Ornella Mazzola is an Italian photographer based in Palermo, Sicily. She studied at the University of Rome Audiovisual. Degree subject was Visual Anthropology, with a thesis developed with the documentarist Vittorio De Seta. She started to explore the world of photography, naturally, from the visual research to socio-anthropological aspect inherent in it. She carries out different kinds of projects: personal research, reportage, intimate stories, street photography. Her stories are often focused on Southern Italy and the female universe. She has participated in several solo and group exhibitions, project and publications. Among the various experiences, she is finalist of Palm* Photo Prize 2024 and winner of the judges' panel special mention. She is finalist of Portrait of Humanity 2023 by British Journal of Photography, finalist of Lens Culture Portrait Awards 2019, Marco Pesaresi 2020, Documentary family Award 2021. She is among the winners of OpenWalls 2021 by The British Journal of Photography; In 2020 she is winner of the competition promoted for the anthological exhibition of the photographer Letizia Battaglia in Milan (Palazzo Reale).
Ornella Mazzola fotografa siciliana con base a Palermo. Ha studiato Audiovisivo presso l'Università la Sapienza di Roma. La tesi sperimentale in Antropologia Visuale è stata sviluppata insieme al documentarista e antropologo Vittorio De Seta. Ha iniziato ad esplorare il mondo della fotografia naturalmente, partendo dalla ricerca visiva e dagli aspetti socio-antropologici. Realizza svariati progetti spaziando da una ricerca visiva personale al reportage, dalle storie più intime alla fotografia di strada. I suoi racconti sono spesso incentrati sul Sud Italia e sull'universo femminile. Ha partecipato ad esposizioni personali e collettive, progetti e pubblicazioni.
Palm* Photo Prize 2024, Finalist and Winner of the judges' panel special mention with Grant;
Group Exhibition Palm Photo* Prize at Melkweg Expo Gallery - Amsterdam / Group Exhibition Palm Photo* Prize at 1014 Gallery - London;
Portrait of Humanity 2023 British Journal of Photography, Finalist. (Book Portrait of Humanity vol.5);
Among the Winning of OpenWalls Arles 2021 by British Journal of Photograph - Group Exhibition at Galerie Huit Arles during Les Rencontres d'Arles;
Winner of the photography competition promoted by Civita Mostre for the Letizia Battaglia's retrospective at Palazzo Reale in Milan. Jury composed: Letizia Battaglia, Denis Curti (2020);
Street Sans Frontières, Group Exhibition (ImageNation Paris) during Paris Photo at Galerie Joseph Le Palais, Paris (2023);
Lens Culture Portrait Award 2019 - Finalist / Premio Marco Pesaresi 2020 - Finalist / Documentary family Awards - Finalist (2021) / Urban photo Awards 2021 - Finalist (Book Urban photo Awards 2021);
Females among the Winners of Slideluck Napoli 2017 and exhibited at Magazzini Fotografici di Napoli (2017);
Editorial/Exhibition Project "Palermo Bellissima" curated by Letizia Battaglia for Centro Internazionale di Fotografia di Palermo 2020;
Editorial/Exhibition Project COVISIONI:, supported by LUZ Agency. 40 Photographers described Italy during Covid19. The project becomes a Book (2021); COVISIONI: is exhibited at SIFEST Savignano Immagini / Grenze Arsenali fotografici / Virtual Exhibition for PhMuseum;
Females selected by IMP Festival -International Month of Photojournalism- (Italy photo Award) for Italian Collection 2020 - selected by the Photo editor Manila Camarini D-Repubblica;
Among the Authors of Mediterraneo Fotografia 2020;
Females exhibited at InTrance Festival in Galatina - Puglia - International Photography Festival (2021);
Womens History Month Group Exhibition with Womens' Photo Alliance NYC (2025);
Float Photo - Whispering Shadow Group Exhibition (2025);
Exhibition 100 years 100 Women street photographers in Paris (2024) / 100 years 100 Women street photographers at México Street Photo Festival (2025);
Exhibition Women in Street Italy (PSPI Festival) 2024 / Women in Street Italy at Festival Molichrom curated by Eolo Perfido (2024);
Festival Marenostrum - Exhibition Sangu mio at the Fondazione Sant' Elia Palermo (2022);
Solo Exhibition Females at Cripta Chiesa Santa Maria del Piliere, Palermo. (Palermo Capital of Culture 2018);
Solo Exhibition Females with Effe22photo - Fotografia d'Autore - (Padova 2023);
Solo Exhibition Females at Galleria Fiaf Palermo;
Group Exhibition Females at Magazzini Fotografici di Napoli for European Portrait (2017);
Exhibition Females at Fotoleggendo - International Photography Festival in Rome (Officine Fotografiche, 2015);
Exhibition Females at Officine Fotografiche di Roma for Female in march (2018);
Exhibition Fotografia Europea Reggio Emilia off 2014 / 2015 with Palermo Dentro and The sun is still high. An image of this project had been commended image for Sony World Photography Awards 2015;
Solo Exhibition Parada promoted by La Casa della Cooperazione di Palermo (2017);
Finalist with Parada for "Diritti negati". The jury, chaired by Tano D'amico, gives a special mention (2017);
Livorno Photo Meeting (2022 - 2023);
Winner of a scholarship for Scuola Romana di Fotografia (2010);
Issue of MM and Words Magazine (London) dedicated to Sicily, "Trinacria" presented at Paris Photo 2023 / Photo London Fair 2023;
Book Half the sky - Street photography from women, published by ephemere Book&Gallery Tokyo. The book is presented at Tokyo Art Fair 2023, Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo;
Book FAMILIAR/STRANGER published by ephemere Book&Gallery Tokyo (2024);
Book Anarchy n.2 published by ephemere, Book&Gallery Tokyo (2025);
Book Covisioni: (2021);
Among the European photographers documenting IncluCities, a Project created by the European Community, led by CCRE and financed by AMIF (2022);
The Luupe NY (freelance contributor);
Publications: L'Oeil de la Photographie, GUP Magazine, The Guardian, Internazionale, Donna Moderna, LeTemps, ARTPIL, Discarded Magazine, 10Magazine, PhMuseum, Perimetro, The Mammoth Reflex, femLens, Audioteca Fotogràfica, FrizziFrizzi, Musa Fotografia, ProgresFestival Magazine, Domus, Gente di fotografia, Photo-Letter, SkyArte, mm and words Magazine - London, Exibart, Artribune
Since 2014 she has been documenting various non-profit organizations: Parada Onlus Bucharest in Romania, S. Camillo disabled Center in Tbilisi (Georgia), Shoot4change, S.Chiara Migrant Childhood Center in Palermo, Grande Cocomero in Rome, Islamic Women of Palermo.
She carries out photography laboratories with the photojournalist Andrea Petrosino and Baco About Photographs. The laboratories are for children-adolescents who live complex social contexts. The first laboratory "Wendy" It has been realized in the Kalsa, neighborhood of Palermo. The project was supported and hosted by the “Palazzo Butera Foundation” (Palermo), by the non-profit organization “WeYolk” and curated by Valentina Bruschi and Ferdinando Foresta (2022); The second laboratory "Wendy" It has been realized at "WeYolk" Palermo (2023);