The 10 Best Photo Essays of the Month

3 minute read
Ebola Virus for National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic: How Ebola Found Fertile Ground in ​Sierra Leone's Chaotic CapitalAt Sierra Leone's Hastings Ebola Treatment Center, staff help a man suffering from Ebola-induced delirium after he fled the isolation ward and tried to escape. Mental breakdowns are common in advanced Ebola. The man died about 12 hours later.Pete Muller—Prime for National Geographic
By Mikko Takkunen

This month’s Photojournalism Links collection highlights 10 excellent photo essays from across the world spanning five continents, including Pete Muller‘s powerful work shot in the Ebola-ridden Sierra Leone. His two sets of photographs, featured below, were made on assignment for National Geographic, and are the first two in a four-part series examining the epidemic in West Africa. Muller’s pictures document the battle fought by medical workers, body collectors, and burial teams to bring the crisis ravaging Freetown and the country, under control. The story and images from the city’s King Tom cemetery are particularly harrowing; in just a few months, it has been expanded to three times its former size and the large number of fresh burial mounds make it look more like a construction site than a typical graveyard.

Pete Muller: How Ebola Found Fertile Ground in Sierra Leone’s Chaotic Capital | How the Fight Against Ebola Tested a Culture’s Traditions (National Geographic News)

Uriel Sinai: In Africa, Mosquito Nets Are Putting Fish at Risk (The New York Times) These stunning photographs by Uriel Sinai from Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia, show how mosquito nets meant for Malaria protection have ended up being widely used in fishing, since they are cheaper than actual fishing nets and can be even more effective, especially in shallow waters.

Andy Spyra: The enemy within: Boko Haram’s reign of terror across Northern Nigeria | The enemy within: A closer look at survivors of Boko Haram attacks across Northern Nigeria (The Washington Post In Sight) The German photographer has spent more than three years documenting the northern Nigeria. His pictures provide a rare view into communities under Boko Haram’s terror.

Mosa’ab Elshamy: Exploring the Mawlids of Egypt (TIME LightBox) These excellent photographs capture spiritual celebrations within Egyptian Sufism.

Manu Brabo: In Ukraine, The Frozen Tears of Donetsk (Paris Match L’Instant) The Spanish photographer, known for his work in Syria, is now in Ukraine to document the upsurge in fighting. | See also Brabo’s work on the MSNBC and Al Jazeera America websites

Lynn Johnson: Healing Soldiers (The National Geographic) Compelling portraits of U.S. soldiers treating their war traumas by participating in art therapy, where they create painted masks to express how they feel. The images painted on them symbolize themes such as death, physical pain, and patriotism.

George Steinmetz: Treading Water (The National Geographic) These pictures from Florida’s southeastern coastline capture a region with a lot to lose as sea levels continue to rise.

Álvaro Laiz: Ninjas: Gold Rush In Mongolia (Wired Raw File) These photographs document the hard and dangerous work of amateur gold miners.

Mark Abramson: An Immigrant’s Dream for a Better Life (The New York Times Lens) Extraordinary, in-depth photo essay that follows the life of a young Mexican immigrant woman and her family in California.

Emanuele Satolli: In the Bag for North (TIME LightBox) Revealing still life images of Central American migrants’ sparse belonging on their journey toward the United States.

