MANUEL RIVERA ORTIZ

The photographer himself

Manuel Rivera Ortiz is the founder of "THE MANUEL RIVERA ORTIZ FOUNDATION" for documentary photography and film focusing the poor and the disenfranchised around the world, creating awareness through his photographic stories of hardship and hope in some of the world's poorest nations since he, himself, experienced growing up in backwater barrios of Guayama, Puerto Rico.

He travelled many corners of the world surrounded which dominantly have slums such as India to Kenya, Bolivia to Cuba, Thailand to Turkey and beyond imaginable.

His major projects include; The Mumbai slums Dharavi and Baiganwadi in India, the indigenous Aymara in the Andes and Altiplano regions in Bolivia.

Current events, popular culture or mass media isn't Rivera Ortiz's forte. Instead, his work involves with universality of poverty, the presence of hope in adversity and the dignity of people who live in distress.

The landless.

The forgotten.

All play an integral role in the greater message of Rivera Ortiz's images.

Specialising in black and white photos, emphasizing the emotions in the photography.

Tobacco Harvesting, Viñales Valley, Cuba 2002 (One of his breakout work)  MLS SHOT

One point perspective composition (For photo above & below) (MLS SHOT SIZE)

EYE LEVEL SHOT ANGLE, MS SHOT SIZE.

He aspired photographers of the future generations, armed with only a camera and a vision of a better world, to take photographs around the streets everyday and emphasize the definition of humanity on the move.

Can the impact of the images fuel the discourse needed to engender a better life for countless millions living around the world?

I assume the photographs taken are under natural lighting and low exposure but still capturing the shadows and i also assume the photographs' subjects are naturally posed.