His photographs ‘give voice’ to vulnerable people world-wide

Manuel Delgado has had to experience living in a garbage dump or a refugee camp to be able to photograph these situations and expose them to the world.

The graduate in Communications from Tec de Monterrey is currently working as a photographer for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

“Those pictures are used for financial reports and social media to encourage more investors to support the cause. My photos give voice to those communities,” Manuel told CONECTA.

The Tec graduate has visited more than 45 countries to document everything from environmental issues to working with vulnerable groups.

His work can be risky on certain occasions (he was once assigned a military escort so he could take his photos) but he continues to do so and thereby contributes to different causes.

“The most gratifying thing is knowing that my photos make a difference. That’s the main reason I keep going,” he pointed out.

“My photos give voice to those communities.”

 

PHOTOGRAPHING REALITY

Manuel has documented cases in countries with vulnerable communities, such as Ghana, in Africa.

There, he spent whole days photographing people living in precarious conditions in the largest garbage dump in the city.

“You have to have the stomach to take those pictures. They’re places that are full of violence, addictions, and you have to document people’s reality. You have to put your feelings to one side,” he added.

Similarly, he recalled when he visited Mynamar the Asian country also known as Burma, just 2 years after that country had come under a military dictatorship.

“It was a region in the mountains, where the refugees had no nationality, no electricity, no water, but addictions were rife.

“They had to assign a military escort for me to work and we had to return at night to avoid the tigers and elephants that came out of the jungle,” he recalled.

The Tec graduate mentioned that when he visits these places, he doesn’t just take photographs, but also gives direct support as a volunteer and participates in the life and traditions of these communities.

His work has led him to become part of the NGO Photographers Alliance, an organization committed to ethical and humanitarian photography, where he offers courses and documents the work of NGOs.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL: THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING

Manuel has been interested in photography from an early age. He remembers the moment his dad brought a camera home.

Traveling is another of his passions, which was began during his studies at the Tec, when he went to a course in the Czech Republic, which sparked a desire to learn about other cultures.

“That was what sparked me off. I wanted to know more and find out about other cultures. It opened my eyes to a world I hadn’t seen before,” he said.

After graduating, he decided to travel, intending to photograph 12 countries in Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand and Laos.

It was on that trip he decided his work as a photographer would be about more than illustrating his travels, which led him to what he’s doing now with NGOs.

Manuel currently also works for the Trivago travel company, based in Düsseldorf, Germany, as a Corporate Social Responsibility manager.

He is certified by the Düsseldorf Photography Federation, and his work was recently included in the Düsseldorf Photo Weekend.

YOU’LL ALSO WANT TO READ: