Dona Antônia, Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, Brazil Possibly 1999 - 2001

Fazal Sheikh made this photograph, Dona Antônia, in Grande Sertão Veredas National Park, Brazil. It’s striking how the gray scale gives everything a tactile quality, even the light itself seems to have a texture. The details here are so delicate, like the way Dona Antônia is holding a handful of flowers, her face turned slightly towards us. Look at the subtle gradations in tone, the way the light catches on the folds of her skirt, and the crinkles around her eyes. There's an honesty and quiet strength in this image. Her gaze holds a mix of wisdom and warmth, like a silent invitation to understand something deeper about life, about the people who live in harmony with the land. It’s a reminder that photography, like any art form, is about more than just capturing a likeness. It’s about revealing the emotional truth of a moment, a person, a place, inviting us to connect with the world in a more meaningful way. Like the work of Dorothea Lange, Sheikh invites us to see the world with empathy, one image at a time.