Tommaso Protti

PHOTOSNACK #613

Every Sunday, I contact photographers previously featured on PHOTOSNACK and ask them to send me their spontaneous thoughts, observations, reflections, or advice.

Today, I am sharing the message I received from Tommaso Protti.

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Tommaso Protti

This image was taken in the Darién Gap, a stretch of dense tropical jungle between Colombia and Panama that has become a migration route for thousands of people journeying from South America in hopes of reaching the United States. Although more than a million migrants have crossed this point in recent years, the flow has now drastically declined due to border closures imposed by the new Trump administration.

The image shows a group of migrants descending a mountain known as the "Hill of Death," shortly after crossing into Panama. At this stage of the journey, the ground had turned into a slick sheet of mud, carved by countless footsteps and torrential rains into deep earthen canyons. The descent was a feat of balance, endurance, and strength. Many were carrying their children in their arms or by the hand. Breaking a leg or spraining an ankle here could mean death.

Ahead of us still lay four more days of walking through the jungle. We would cover another hundred kilometers on foot, crossing rivers, climbing mountains, and scaling rocks. Never before had it seemed so clear to me that, for a photographer, good shoes matter far more than a good camera.

Tommaso Protti was featured in PHOTOSNACK #602.

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Sunday Editions connect you with photographers whose work you previously explored through PHOTOSNACK.

I want to reveal some authentic parts of the people behind the cameras. I don't ask them any specific questions. I ask them to share whatever comes to mind when they think about YOU, the newsletter readers. It makes their responses genuine and personal.

Until next time,
Tomasz