Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Flies On A Babies Face

The saddest photo of the day was also the best. That is the way it often works out with social documentary photography.

The sad best pictures of the day were made of a young malnourished looking baby with a dirty face covered with flies (1to3). It was heartbreaking to see this poor baby living in those conditions. The year is 2016 certainly the world if it was run right could provide a decent life for its children. Even later when I tried to take a cute digi color baby picture for the mother, I could not.

It is always so hard to make photos like this. When shooting up close with the Rolleiflex you see every detail I can still see that babies bulging brown eyes in my mind. I will not forget this experience soon. Now as I type this I lay in my air conditioned hotel room of luxury. Why do I have what I have and yet that baby boy is now sleeping with flies and garbage a few kilometers away? Why is my life so privileged and his so forgotten?

Maybe the pictures made today will help somehow. Raise some more money, raise general awareness, educate in some way, motivate the next generation, shame the exhibition viewer into helping in anyway they can.

I will try to find that babies mother again and at least donate a food bag.