A beautiful series captured during the transition from day to night by photographer Patricia Reyes. Born in Venezuela and raised in Sweden, Reyes is of Afro-Latin descent. Growing up between cultures, languages, and ways of seeing has deeply shaped both her identity and artistic practice. For Reyes, photography is a way of preserving stories, navigating belonging, and commenting on dominant structures of power. Her work is rooted in observation and explores visual culture—how people shape and are shaped by the places they inhabit. “Atlantic Ocean Twilight” was photographed along the Atlantic coastline of The Gambia, where Reyes lived for a year. Horse riders, wrestlers, families, and beachgoers become part of a visual narrative that reflects the transformative potential of being seen on one’s own terms.

“At the heart of this work is a desire to create images that move beyond familiar narratives often attached to African subjects. Rather than documenting struggle, I photograph people in their full essence. Through style, presence, movement, joy, and self-expression. The individuals in these photographs are not passive subjects but active participants, co-creating the images with me through trust, collaboration, and shared curiosity.”

Patricia Reyes participated in our 2026 Book Award and made our shortlist.