Photographer, FILMMAKER, Entrepreneur & Social activist
MISAN
Harriman
“The eyes should learn to listen before it looks”
- Robert Frank
Photographer, social activist, and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Misan Harriman is one of the most widely shared visual storytellers of our time. He is also the first Black person in the 104-year history of British Vogue to shoot the cover of its September issue.
His strong reportage style and unique eye for narrative have captured the attention of editors and celebrities worldwide. From documenting historic moments to photographing high-profile celebrities, including Angelia Jolie, Jay-Z, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Giorgio Armani, Rihanna, Michael B. Jordan, Cate Blanchett, and Olivia Colman, Misan is a photographer of extraordinary range. His striking images have appeared in Vanity Fair, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and GQ.
His first film, The After, starring David Oyelowo, is the first Netflix UK original Short and has been nominated for an Academy Award and won an NAACP award.
The Evening Standard has described Misan as the most talked-about photographer of our time.
Misan is an outspoken activist who has used his lens to document the unique moment in history we are living through.
Born in Nigeria, Misan was educated in England, where he developed a lifelong love for the arts. This led him to pick up a camera and hone his craft. He is completely self-taught; his work is inspired by Gordon Parks, Sally Mann, Tish Murtha, Bruce Davidson, Peter Lindbergh, Peter Magubane, Nan Goldin and James Van Der Zee.
Misan is an Ambassador for Save The Children.
In June 2022, he photographed Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, the daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and granddaughter of King Charles III.
In December 2022 he received an honorary fellowship from SOAS University.
In December 2023 he received an honorary Doctorate from Ravensbourne University.
In January 2024 his first film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short.
In 2025 the feature length documentary on his life, “ Shoot The People’ was released.