Maral Deghati is a French-Iranian photographer, editor, curator and lecturer. For twenty years, she has created photographic and multimedia narratives in collaboration with photojournalists from around the world on topics related to developing regions and conflict zones in Asia, Africa and Europe. With an education in photojournalism, art history, and psychology, acquired in a multicultural environment, her interests are focused on the study of the human experience and its various manifestations through photography and multidisciplinary practices. Alongside her work as a photo editor for various international agencies and her active role in promoting visual literacy and diversity in editorial environments and storytelling, curating exhibitions and educational projects is an essential part of her photography practice. In 2014, she became the founding editor-in-chief of Me-Mo Magazine – an interactive new media magazine dedicated to documentary photography. From 2014 to 2018, Deghati was the program co-director of the WARM Festival in Sarajevo, and in 2019, she curated the exhibition "Afghanistan, an Endless War", a co-production with the Bayeux Award for War Correspondents. She was also the head of the education department at World Press Photo.

Denislav Stoychev is a documentary photographer who lives between Varna, Yambol and Sofia. His photographic projects explore the millennial generation in Bulgaria, volunteerism and charity, post-communism, Orthodoxy, and the themes of the constant state of transition and the movement of time are invariably present in his work. In his projects, he builds on his reportage practice with conceptual approaches to visual expression. He is the author of over ten exhibitions in the country and abroad, including "Together for a Short Time" at the Synthesis Gallery (Sofia, 2024), "I Will Participate! 10 Years of TimeHeroes" at the Doza Gallery (Sofia, 2022), "Maturation. Millennials in Bulgaria 2010-2016", presented at the 32nd Month of Photography in Bratislava (2022) and "No Rooms Available" at the Cu29 Gallery (Plovdiv, 2026). He participated in the group exhibitions ART START 2022 at the Credo Bonum Gallery (Sofia, 2022), Memento Vivere at the National Gallery (Sofia, 2021), FODAR Biennale (2013, 2015, 2019) and others. In the period 2017-2020 he worked as a full-time photojournalist in the national press. His photographs have been published in Bulgarian and international media, including The Guardian, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, Wall Street Journal, Der Spiegel, National Geographic and Fisheye magazines. Master's degree in photography from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design and a Bachelor's degree in journalism from Sofia University.

Valentina Petrova is a photographer and visual storyteller with international experience and many years of practice in the field of photojournalism. Based in Sofia, she builds her professional path at the intersection of documentary sensibility and the power of the news shot.
She received her education from the Missouri School of Journalism, where she was a fellow at the Voice of America International Media Training Center as part of the Professional Development Year Program. She also participated in the prestigious Missouri Photo Workshop, one of the most recognized practical photojournalism training programs in the United States.
Previously, she graduated from "Art and Advertising Photography" at the New Bulgarian University, and her educational background also includes a bachelor's degree in "Economics and Industrial Business Management" from the University of National and World Economy. Additionally, she completed a specialized training of trainers program, organized by "SEENPM" in partnership with the "Danish School of Journalism", aimed at training professionals in the field of photojournalism.
Valentina Petrova has been a photographer, videographer, producer, and contributor to the Associated Press since 2007. Her work exposes her to key social, political, and cultural events, which she documents with attention to detail and a distinct visual stance.
Previously, she was a stringer for Agence France-Presse, and her professional experience also includes teaching short-term courses in photojournalism at the Media Development Center in Sofia. Her career began in the Bulgarian press as a staff photographer for the newspapers "Dnevnik" and "Kesh", as well as a photographer for the business magazine "MIT".

Alexander Stoyanov is a Business Development Manager for Digital Imaging at Sony Europe and has spent years working at the intersection of technology, creativity and the photography community. Photography is not only part of his professional journey, but also a personal source of inspiration and passion. As a photography enthusiast, he combines deep industry knowledge with a personal perspective on creating impactful visual stories. In his daily work, he collaborates closely with photographers, Sony ambassadors, content creators and photography communities, while actively contributing to events and initiatives that foster creativity and support emerging talent. He believes that photography is a universal language that connects people, tells stories and helps us see the world from different perspectives.

For four years, he worked for Ringier Axel Springer, and his work is published in domestic media such as daily newspaper Blic, weekly magazine NIN, and online publication Vice.

• From January 2018 he works for Agence France-Press as a stringer, and his work has been picked up by foreign outlets such as French magazine Paris Match, Liberation, Vice UK, BBC, The Telegraph UK, La Repubblica, Independent UK, BILD, The Economist, The New York Times.
• From March 2019 he works with BBC News on Serbian as a stringer
• From July 2020 he works with Getty Images as a stringer
• From March 2021 he works with UNICEF Srbija He has also worked with clients GEO France, The New York Times, Le Monde, ESPN, Die Zeit, UNDP, European Commission, UNHCR, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Liberation, NBC news.