South Africa-Based Photographer Emma O'Brien Focuses on Triumph of Human Spirit

Emma O’Brien takes photographs in some of the poorest and most violent places on earth … Yet many of her subjects are smiling. (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

The woman with the tumor, who O’Brien met and photographed in the DRC (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

Emma O’ Brien, photographer (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

The woman with the surgical mask, hiding her terrible injuries (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

O’Brien says it’s her job to explore other people’s realties (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

She enjoys taking photographs in the inner city of Johannesburg (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)

Barak Obama 2008/2014

O’Brien’s photographs reflect the triumph of the human spirit, despite great adversity (Photo: E. O’Brien Photography)