It’s been a decade since I’ve been to Poland’s Baltic Sea Coast. Vast white sand beaches, deep blue sea, dunes and surrounding forests full of heathers - I forgot how pretty it is. And the sand is thin like powder, pleasant to tread on. Gdansk, the largest city on the coast has changed a lot, modern buildings are creating harmonic fusion with the historic architecture. It is friendly to the visitors, and is a vivid and modern European city.
Few Days at the Baltic coast
I decided to write this article about a part of my work that is important to me, but I haven’t talked that much about it. It's been almost a decade since I’ve been working as a humanitarian photographer with a variety of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations). The nonprofit organizations I have worked with are specialized in different fields: education, nutrition, healthcare, awareness, and environmental protection. I’ve helped them to create stories that inspire hope, educate, and connect with donors. I’ve taken images for awareness campaigns, effective fundraising, and to illustrate annual reports that document the organization’s achievements.
Photography illustrating ANF Foundation Annual Report. Showing the importance of access to clean drinking water for rural communities and the impact it has on its youngest members.
Humanitarian photography lays somewhere between documentary photography, portraiture, and editorial. Its function is to capture people in a true way, tell their story, transcend their circumstances. All of that without stripping the protagonists from dignity, despite the difficult situations in which they often find themselves. Showing them as someone equal in the world, worthy of admiration and respect. In the end, humanitarian photography should evoke emotions and create a human bond. People's strength, dignity, love, are some of the qualities humanitarian photographers are devoted to capturing. At the same time remembering to treat the photographed as real partners, their stakes are higher than anyone else involved. On many occasions, humanitarian photography tells stories to raise money - to help others and to do good.
The cover of ‘The Global Fund For Children’ Annual Report. Kuba Okon/Stars Foundation
For many organizations, the story is currency. A well-told story invites others in. It’s the story that helps amplify awareness and connect with potential donors. A good story helps the viewer to fill someone else’s shoes, transcend their circumstances, and understand their needs. It also gives donors the opportunity to “be a part of the story”, and make a difference. It dramatically increases the chances of making an impact. The reason behind that is that stories are more compelling on a personal and emotional level and they engage more of the brain. ‘The stories are just easy for us to remember them’ says Paul Zak.* According to his research, they shape our brains, tie strangers together, and move human beings to be more empathic and generous. Emotional stimulation is the foundation for empathy and is particularly powerful for social creatures like humans. It allows us to rapidly predict if the people around us are kind or hostile, safe or dangerous, friend or foe.
Images are more likely to be remembered than words, which is known as ‘‘The Picture Superiority Effect’* Said differently, pictures are easier to recall and recognize over words. This makes photography and filmmaking a phenomenal tool to communicate with others and invite them in. In the world of mass information, real meaningful stories give a strategic advantage to nonprofit organizations over other types of companies that don’t possess them. Nowadays, with the appearance of social media and Instagram, visuals are even more effective.
Kids living in rural communities walk many miles a day on difficult dirt roads to receive education, no matter how harsh the sun is or the rain. What caught my attention in this scene is the fact that the kid is running so vigorously, despite his large backpack and how small he looks in comparison. Humanitarian photography for Fabretto Children’s Foundation.
I feel like when working with NGOs it’s important to learn as much as possible about each organization; understand their work field, aims, and background. Nonprofits can be very different from each other, even if they operate in the same field. They vary in the way they are organized, and the ways in which they help. And making sure you are well organized is quite important, especially if you are traveling on assignment to remote locations, with limited time, and equipped in heavy gear. You should also realize that your energy reserves are limited, and you need to use them wisely, which will be beneficial to your wellbeing, the quality of your photography work, and the organization itself. Being briefed before the assignment, knowing as much as possible about the people you are about to photograph and issues they are facing, will help you connect with them better and faster. I always listen to the organization first and then try to tell them about my approach, so we can work together on finding the best ways to capture each topic. I’ve turned down jobs with nonprofits where I felt we couldn’t connect or where I felt they weren’t organized enough. Please don’t misunderstand me - 95% of my experiences working with nonprofits as a photographer has been great. Most people that are involved in these types of projects have a certain quality to them and are truly wonderful.
