"Midnight Angel"

CreditsThe Sahara covers an area of about three million square miles. Furthermore, it's spreading every year. Like a cancer cell attacking the African Continent. West Africa, Niger. The small bride who stayed of the innocence covers a whole body with cloth like a gift wrapped carefully and leaves the home. In the darkness and silent, the car with an important gift runs quietly in a pitch-black town to hide from yellow sand dancing in wind.
PhotographerThe Sahara covers an area of about three millio...
PrizeSilver in Press / Feature Story
Entry Description

Gap-widening society exists in Niger, even that country which is one of the MSAC. Some people enjoy a foreign movie with drinking tea in the comfortable room that worked of the air conditioner. On the other hand, most people living at house that was made with mud and soil. And suffers from the food everyday. The gap widening influences marriage in such countries. The bridegroom must pay large sum of money to the home of the bride to marry. It is a large amount of money vaster than the mean income of this country. If there is not money, you cannot marry in this country. Some may think to marry a daughter off for money. It cannot be said that all marriage is so. But it is very difficult to live in this country. The life of people is threatened. Everybody is desperate to live.

About Photographer

Hiroshi Aoki (Japanese, b.1976) http://www.hiroshiaoki-photo.com Over the thirteen-year his career photographed many of recent history's defining human rights and conflict issues. Aoki's work reflects his belief in photojournalism's role as an instrument of witness and memory to incite change, and the necessity of telling the stories of people who are rendered powerless to tell their own. Aoki's work takes the viewer to the limits of human despair, dignity, suffering and hope. His images are relevant to us all, because they form a chronicle of the time in which we live, but at times do not dare to recognize. Aoki has received awards from the Japanese photography industry and his works collected in a museum and some galleries. Aoki's work has been widely exhibited, and has been showed by some books. In 2012, Aoki released �HEAL AFRICA�(TOSEI publishing Co., Ltd), It telling about human despair, dignity, suffering and hope in Africa including Somalia, Congo, Sudan, Chad etc. Need to share the necessity of telling the stories of people who are powerless. Aoki believe that his works to change the world. Aoki has been started a project �THE CHORD� to contribute to the society from 2017. It is fusion of art and the journalism. For the purpose art and journalism perform collaboration and associate with society deeply. He lives Yokohama, Japan with his wife. Hiroshi Aoki works as a freelancer on both commercial as journalistic projects. He is based in Japan.