in Asia: Excellence in Video Reporting — Honorable Mention
• Edition365 Global Exhibit by The British Journal of Photography and 1854 — Exhibitor
• Fotomoto PH: Invitational Portraits Group Exhibit — Exhibitor

2020
• National Geographic Society COVID-19 Emergency Fund for Journalists — Recipient
• Diversify Photo — Member
• The Other Hundred: Healers — Winner

2019
• Angkor Photo Festival Workshops — Student
• International Photography Awards — Honorable Mention: Deeper Perspective

2018
• Asian Center for Journalism – Ateneo de Manila University — Student
• Konrad Adanauer Stiftung – Media Programme Asia — Fellow
• BARADO Group Exhibit with Tarzeer Pictures — Exhibitor

2017
• Visualizing Social Stories by Invisible Photographer Asia — Student