Humanitarian and documentary photography allowed me to experience amazing things, meet interesting people, travel to distant places, learn firsthand about issues that otherwise I wouldn’t have known existed. We all live in our social bubbles, and photography is an incredible vehicle to cross boundaries. Thanks to humanitarian photography I am now able now to look at many things from a different perspective. But it’s extremely important to not forget that humanitarian photography is not about you, traveling or adventures - it serves a purpose.
The packing process and preparation for the assignment. Even if the photographer tries to minimize the number of gear taken with him on the assignment you usually end up packing a heavy backpack. For example, the back-up camera is a must, especially on photography assignments in remote places.
If you would like to see more of Kuba’s humanitarian photography work visit KubaOkon.com
It has been a difficult year so far in that it's been both surprising and challenging. Not being able to see my loved ones and doing the things that I’m passionate about - photography and travel - have been difficult. However, 2020 has had such a nice and promising start. My calendar was filled with work trips and new adventures, virtually without any day off. Destination weddings were happening in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Italy, and even Poland. Humanitarian and documentary photography for various NGOs, assignments for magazines, and trips to remote locations and communities were all on the list. I had a lot of plans, but as we learn, everything can change in an instant, and our planner becomes irrelevant. This is definitely not the first nor the last lesson in humility. Now, fortunately for me, I have more time to dig through my archives; this reminds me of how incredible medium photography can be and how fortunate I am to have a job in this field.
February was just amazing. I got the chance to photograph a beautiful destination wedding in Big Corn Island, which is a paradise-like island in the Caribbean. It wasn’t my first trip there, but it was a great opportunity to revive my love for the island experience; the last time I was on an island was a couple years ago. I even made a blog post from my first journey to the Big Corn, and you can find it here. I decided to come a week before the event was meant to start. We usually stay at the Big fish Caffe - it's a small, boutique hotel and restaurant with a warm family atmosphere; not to mention, it's on the beachfront. We really like the owner - Miss Mary - and her family. On the northwest end of the island, we found a true oasis of peace. It was just us, the sand, some palm trees, a few local fishermen, and the turquoise water. Photographs can tell stories better than I can.
For someone who would like to find out more about the island, you can find a short guide at the bottom of this post. If you would like to see photos of the Caribbean wedding there, please visit: kubaokonweddings.com
My favorite watermelon boat.
The local bakery.
This is such a surreal scene. Horses are wandering freely around the turquoise beaches. It reminds me of some kind of kitschy collage. After noticing me, they ran away to a more deserted part of the beach.
The fisherman was cleaning his most recent catch - a barracuda fish. At one point, he whistled, then threw the fish waste high up in the air. A few dozen seconds later, from a distance of at least a few kilometers, a cormorant appeared to collect its price. It was hard to believe that the bird could hear and see the man from such a long distance. An incredible bond obviously existed between the animal and the fisherman.
The Barracudas
Kids are waiting for the school bus in front of the shrimp-covered bus stop. Each one of the Corn Island bus stops is decorated with a different sea creature, like the lobster, stingray, or crab.
These are Caribbean Patí, which is a type of spicy dumpling. I’m such a huge fan!
They are on their way to school.
They are getting ready for the wedding. The locals are helping to decorate the arch. How cute is this girl's dress?
One of my favorite pictures. Mia is by herself, dancing ballet on the empty beach near her mother’s restaurant.
The Corn Islands are two nearby paradise-like sister islands known as the Big Corn and the Little Corn. They are located 70 km off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. The Islands, along with the eastern half of present-day Nicaragua, once belonged to a British colony. Due to that influence, Nicaraguan inhabitants speak mostly creole English. During a period in history, the islands were frequently visited by Caribbean pirates. Corn Island offers a great opportunity to get off the beaten path and experience the true island atmosphere; the place hasn’t been spoiled by mass tourism.
Little Corn is about a 45-minute 'panga' boat ride from Big Corn. There aren’t any paved roads there, so it’s a lot quieter and more remote as a result of this. Most tourists tend to stay on Little Corn. This Caribbean island is roughly one square mile in size.
Big Corn Island is three times bigger, less touristy, and home to the local community. It's colorful, and the people are really friendly and laid back. Life is also a lot simpler on the Corn Islands. While tourism is increasing, the primary industry of the Big Corn Island is fishing. Big Corn’s economy is based mostly on fishing, lobster hunting, and tourism. It has more of a “reggae” feel too if we are talking about the musical influence on the community. This place is ideal for a person like me that likes to learn about different perspectives on life; love to wander, watch, chat with people, and listen to others' stories.
