Breathing Under War: Strength Amidst Numbness

• Prize
  Bronze in Press/War / Conflict
• Photographer
  Jiayu Ma, China
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/ryan_photographe_

After three years of war, Ukrainians continue to live under the constant shadow of missiles and drones. In Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, people coexist with air raid sirens and the remnants of shattered buildings, adapting to a life where danger is always imminent. No one knows when death will arrive, yet there is an unspoken understanding of its presence. Behind the numbness lies a quiet resilience — a strength born from the depths of human endurance, even as it carries the profound weight of helplessness.

Jiayu Ma is a young photographer from Shanghai, recently graduated from university, with a passion for documentary photography. His work centers on authentic moments and fragments of everyday life, seeking to reveal subtle emotions and stories while exploring the relationship between people and their surroundings.