Haunting beauty amid Haiyan's devastation

My colleague Jason Gutierrez and I were heading back from fishing communities devastated by super typhoon Haiyan on the Philippine island of Leyte when we stumbled on this small religious procession in the village of Tolosa.

It’s very stormy at this time of year in the Philippines, and as we were driving back to Tacloban, clouds gathered in front of the setting sun. All along the road, residents had lit fires to burn the debris left by the typhoon, which created a scattered white mist. Momentarily, the half-destroyed landscape took on a strange beauty.

It was just then that this group of about 10 women and children appeared on the road in front of us. They were walking and reciting prayers while carrying religious icons. This makeshift procession, solemn and orderly, marked a curious contrast to the surrounding chaos. We drove past the group, then I got out the car a little farther up the road. Knowing the moment would not last, I hurried towards them.

Because of the smoke rising from the destruction, the sky seemed to mingle with the earth. I positioned myself so I could take advantage if this strange light and chose a very small depth of field, framing the woman in the foreground. I had to run alongside the group to be able to frame her in profile while also getting a clear shot of her face, all while keeping the sun out of the picture.

In the field, photographers can’t really control their environment and several elements need to come together to get the right shot. Aside from the technical aspect, this photo happened thanks to the women appearing at the right time, in the right place, and under the right lighting conditions.

This image ended up on the front page of many newspapers around the world. I also learned it was one of the most shared photos on AFP’s social media sites. I’m happy it touched so many people and that it increased awareness of the tragedy.

The photo also highlights the difficult conditions encountered by journalists covering the aftermath of the typhoon, such as this blog piece recounted by my colleague Agnes Bun.

We never learned exactly what this procession was about. It seemed impolite and inapproriate to interrupt to ask. Such expressions of religious devotion occur often in the Philippines, where 80 percent of the population is Catholic. After a tragedy, Jason Gutierrez tells me, it’s common to see villagers gather to pray for the dead and to thank God for the survivors. The Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus are particularly popular in Leyte and elsewhere in the Philippines. Prayers to them are thought to be answered quickly.