Irene Alison (Naples, 1977) is an Italian photographer, journalist, curator and essayist with twenty years of experience in the field of photography.

Her artistic research as a photographer focuses on long-term documentary projects. Her most recent work, The Feather Collector, was a finalist for the 2023 ISPA Award, presented at the 2025 PhotoVogue Festival, and published in international magazines such as National Geographic, Internazionale, Marie Claire, and Avenuel. In 2023, she published her first photography book, The Waiting Mother (Postcart, edited by Laia Abril), reviewed in la Repubblica, Marie Claire, Mind, and Avenuel, among others, and exhibited at Stecca3 (Milan) and Spazio BFT (Piacenza).

Alongside her photography practice, Irene is a professional journalist and curator. She currently serves as curator for Rifugio Digitale in Florence, the photography gallery of the Archea Group. She is also the author and host of the photography podcast (Pre)Visioni, produced by Rifugio Digitale.

She is the founder and creative director of DER*LAB (founded in 2014), a photography consultancy and design studio through which she curates exhibition and editorial projects for public and private clients.

A regular contributor to Il Venerdì di Repubblica and D, la Repubblica delle donne for contemporary photography, her photography articles have appeared in Italian newspapers and cultural magazines, including La Lettura (Il Corriere della Sera), Il Sole 24 Ore, and Area Magazine. As a freelance journalist, her reports have appeared in publications such as Geo France, The Independent, l'Espresso, D, XL, Marie Claire, and Riders. She also worked as an editor for il manifesto (2004-2007) and D, la Repubblica delle donne (2008-2009).

Irene has collaborated as a teacher and consultant with some of Italy's leading photography institutions, including IED, ISFCI, RUFA, and the Scuola Romana di Fotografia. She is also the author of two essays on photographic culture, "My Generation" (Postcart, 2012) and "iRevolution" (Postcart, 2014).