In this interview I sit down with Esther Ruth Mbabazi. She has recently completed a fascinating photo essay revealing some of the trials and tribulations women giving birth in rural Uganda must face. We discuss her inspirations, gear choices, and some of the challenges she faced when initially learning photography, including camera choices. This interview is intended to be a companion to the comprehensive written article published on The Phoblographer.

More About Esther

http://www.esthermbabazi.com

As a documentary photographer, Esther uses storytelling and photojournalism to address issues in her society. Coming from a humble background, her work explores changing conditions on the African continent, with a focus on the social, economic, physical and emotional aspects of daily life, especially in rural areas and minority groups. Esther is driven to bring to light issues in society that are too often overlooked.

She is a 2018-2020 VII Photo Agency Mentee and recently became a National Geographic Explorer, a program that supports the work of storytellers who are committed to a better understanding of our planet. She is a 2017 Magnum Foundation Photography & Social Justice Fellow. In 2016 Esther was selected to participate in the World Press Photo Masterclass East Africa, and also won the inaugural Young Photographer Award presented by the Uganda Press Photo Award. In 2015 she won third place at the Uganda Press Photo award for her story on rural education in Uganda.

Esther’s works have been published in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Slate, El Pais, and her work has been commissioned by a variety of NGOs and international organizations.

More Information:

Project Bududa – Uganda

https://www.fimrc.org/uganda

Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children: FIMRC is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of families in the developing world through the implementation of innovative and self-sustainable health improvement programs.

About This Series:

Visual Momentum refers to the flow of storytelling and its effect on the viewe...