Prior to joining the Colorado Sun, Cheney Orr worked as a freelance photojournalist whose coverage spanned breaking news and long-term documentary projects. His first photo essay, published by The New York Times in 2018, documented his father’s experience with early-onset Alzheimer’s and helped define the questions that continue to shape his practice. He has since been commissioned to work across the United States, covering natural disasters, the aftermath of mass violence, flashpoints along the U.S.–Mexico border, civil unrest, and political campaigns for outlets including Reuters, Bloomberg, and The New York Times. His photography has received numerous grants and awards, including a Magnum Foundation grant and a 2021 Pulitzer Prize nomination, and is held in the collections of major institutions, including MoMA and the Met.
Beat: The people and environment of northeastern Colorado
Contraction of corporate media has left northeastern Colorado with diminished news coverage. The Sun will fill some of these gaps with reporting and photography directed toward remote, but tightly knit communities wrestling with big change related to economics, water and climate change, health care, immigration, public policy and engagement. Images are highly valued by The Sun and we view the photographer as a crucial reporting partner, generating project ideas of their own while also supporting the work of others.