Drug Wars: Supply and Demand by Jonathan Alpeyrie is a raw, powerful exploration of the global drug trade, uniquely captured through the lens of one of the world's most acclaimed photojournalists. Known for his immersive approach, Alpeyrie has earned international recognition for documenting conflicts and crises from within, gaining access to worlds few others can. His previous work, including The Shattered Lens (Simon & Schuster, 2013), detailing his captivity during the Syrian Civil War, cemented his place as a leading figure in global photojournalism.
What sets Alpeyrie's photography apart is his deep personal immersion in the environments he documents. He doesn't just observe--he becomes part of the story. In Drug Wars: Supply and Demand, this approach allows him to capture the drug trade in a way no one else can. From rural drug production hubs in Latin America to cartel-controlled territories and the streets of the United States, his access and intimate perspective yield extraordinary images.
His commitment to telling important, often overlooked stories is evident in every photograph, offering a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of those affected by the drug trade. The book features over 150 evocative images that bring the complexities of the drug war to life. Through his lens, Alpeyrie conveys the human cost, political ramifications, and social devastation of this global crisis.
Drug Wars: Supply and Demand presents a visual narrative that is both urgent and unforgettable--one that demands to be seen and understood.
Jonathan Alpeyrie's celebrated career spans over two decades, and has brought him to over 40 countries, covered 15 conflict zone assignments, in the Middle East and North Africa, the South Caucasus, Europe, North America and Central Asia.
Born in Paris in 1979, Jonathan Alpeyrie moved to the United States in 1993. He graduated from the Lycée Français de New York in 1998, and went on to study medieval history at the University of Chicago, from which he graduated in 2003. Alpeyrie started his career shooting for local Chicago newspapers during his undergraduate years. He shot his first photo essay in 2001 while traveling the South Caucasus.
After graduating, he went to the Congo to work on various essays, which were noticed and picked up by Getty Images, and signed a contributor contract in early 2004. In 2009, Jonathan became a photographer for Polaris images and SIPA press as well. By 2012, Alpeyrie went on his own as a freelancer for various international publications and websites, such as the Sunday Times, Le Figaro magazine, ELLE, American Photo, Glamour, Aftenposten, Le Monde, BBC, CNN, Vanity Fair and Bloomberg. Paris Match, Aftenposten, Times (Europe), Newsweek, Wine Spectator, Boston Globe, Glamour, BBC, VSD, Le Monde, Newsweek, Popular Photography, Vanity Fair, La Stampa, CNN, and Bild Zeit, ELLE magazine, Der Speigel, Le Figaro, Marie Claire, The Guardian, Bild, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, Financial Times.
His book
, The Shattered Lens, was published in 2017 by Atria/Simon & Schuster and recounts his kidnapping in Syria. He currently divides his time between NYC and Paris, although continues to travel widely to document world affairs.
