Freelance photojournalist based in Toronto, Ontario
CONTACT:
lauraproctorphoto@gmail.com
+ 1 416 669 0460
Instagram: @lauraproctorphoto
Laura Proctor is a freelance photojournalist and occasional writer. A regular contributor to The Globe and Mail, her work has also been published by The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg, Reuters, The Canadian Press, The Local, and more. She has an interest in stories related to housing & gentrification, community resilience, and rare diseases. She has experience working with children, families, and individuals with disabilities.
Laura grew up dividing her time between apartment rentals in Toronto and a house that her dad built in Hawkestone, a small village north of the city. Her father died from lymphoma when she was seven. She and her two siblings were raised by their mother, who homeschooled them in a non-religious household while working a variety of jobs. At the encouragement of her mother, Laura learned the basics of photography from a neighbour and spent her youth documenting life in her tight-knit hometown. She has now been in Toronto full-time for 15 years and has lived in eight of the city's neighbourhoods.
Laura was selected as a mentee by the Canadian Association of Journalists mentorship program in 2022. In early 2024, she was selected for The Globe and Mail's six-week photojournalism apprenticeship. She is a member of the global collective Women Photograph, and had one of her photos included in their 2023 Year in Pictures. Laura's work has been shown in Canada and the US.
Outside of work, Laura goes to see local bands, practices Muay Thai, and reads. She is a fan of records, antiques, and keeping "old stuff" alive.
Photo of Laura taken by Evan Mitsui
MEMBERSHIPS
Women Photograph
News Photographers of Canada
United Photojournalists of Canada
WORKSHOPS AND MENTORSHIPS
The Globe and Mail photojournalism apprenticeship (February/March 2024)
CAJ Mentorship Program (2022)
EXHIBITIONS/AWARDS
1 in 6 by 2030 (2025)
Global photo project started by Ed Kashi, Ilvy Njiokiktjien and Sara Terry
NPAC/APPC 2023 National Pictures of the Year competition (2024)
Winner, portrait category
Women Photograph: 2023 Year in Pictures (2023)
Virtual exhibition curated by Véronica Sanchis Bencomo
Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Love. PRIDE. Scotiabank CONTACT Photography Festival (2023)
Collision Gallery, Toronto
Our Changing Planet: A Visual Chronicle (2022)
Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville, Virginia
#ICPConcerned: Global Images for Global Crisis (2020)
International Center of Photography, New York City