Biography:
Alejandra Rajal is a documentary photographer born and based in Mexico. Her vision focuses mainly on creating awareness of different realities, aiming to social conscience. Currently, she works as a freelance photographer dividing her time between...
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Focus:Photographer, Photojournalist, Documentary, Assignments, Storyteller, International Stories
Covering:Latin America,USA & Canada
Skills:Research, Translator, Photo Assisting, Color Correction, Photo Editing
Florentino Bellos alias “Chac” with a barracuda he just caught. He and his family go and dive in the Caribbean Sea to get fish to eat and sell. Sian Ka'an Mexico
The movement of waves changes every day during sargassum season, some days it can clear it up other days, it arrives to the coast in massive quantities. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Jesús López Ek and Samuel López Ek, are siblings and live between Sian Ka'an and Chetumal with their parents. There is no internet in the house so they spend most of their time playing around and fishing. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Jesús walks in the manglars with his dog. The Biosphere of Sian Ka'an is the second best-formed forest massif, only after the Amazonas. This is where the family has been living for over two decades. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Manuela Torres has been living with her husband and son in Sian Ka'an for more than two decades. Her days are spent taking care of her family and her animals. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Soldiers clean up the coast during a windy day. Usually, they are in charge of the sargassum in the sea but when the weather is not good they do it on the ground. Mahahual Mexico
Victor Rosales walks at sunrise checking the ground before releasing newborn turtles. Victor founded Aak Mahahual a local project to protect the turtles in the area so they can be safe with the support of the community. Mahahual Mexico
A newborn loggerhead turtle passes through the sargassum before reaching the sea. Since this is their natural habitat we have to let them reach the coast by themselves. Mahahual Mexico
Here there is no running water so they use this well to get water to drink and clean. The family says that the sargassum waste may be infiltrating because the taste and smell of the well water has changed and stays in their clothes. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Since the well may have some infiltration from sargassum waste, the family prefers to get rainwater like the one Manuela is carrying. Sian Ka'an Mexico
The sargassum changes its appearance very quickly. This is how it looks as soon as it arrives at the coast, but a few days later it will turn brown and smelly. Sian Ka'an Mexico
Besides the sargassum, garbage from all over the world arrives on the coast, there is a registry of around 60 countries where this garbage is from besides Mexico, from Europe to Asia. Mahahual Mexico
A strange scene, after hundreds of fishes and other species, died on the coasts of Mahahual most likely because of a phenomenon called eutrophication that creates a lack of oxygen in the waters that have an overproduction of algae (sargassum). Mahahual Mexico
Deisy Ek Kool, arrived here after marrying Victor. They live between Sian Ka’an and Chetumal but with the pandemic, they decided to stay here for most of the time since they think is safer for them and the kids. Mexico
Manuel López Eek prepares bait under the scorching sun in a lake that is next to the beach. At only 11 years he swims and fishes without needing much help. Sian Ka'an Mexico
As the day ends, the tide will rise. Taking away or bringing in more sargassum. Is not set in stone what will happen here in the future but in the meantime, people here will keep carrying on trying to make their world a better place. Sian Ka'an Mexico