He has worked in more than 40 countries on stories ranging from the end of apartheid in South Africa to the Syrian refugee crisis.
After being based in Johannesburg, London and New York, Shawn began an 11-year posting in the Middle East starting with the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. He spent the next decade covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab Spring, and conflict in Gaza -- among other stories -- for The New York Times and other leading publications.
Shawn completed a masters degree in documentary filmmaking at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, where he premiered his 24-minute documentary film, “After the Revolution.” He was also the cinematographer for "The Buddhist Bin Laden," a 26-minute documentary that was awarded a Berkeley Film Foundation grant.
In his current role at Dow Jones Media Group, Shawn films, edits and produces for multiple series published across the Wall Street Journal Digital Network. He works with a team to develop MarketWatch’s flagship series SectorWatch, a 100-episode-a-year, documentary-style series featuring industry leaders in technology and business.
Shawn is the recipient of the Dorothea Lange Fellowship and the Robert Whittington Award for Exceptional Reporting. He won Second Place in Magazine Portrait & Personality in the NPPA Best of Photojournalism Contest for his image of an injured Afghan child.
Read about Shawn in California Magazine: "Shooting on the Edge: War Photographer at Cal to Sharpen His Storytelling Skills"
Contact: shawnRbaldwin@gmail.com
“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.”