Wedding Preparations, Davao City, Philippines, by Ryan Anson

I love the warmth of this photo, and the way it somehow makes its considerable action (the figures almost read like multiple exposures of a single, very active woman) nonetheless conveys a strong sense of peace and stillness, the pause and deep breath one takes before stepping out into a momentous event. The photographer writes: “I shot this image in early 2004 during a wedding near Davao City where a small Muslim minority group called the Kalagan people live amidst millions of Catholic residents. I was initially surprised that the bride let me in the changing room to spend time with she and her relatives as they applied the finishing touches to her dress and make-up. However, like many Filipinos in this region, Joanna and her family welcomed me as a guest and allowed me to photograph them in a very intimate environment.” “Wedding Preparations, Davao City, Philippines,” photo by Ryan Anson, The New Breed of Documentary Photographers, 2 October 2009