COMBINED they represent over 300 years of knowledge; women who in their own right have made their mark in photojournalism. With stoicism and pride, they have traveled deep and wide, to all corners of the world. These women have photographed the human condition, while working on diverse and complex stories in the harshest of conditions.

From the start of their careers they felt that no part of the planet was beyond their reach and there was no assignment they couldn’t handle regardless of the danger, close calls, or how near they found themselves to death.

Photojournalism requires incredible mental and physical strength to navigate fast-moving situations. One needs to be almost warrior-like on all fronts! Those with relentless commitment and smarts stand out and have made an indelible mark on their profession.

This list includes Karen Kasmauski a longtime photographer for the National Geographic who has done dozens stories for them, Carol Guzy, the only journalist in history to win four Pulitzer Prizes, and Jane Evelyn Atwood, the first W. Eugene Smith grant recipient.

This is a generation of women who joined the workforce through small newspaper photo departments, local wire or agency bureaus in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. They paid their dues on the street with grinding daily assignments. They worked tirelessly to hone their skills when the industry was predominantly male. They then went on to higher profile assignments in magazines, larger legacy newspapers or photo agencies. The women on this list are recipients of the industry’s highest accolades, awards, grants and fellowships, way too many to mention.

Women always had a voice, and it’s shown through their work.