José Sarmento Matos

José Sarmento Matos, born in 1988, is a Portuguese documentary photographer based in London.

JSM focuses his work on medium/long term projects and has published his work in media outlets such as The New York Times- with whom he frequently collaborates - New Yorker, Newsweek, Washington Post, among others.

As a journalist and a photographer he is interested in covering topics related to social inequality and identity, analysing relevant contemporary world issues by focusing on people’s personal stories.

Sarmento Matos also frequently collaborates with Bloomberg, Le Monde, LA Times, Liberation, HBO and HISTORY. In 2020 he became a National Geographic Explorer after receiving an emergency grant to work on a collaboration with the Jamaica community, in Seixal, Portugal, on housing inequality in times of a pandemic. This collaboration resulted in a film shown at Doc Lisboa 2021 and an exhibition at MAAT museum , Lisbon, in the same year.

In 2014 JSM completed a master's degree in documentary photography and photojournalism at the London College of Communication, where he has been teaching the MA and BA since 2016. Also in 2016, José became an UK Leica Akademie Ambassador, running workshops on street photography and visual storytelling.

In 2015, JSM was considered by Magnum Photos as one of the 30 best photographers in the world under 30 years old, with his work “Turning the page”. And in 2020, with the project “Where do I belong? Abandoning the Venezuelan Dream.”, won the Estação Imagem award.

Exhibitions:

• “How Can I help You?” - Espaço Santa Catarina, Lisboa, Portugal. (09-2017).
• “Brexit on the Rock - Gibraltar” - Photo Scratch. London, United Kingdom. (05-2018).
• “Turning the Page” - Edifício dos CTT, Ponta Delgada, Açores, Portugal. (07- 2017) - (08-2017).
• “How Can I help you?” - Photo Scratch. London, United Kingdom. (11-2016).
• “Turning the Page” - Espaço Atmosfera M, Porto, Portugal. (04-2016).
• “Turning the Page” - Espaço Novo Banco, Lisboa, Portugal. (11-2015) - (02-2016).
• “Project Sea Change” - Literaturhaus, Vienna, Austria. (10-2015).
•  Dysturb - 70th anniversary of the United Nations. France. (10-2015).
• “Project Sea Change” - Stavanger Kulturhus, Stavanger, Norway. (09-2015).
• “Magnum 30 under 30” - The Photography Show, The NEC. Birmingham, United Kingdom. (03-2015).  
• “Project Sea Change” - The House of Literature, Oslo, Norway. (01-2015).
• “Consider this” - Final show of MAPJD 2014 students. London, United Kingdom. (01-2015).

Books:

Project Sea Change - Sold out.  

Awards:

• “30 under 30” Magnum award for ‘Young Documentary Photographers’ with project “Turning The Page”. January 2015.
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• London photo essay competition, Financial Times. With project Chasing London. September 2014.

Other working experience:

Associated Lecturer at London College of Communication, UAL. Teaching BA and MA Documentary Photography and Photojournalism. (11/2015 - CURRENT) Leica Akademie Ambassador. (09/2016 - CURRENT).

Photojournalist Intern, Público Newspaper, Portugal, Lisboa. (04/2013 - 08/2013).

Photographer, ALPINE PHOTOSHOP, Zermatt, Switzerland. (07/2012 - 03/2013).


Education

EDDIE ADAMS WORKSHOP XXXII (OCTOBER 2019)

• University of the Arts London. London College of Communication, Photojournalism and Documentary photography - MA, London United Kingdom. (2014-2015).
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• Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Media Studies and Communication — BA, Lisboa, Portugal. (2007) - (2010).
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• Universid Ramón Llull, Media Studies and Communication — Bachelor / Erasmus, Barcelona, Spain. (09-2009) - (02-2010).
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• Queensland International Business Academy, Academic English, IELTS — Coolangatta, Australia. (09-2010) - (02-2011).

Contact number: +447474222834 / +351918960402
Email Address: josesarmentodematos@gmail.com