Ebola Virus for National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic: How Ebola Found Fertile Ground in ​Sierra Leone's Chaotic CapitalAt Sierra Leone's Hastings Ebola Treatment Center, staff help a man suffering from Ebola-induced delirium after he fled the isolation ward and tried to escape. Mental breakdowns are common in advanced Ebola. The man died about 12 hours later.Pete Muller—Prime for National Geographic
The New York Times: In Africa, Mosquito Nets Are Putting Fish at RiskTwo men use a mosquito net in shallows of Lake Victoria to catch baby catfish to sell as bait, in Kenya, Aug. 2014.
The New York Times: In Africa, Mosquito Nets Are Putting Fish at RiskTwo men use a mosquito net in shallows of Lake Victoria to catch baby catfish to sell as bait, in Kenya, Aug. 2014.Uriel SInai—The New York Times/Redux
The Washington Post In Sight: The enemy within: A closer look at survivors of Boko Haram attacks across Northern NigeriaEight month old Afiniki lost her left arm in a Boko Haram attack on the Christian village of Chakawa in Jos, Nigeria, Jan. 2014.
The Washington Post In Sight: The enemy within: A closer look at survivors of Boko Haram attacks across Northern NigeriaEight month old Afiniki lost her left arm in a Boko Haram attack on the Christian village of Chakawa in Jos, Nigeria, Jan. 2014.Andy Spyra—laif/Redux
TIME LightBox: Exploring the Mawlids of EgyptWorshippers at a celebration at the Sayeda Zeinab mosque take part in a performance called Hadra, in which they whirl for long periods. Downtown Cairo, Egypt, May 20, 2014.
TIME LightBox: Exploring the Mawlids of EgyptWorshippers at a celebration at the Sayeda Zeinab mosque take part in a performance called Hadra, in which they whirl for long periods. Downtown Cairo, Egypt, May 20, 2014.Mosa'ab Elshamy
APTOPIX Ukraine
Paris Match L'Instant: In Ukraine, The Frozen Tears of Donetsk Mourners gather around a coffin bearing Artiam, 4, who was killed in a Ukrainian army artillery strike, during his funeral in Kuivisevsky district on the outskirts of Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, Jan. 20, 2015. Manu Brabo—AP
THE INVISIBLE WAR ON THE BRAIN PERMITTED USE: This image may be downloaded or is otherwise provided at no charge for one-time use for coverage or promotion of National Geographic magazine dated February 2015 and exclusively in conjunction thereof. No copying, distribution or archiving permitted. Sublicensing, sale or resale is prohibited. REQUIRED CREDIT AND CAPTION: All image uses must bear the copyright notice and be properly credited to the relevant photographer, as shown in this metadata, and must be accompanied by a caption, which makes reference to NGM. Any uses in which the image appears without proper copyright notice, photographer credit and a caption referencing NGM are subject to paid licensing. Mandatory usage requirements: (Please note: you may select 5 branded images for online use and 3 images for print/unbranded)1. Include mandatory photo credit with each image: © Lynn Johnson/National Geographic2. Show the February cover of National Geographic somewhere in the post (credit: National Geographic) unless using only one image3. Provide a prominent link to: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/healing-soldiers/ at the top of your piece, ahead of the photos 4. Mention that the images are from "the January issue of National Geographic magazine” 001:Marine Cpl. Chris McNair (Ret.)Afghanistan 2011-12Impeccable in his Marine uniform and outwardly composed, McNair sits on the porch of his parents’ home in Virginia, anonymous behind a mask he madein an art therapy session. “I was just going through pictures, and I saw the mask of Hannibal Lecter, and I thought, ‘That’s who I am’ … He’s probably dangerous, and that’s who I felt I was. I had this muzzle on with all these wounds, and I couldn’t tell anyone about them. I couldn’t express my feelings.”
From the January issue of National Geographic magazine: Healing Soldiers Marine Cpl. Chris McNair (Ret.) Afghanistan 2011-12 Impeccable in his Marine uniform and outwardly composed, McNair sits on the porch of his parents’ home in Virginia, anonymous behind a mask he made in an art therapy session. “I was just going through pictures, and I saw the mask of Hannibal Lecter, and I thought, ‘That’s who I am’ … He’s probably dangerous, and that’s who I felt I was. I had this muzzle on with all these wounds, and I couldn’t tell anyone about them. I couldn’t express my feelings.” Lynn Johnson—National Geographic
In Biscayne Bay the Venetian Causeway connects Miami Beach to Miami (in the distance) by way of the six man-made Venetian Islands, which epitomize waterfront living.
From the February issue of National Geographic magazine: Treading WatersIn Biscayne Bay the Venetian Causeway connects Miami Beach to Miami (in the distance) by way of the six man-made Venetian Islands, which epitomize waterfront living.George Steinmetz—National Geographic
Ninja Miners
Wired Raw File: Ninjas: Gold Rush In MongoliaMiner at work in Zaamar, Mongolia.Álvaro Laiz
Blanca's boyfriend Daniel tries to get her attention in her bedroom that she shares with her parents in their tiny home in Bakersfield, CA. The two do not get to see each other very much while she studies up north in Berkeley during the semester. At times the Blanca's family does not approve of the fact that Blanca's boyfriend is not obtaining a higher education. While he is of Mexican origin, he was born in the United States and they feel as though he is not taking advantage of having legal documents as an American citizen. Photographed on November 28, 2013.Blanca has spent most of her life in Bakersfield, CA, along with her mother, an agricultural worker, her father, a gardener, and her 10-year old sister Sonia, who was born in the United States. A public health and pre-med student now entering her fifth semester at UC Berkeley, she received DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), an Obama executive order granting temporary legal status to eligible undocumented youth, in February of this year, being one of the 900,000 undocumented youth eligible to apply. In addition, the California DREAM Act has made college possible for Blanca by allowing her to pay in-state tuition and giving her access to private scholarships, institutional financial aid and state financial aid, as well as the permission to work legally. However, no legislation has been approved that would protect her family from deportation, making her path towards the attainment of a college degree a fragile one, as her parents' deportation would not only deprive her of her only support system, but also make her solely responsible for her 9-year old citizen sister. On November 20, 2014 President Obama passed his own executive order similar to DACA that would extend similar benefits to Blanca's parents by way of Sonia's citizen-status. While this long awaited and overdue move is a step forward in the right direction for families like Blanca's, whose roots are firmly planted in this country, there is
The New York Times Lens: An Immigrant’s Dream for a Better LifeBlanca's boyfriend Daniel tried to get her attention in her bedroom that she shares with her parents in their tiny home in Bakersfield, Calif. The two do not get to see each other very much while she studies up north in Berkeley. Bianca has spent most of her life in Bakersfield with her mother, and agricultural worker, her father, a gardener, and her younger sister, Sonia, who was born in the United States. A public health and pre-med student at the University of California, Berkeley, she received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama executive order granting temporary legal status to eligible undocumented youths, in February 2013. Bianca was one of 900,00 undocumented youths eligible to apply. Nov. 2013. Mark Abramson
TIME LightBox: In The Bag for NorthCarlos Gomez, 34, from Guatemala. He already has lived in Miami for ten years until he was deported five month ago. He tried to go back in U.S. but was deported again from Mexico. In his bag has a shirt, scissors, a pair of pants, razorblade, pills, shampoo, deodorant, a can of coke and a T-shirt.
TIME LightBox: In The Bag for NorthCarlos Gomez, 34, from Guatemala. He already has lived in Miami for ten years until he was deported five month ago. He tried to go back in U.S. but was deported again from Mexico. In his bag has a shirt, scissors, a pair of pants, razorblade, pills, shampoo, deodorant, a can of coke and a T-shirt.Emanuele Satolli

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