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A photographer captures Africa’s mpox health crisis in close-up

Posted on by Vaseline
A photographer captures Africa’s mpox health crisis in close-up

Moses Sawasawa, a freelance photographer in Congo who began his career in 2015 at age 18, has worked with The Associated Press since 2021. He covers 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. What fascinates him most is the people, particularly women and children, who are nearly ubiquitous in his photos.

Why this photo?

I took this photo a few days after the World Health Organization declared mpox a global health emergency. Most cases of mpox are in children — about 70% are under age 15, according to the Africa CDC — so I wanted to illustrate that 30% with a photo of an adult.

How I took this photo

I waited in a room where a 90 year old man was sleeping, I waited for him to wake up to make the picture a little more lively.

I waited and talked to the man’s grandson, who was his caretaker, for quite some time to learn more about the old man’s life. I waited for 20 to 30 minutes before 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, of course wearing protective clothing. I set the aperture to 2.8 to create a slight haze on his multi-colored robes.

Why this photo works

This photo works because it is unique. Yes, there were other sick adults, but I chose to wait for the old man because I found him very photogenic, with the mpox disfiguring his face and his moustache partially gone.

I have taken several pictures of this man — his hands, his feet — but I liked this one the best because it tells the story perfectly. I believe that we photographers, even in bad news, have to find something beautiful in an unhappy story. It is a picture with a story behind it, and it could also be a beautiful painting.

___ For more extraordinary AP photography, click here. Follow Sawasawa on Instagram.

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