DPOTY 2019 - Shortlist - Paul Sansome
Paul Sansome The Last Generation
I was nervous before my first meeting with the ring-necked women of the Kayan women in Kayah State, Myanmar. I did not want to encounter a “human zoo” that characterises their exploitative treatment in Thailand. However, without realising it, I had an ace up my sleeve in the shape of my outstanding local guide who turned out to be related to these women. Visiting his great aunt, 72 year old Mu Min, was particularly rewarding as she had rarely been subjected to photographers and my visit gathered quite a crowd of family and neighbours! I hope that these few photographs reveal something of these women’s strong, feisty character. Incredibly, I was so concentrating on depicting their personalities that the rings became almost completely secondary. Also, my choice of using black and white was because I found the rings more distracting in colour. These three women are all widows but lived within a close community and extended family. It was a privilege to meet them.
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