“I’m not a specialist – I’m a generalist. I can shoot anything and everything… but my favorite subject is people, so Street, Travel, and Portrait photography hold a dear place in my heart… documenting ‘normalcy’ and making the normal look extraordinary that’s where the challenge lies within.”
Two-time Pulitzer Prizewinner, who worked as photojournalist for newspapers for 20 years, and a photographer for almost three decades. After being a staff photographer, he worked for two and a half years as chief photographer for a photo startup called million eyez. He is currently the founder and chief photographer of EMS Photo Adventures, LLC.
When asked about his photography, he simply answers, “I am Photography.”
When asked why he explains, “As a newspaper photographer, you are expected to wear many hats. In addition to being a photojournalist, you are expected to be a travel photographer, documentary photographer, food and product photographer, and a portrait photographer among other things.”
Suarez dedicates his time to now sharing all of his knowledge and experience as a speaker, educator and leader:
Essdras has been a guest speaker and has taught workshops nationally and internationally
In 2020 he was named an official social media influencer for Nikon Latin America for the mirrorless Z7 digital camera
In 2018 and 2019, Suarez had exhibits at the Xposure International Photo Festival in the UAE, with special permission, taught Street Photography workshops
As a USDOS Expert Speaker in Photojournalism specializing in Latin America, he routinely presents to Panamanian photographers
During his time in Boston, MA, he was an adjunct professor at the Boston University College of Communications and gave talks and presentations at other institutions of higher learning such as MIT, Harvard, Northeastern University, and the University of Florida
He is routinely asked to speak at meetings and conferences such as
Essdras received the keys to the City of Panama
YPO/WPO – premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world
TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) – the largest conference and networking event for travel bloggers, online travel journalists, new media content creators, travel brands, and industry professionals
ETC (Educational Travel Conference) – the world’s only conference dedicated to addressing the needs of those involved in educational and specialty travel
He has been a guest speaker a couple of times to the NECCC (New England Camera Council) Annual Photography Conferences, in Amherst MA
He has taught workshops and lead photo programs locally and internationally for the past decade: Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ireland, Israel, Peru, Croatia, Sharjah/ UAE, Tanzania and Kenya
Throughout his career, Suarez worked in over 60 countries while covering a myriad of assignments. He continues to be a full-time, freelance photographer focusing on documentary-style event coverage, editorial assignments as well as corporate story-telling photo essays.
Among his many news coverage assignments throughout his career are the Columbine High School shooting, the war in Iraq, and the Columbia Shuttle disaster, the bloody ousting of Pres. Jean Bertrand Aristide in Haiti and the Indonesia Tsunami. The evacuation of the Israel Gaza Strip settlements, the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the Boston Marathon Bombing to name a few.
Among his more unique assignments was a trip to Romania in 2009 to document first shipment of radioactive material being shipped from this former USSR satellite country back to Russia. The program was a joint venture between the US National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the Russian Federation, the Romanian Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
After moving to the Alexandria, VA he continued to be a freelance for the Washington Post and for ZUMA Press Agency. In 2021 he covered the US Capitol Attack on Jan 6. In 2017 he was the only photographer to get images of congressman (R) Steve Scalise after he was shot during a baseball practice in Alexandria. He more recently covered the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and that of Civil Rights leader John Lewis passing among other national news.
Suarez has also earned awards with his Travel, Portrait, Business, and even Product Photography. His images have been published in National Geographic, Time Magazine, New York Times and Washington Post, and many other national and international publications.
NikonZ 7 Latin America Influencer
He was featured in March as the cover story in Street Photography Magazine
he taught Street Photography workshops at Xposure International Photo Festival.
He has had articles published in the Photographic Society of America Journal, the biggest association of photographers in the US: “Where to crop and not to crop the human form” and “Street Photography, timeless classics.”
he had two exhibits featured at Xposure International Photography Festival: An Eye on Cuba, and A life in Images
Spot News Pulitzer (Boston Marathon Bombing), Boston Globe Editorial Staff
Spot News Pulitzer (Boston Marathon Bombing), Boston Globe Editorial Staff
1st Place features category from the Association of Newspaper & Editors
Headliner Awards for International Photojournalism and Feature
Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism award
Varied awards from the Boston Press Photographer’s Association
Spot News Pulitzer (Columbine Shooting), Denver Rocky Mountain News Staff
Robert F. Kennedy International Photojournalism Award
Varied awards from the Colorado Press Association
