Moses Sawasawa
GOMA, Congo (AP) — Congolese freelance photographer Moses Sawasawa, who began his career in 2015 at age 18, has been working with The Associated Press since 2021 to cover humanitarian issues, culture, health and daily life. He grew up in a time of conflict but has instead focused on capturing everyday activities with his camera. He is most fascinated by people, especially women and children, who are almost omnipresent in his photos.
Why this photo?
This photo was taken a few days after the World Health Organization declared MPOX a global emergency. Most MPOX cases are in children, with about 70% under the age of 15 according to the Africa CDC, so I wanted to represent that 30% in the photo: adults.
How to take this photo
I waited in the room where the 90-year-old man was sleeping, and I waited until he woke up to make the photo a little more vivid.
I spent quite a bit of time waiting and chatting with his grandson, who was his caregiver, to find out about this old man's life. We waited for about 20-30 minutes until he woke up.
I have a Sony a7R Mark IV and a 24-70mm GM 2.8 lens. I got a little closer to the old man, wearing protective gear of course. I set the aperture to 2.8 to create a slight blur on his colorful robe.
Why is this photo so effective?
This photo worked because it was unique. Sure, there were other sick adults, but I decided to wait for this old man because I thought he would be very photogenic, with his face disfigured by MPOX and partially missing moustache.
I took a few photos of this man, some of his hands, some of his feet. But this one is my favorite because it tells the story perfectly. I believe that even in bad news, we photographers have to find the beauty in the unfortunate story. This is a photo with a story, and it can be a beautiful painting.
___ For more great photos from The Associated Press, click here. Follow Sawasawa on Instagram.
First published: August 25, 2024, 10:29 AM
