Bio
Moe began his career as a photographer at the age of 14, focusing his work around human rights issues and political turmoil in Iran. After, he expanded his reach, covering events in the Middle East, Europe and the United States, earning the Pictures of the Year International award multiple times. He has documented stories as a photojournalist and a multimedia producer in more than 60 countries. These stories are illustrated in his books and have been published in national and international journals and publications, including Newsweek, The Washington Post, Time, and Der Spiegel, among others. He graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College Chicago with a B.A. in Multimedia Photojournalism. Moe was invited to The White House by President Obama, and The First Lady in 2015. Legendary photojournalist and Pulitzer Prize winner John H. White has been a mentor of Moe.
Notable Awards & Honors
Collaborative efforts: Edward Murrow Award at ABC News , 2023
Reuters Photojournalism Grant Winner, 2019
Collaborative efforts: Pulitzer Prize Finalist Nomination in Explanatory Reporting, The Washington Post
Award of excellence from Picture of The Year (POYi) – 2019
Honorable Mention in Feature Category of Atlanta Photojournalism Festival, 2018
Finalist nominee at Photography Grant Body Edition, October 2018
Selected participant for The Eddie Adams Workshop XXXI in New York - October 2018
Selected from more than 850 applications to be featured at the 6th LUMIX Festival exhibition For Young Photojournalism 2018
First Place at Chris Hondros Memorial International News category of Atlanta Photojournalism Seminar 2017
World Press Photo's Joop Swart Masterclass nominee 2017
Second place of Sport Picture Story in Picture of The Year International 2017
Honorable Mention in Sports Picture Story of Atlanta Photojournalism 2016
Top 100 photographer of LensCulture Street Photography Award 2016
Selected student for The Eddie Adams Workshop XXIX in New York - 2016
Invitee at The White House for the annual Instagram Meet - 2015
Selected to participate at New York Times Portfolio Review - 2015
Best photographer of the year (PDNedu) – 2012
Iran’s best documentary photographer – 2008
Award of excellence from Picture of The Year (POYi) – 2007
Education:
Columbia College Chicago | Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude, Multimedia Photojournalism
Scholarships:
Recipient of Degree Completion Assistance Grant from Columbia College Chicago
Recipient of Jane Ann Legnard Alexandroff Endowed Scholarship for Social Change, Chicago Columbia College
Recipient of Pieter Ombregt Scholarship, Chicago Columbia College
Recipient of John Fischetti Scholarship, Chicago Columbia College, J-term
Lectures & Exhibitions:
Fourth Edition of Eyes on Main Street photo exhibit, Downtown Wilson, North Carolina, October 28, 2020
Capture your Freedom at Gallery RIVAA on Roosevelt Island in NYC, October 6-November 11, 2018 New York City
"Capture your Freedom" summer exhibition at Four Freedoms Park in Roosevelt Island, June 14, 2018. New York, NY
6th LUMIX Festival For Young Photojournalism Photo Exhibition, Hannover, Germany, June 23, 2018
"Artists for Peace" photo exhibition at UC Berkeley, California, December 2017
Guest lecturer at Columbia College Chicago - Ethics in Journalism 2017
Guest lecturer at College of San Mateo – California 2011
Photo Exhibition of Forgotten Colors – Sunnyvale Library, California 2010
Photo Exhibition at University of Putra – Malaysia 2009
Photo Exhibition of 30 Years of Iranian Photography, Monnaie de Paris, 2009
Guest lecturer – Faculty of Social Sciences, Tehran University, Iran 2009
Manager of a week long workshop for Iranian photographers, Tehran 2008
Photo Exhibition of Difficulties of Being a Woman in Iran, Germany 2007
Photo Exhibition of Just For Foreign Policy, New York, NY 2005
Books:
Cuba: A culture encapsulated:
A photo book about the impact of the embargo on Cuban exports and the life of Cubans. (2018) ISBN: 978-0985777036Exile: A photo book featuring Iran, India, Afghanistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia,
France, Italy, Germany, and the U.S. (2012) ISBN: 978-0-9857770-1-2Forgetfulness: A photo book of a 14 months journey throughout 45 countries around the world. ISBN: 978-0-9857770-0-5
Influential Persians: A photo portrait book of influential Iranians around the world. This book is a work in progress.
Selected Online Publications:
Assignment for Quanta Magazine: Searching Symbols for the Rules of Change
Assignment for Reuters: The Tangle
Assignment for The Washington Post: The second-best flower shop in Naperville is struggling to survive. (A COVID-19 story)
Assignment for Chicago Tribune: Circus and dinner in the Loop
Assignment for Chicago Tribune: Meet Ninja, Chicago’s ‘Fortnite’ superstar
Assignment for Chicago Tribune : Wake up to unexpected flavors at 3 Squares Diner
Assignment for Chicago Tribune: Live in a Chicago neighborhood with a high violent crime rate? ...
Photo published on Der Tagesspiegel: Schafft Europa das?
Assignment for Chicago Tribune: In the heat, Moser, Grant Park Orchestra perform a delicate Dvorak
Assignment for Chicago Tribune: Brandi Carlile daring, personal and triumphant at Chicago Theatre
On assignment for The Washington Post, Where killings go unsolved
Plongée dans la forteresse Facebook, en pleine remise en question - Published in France Le Monde
A future astronaut, a daughter healing from loss win top honors from Library of Congress. Assignment for Chicago Tribune
Chicago bar dogs. Assignment for Chicago Tribune
Photos published in Photography as a Social Research Method book
Photo by Moe in WIRED
Photo by Moe in The New York Times
Photo by Moe in Liberation
Photo in Der Spiegel of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Photo in BuzzFeedNews of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Photos in The New Yorker of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Inside Facebook's Offices in Marie Claire
Photo in KCENTV of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Photo in Handelsblatt of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Photo in Primera Planany of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Photo in NBCNEWS of the attack in Christmas market in Berlin
Greek Lifo interviews Moe on photos of Afghanistan
Time Magazine story: The Hajj Goes High-Tech.
The Life After War, Interview with National Geographic
Interview with top photography website in Poland
More than 5000 photos on United Press International photo wire
France Le Figaro: Iran : comment vont les femmes?
Interview with Empty Kingdom
Photography articles on German's DW
An interview with Feature Shoot
Article about work in Afghanistan on The Artbo
"The Life After War" photo story on LensCulture
Wilderness First Aid Training:
Moe has successfully achieved the Wilderness Medical Associates certification, which includes epinephrine administration to treat anaphylaxis, and single person adult CPR, including relief of foreign body airway obstruction and AED use. This program was supported by RISC Training