Irish press photographer’s image hits the big Time

AN Irish photographer has achieved one of his industry’s ultimate accolades by having his photograph adorn the front page of Time magazine.

Julien Behal, who works with the Press Association, travelled with PA reporter Sarah Stack to Ethiopia in July at the invitation of charity, Concern.

“We were there to cover the latest food crisis in the country on the ground,” he said.

“Concern wanted to make the public aware of the scale of the problem to help with its fundraising efforts. I am really grateful to the charity for giving me the opportunity.”

While in the country, Mr Behal said the group came across people who were desperately thin and dying. He said people would walk for miles to the charity’s camp to get help.

One of the women who came for screening brought her baby and it was their image which has been put on Time’s European and South Pacific issue.

“I still cannot believe it,” said Mr Behal. “It is a great honour and a career high.

“After my years working in the job, I have got used to seeing my work in the newspapers but to get it into Time — I am thrilled to bits.

“PA are also very excited. It is unprecedented for them to get the front cover of Time.”

Julien Behal was born in Belgium in 1973 and having graduated with a journalism degree in 1997 began working as a freelance photographer in Dublin.

He has worked for a number of the top photographic agencies supplying images to the leading photographic agency, Maxwell’s, in 1999 and since then has worked with all the big national and international titles, including USA Today and the New York Times,

He has been a recipient of several national photographic awards for his coverage of Irish current affairs and also for his project on the Belarus population after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.