1st Place winner
The Sulfur Miners of Kawah Ijen Crater
DESCRIPTION
Mount Ijen in East Java, is an active volcano that contains the biggest acidic lake in the world and a sulfur mine. Sulfur mining here is one of the hardest jobs because of the thick, toxic volcanic gases coming out of the active vents inside the crater. Besides this, miners have to carry big baskets full of sulfur blocks all the way up the crater through a steep path and then walk for miles to unload them at the checkpoint. Usually, they are able to do this no more than 2-3 times a day for a paycheck of about 10 dollars.
Although the scenery is breathtaking, being here is the only way to get an idea of what it is like to move around and breathe sulfuric volcanic gases.
AUTHOR
Although a Civil Engineer in profession, I turned out as an amateur travel photographer having traveled to numerous countries around the world such as Ethiopia, India, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, Cote d'Ivoire, China, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Mali, Benin, Haiti, Cuba etc. My main goal is to capture the uniqueness of the local cultures and the life of the people in the most remote places of our world, emphasizing on syncretism between rare religions and rituals. My pictures have been awarded multiple awards in many prestigious photo competitions and have been published in many books and magazines. 