Photos by Teresa Kroeger
Teresa Kroeger is a photographer in Washington, D.C. She’s also a PhD candidate researching labor economics. She says her policy background has made her a better photojournalist.
Kroeger, who has been a professional photographer for over a decade, has captured images of multiple U.S. presidents, first ladies and members of Congress. She says her lens as a researcher can help bring to light fresh perspectives on some of the world’s most photographed subjects.
“A photograph can tell a story and influence policy,” she says. “And how a story is told is shaped by who tells it. My social policy work provides me with a unique vision for creating photographs that are used to tell news stories around the world.”
The focus of Kroeger’s dissertation is occupational segregation, something she is familiar with from her work as a photographer. Both photography and politics are male-dominated fields, and as a female photojournalist, Kroeger says she experiences different challenges and opportunities compared to those of some of her male colleagues.
“I have firsthand experience with the issues I write about. As a freelance photographer, I don’t have the same protections against gender bias, discrimination and harassment that I would as an employee. Equal pay is especially difficult to fight for as an independent contractor, as is the case for millions of women and others who lack worker power.”