Mariano Zafra
visual journalist

Since October 2019 I lead the Graphic and Storytelling team of El País, in Madrid. During the last four years I worked as a Graphics Reporter for special projects in The Wall Street Journal, in New York, and I started and led the Infographic and Data Visualization Department of Univision News in Miami. Before moving to the United States, I spent fourteen years working at the two most prominent national daily newspapers in Spain: El Mundo and El País.

My work has been recognized with the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism award (2021), the Ortega y Gasset journalism award (2021) and "The Best Of Show” of the Malofiej infographics award for the globally known visual article “A room, a bar and a classroom: how the coronavirus is spread through the air”. I have also won more than 40 international awards (Society for News Design, NH and Malofiej. I am also a regular contributor for the International Consortium of Investigative Journal- ists (ICIJ), with which I have participated in several investigative projects that have received global attention, such as “Swiss Leaks” and “Luxembourg Leaks”.

My passion for my work has increased throughout the years and I believe my best work is yet to come. Teamwork is indispensable to me and it has provided me with a wider perspective. Thanks to my colleagues I am a better professional.

Although I conceive all kinds of projects, I have a predilection for breaking news graphics. I consider them the dynamo of my profession. I am ardent about extracting the very best of my skills in the shortest time possible. I am always building up so that my next graphic is superior than the last. I am currently passionate about cartography and the design and programming of interactive graphics for mobile.

Background

• Bachelor’s degree from the Universidad de Navarra (1996-2000)

• Professional Master of Design and Adaptive Web Development (CICE, 2013)

• Professional Advanced Infographic Course and Composition with 3Ds Max and Nuke X (CICE, 2012)

• The Complete Javascript course (Udemy, 2017)

Expertise

• Team management

• Search, writing and design of visual journalistic stories

• Data Analysis

• Journalistic cartography with QGIS

• 3D modeling oriented to journalism

• Printed and interactive infographics

• Illustration by computer and by hand

• Animation

Tools

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Illustrator, Photoshop, Sketch, Hype

Blender, 3D Studio Max, Sketchup

QGIS

HTML, CSS

Excel, InZight

After Effects, Final Cut

R, D3, Javascript