You have two options to reach the Corn Islands. A flight with La Costena from Managua airport directly to Big Corn is possible; the ticket price is around $160 per person. The flight takes one hour. You can also take the bus/panga/ferry method. You take a bus from Managua to Bluefields - a town on the Atlantic coast which has a new road. Before the road was built, the only way was to take a ‘panga’ motorboat from Rama to Bluefields via el Río Escondido. From Bluefields, it is a five-hour ferry ride through the Caribbean Sea to get to Big Corn. The cheaper, longer, and more adventurous option is the latter. You will definitely have some unforgettable experiences and see some amazing views along the way. I did it this way once, and it was fun, tiring, and more intense than expected.
Most of the places are walking distance from one another on the island. You can rent a bike or a scooter; you can just take a taxi as well; one dollar gets you to about anywhere you want on the island.
There are several ways to explore the island, but walking is probably one of the most pleasing ways to get around. You can explore diverse beaches and get a glimpse of the local way of life. Snorkeling - there are a variety of places that offer snorkeling tours, with a rate of $20 for a few hours. Diving - there are also a couple of dive shops on both of the islands, and you can also get PADI certified. Stargazing - the sky at night is unpolluted and just breathtaking, so you'll want to stay up to see the stars.
Coconut bread is made on the islands, as is the traditional Rondón soup which consists of fish, vegetables, and coconut water. Personally, my favorite choice is the Patí, which is a type of spicy Caribbean dumpling filled with meat. We cannot forget it is an island, so all of the seafood is super fresh. You'll want to try the ceviche! For seafood, I can recommend a restaurant called the 'Seaside Grill' and for sweets tooth, the 'Island Bakery and Sweets', which are both located at the northern end of Big Corn.
You can Follow me on Instagram:
Recently I have traveled with Fabretto Children’s Foundation to the northern Nicaraguan frontier to document different life stories of families from that region. Some places I visited where quite remote, hidden in the mountains and valleys, without an easy access route. And this time I took with me some of my ‘big guns’. What I mean by this is studio lighting was travelling with me, more specifically, on my back (soft boxes, studio lamps, tripods, batteries and all that necessary heavy stuff).
I tried to portray stories of hardworking and proud people that move their life forward to better future, regardless of the circumstances. Children, youth, parents, teachers, the entire comunities take this effort, despite difficult conditions.
The 19-year-old Ever has always had a connection and passion for bees. Trough education he developed entrepreneurial skills, which prompted him to organize a honey cooperative with other young people.
Ever says that the bees have taught him a lot on how to work together for the good of the whole community.
How old does Maria look?
Due to severe pneumonia during early childhood and sustained poor nutrition María has suffered a serious delay in her physical and educational development. At 14 years old, she is currently in 5th grade. When asked how she imagines her life when she grows up, María responded: “when I grow older, I want to travel the world and become a great teacher.”
Maria with her mother and her siblings on the bank of a river near her house, the place where she likes to read and learn.
27-years old Yolanda, surrounded by her students, is the local preschool teacher. Due to a lack of space and resources, the Ministry of Education has not yet opened a formal preschool teaching position in Apanaje community. Instead, educators like Yolanda are asked to step up to the plate as volunteers, earning a stipend equivalent to only a fraction of the minimum wage.
Come rain or shine, the preschoolers and their brave teacher can be found in the school hallway or yard.
"Starting with something as simple as teaching children to hold a pencil, I know that I am helping them start their education off on the right foot.” claims Yolanda.
Doña Petrona and Don Jacobo are a farming couple that lives at the foothills of the San Cristóbal volcano. The couple makes a living out of producing basic grains. “Women in my community are not used to working alongside men… that’s why they call me crazy, but I’ve gotten something good out of this madness,” In the most of Latin American countries machismo is a great challenge.
The couple has had to face the catastrophic effects of climate change, such as drought, pests, La Niña weather conditions, among other drawbacks.
On our way to Maria's house. After all, travelling with a lot of equipment is not a big deal if you are accompanied with right people.
5 am. The wind appeared to be brutal that day. My friends from Fabretto Marketing Team struggling against heavy gusts of wind while helping me to sustain the lights. Thanks girls!!
My Photography illustrate Fabretto 2017 Annual Report.
You can see the entire document below: