Nearly one month after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, conditions on the island haven't changed. As this collection of pictures reveals, many Puerto Ricans are still living without necessities as basic as running water and electricity. But what prevails is the strong bond of community that exists among neighbors helping one another and the optimism that in time things will eventually return to normal, with or without the mainland.
—Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed News
Vogue's Women of the Wool photo essay is a solid must-see. It's a story championing the strength, stamina, and perseverance of women doing a job that most have never given a second thought to. The muted earth tones in Nich Hance McElroy's photographs lead to an understated natural beauty in lamb and lady alike, and the well-curated and carefully arranged edit furnishes the respect such a beautifully shot story demands.
—Laura Geiser, photo editor, BuzzFeed News
At the risk of sounding like a broken record about Bangladesh, here is another photo essay that deftly deals with the complexity of situation in Cox’s Bazar. Moises Saman’s images feel tragically timeless. It is hard to call them beautiful as they contain such tragedy; rather it's a vitally important body of work.
—Kate Bubacz, deputy photo director, BuzzFeed News
The loss of a loved one can feel unbearable and isolating. But as universal as grief may be, the loss of a child is beyond comprehension for anyone who has not experienced it. After photographer Susana Butterworth delivered her stillborn son Walter at 36 weeks, she turned to art to work through the unimaginable pain. By photographing women with shared experience holding a mirror in front of their wombs, she creates images that endeavour to illustrate what it feels like to live with the emptiness left behind in the place where a child once grew. In creating such a moving catalog of women who have all suffered in this same way, her work seeks to unify others in their grief and hopefully dull that feeling of isolation.
—L.G.
Who the fuck said punk is dead? In this fantastic piece photographed by Peyton Fulford for i-D, a new generation of creative and artful free spirits share their visions for a more vibrant world. As these pictures illustrate, amid today's political climate of hateful rhetoric and near constant acts of violence and injustice, Afropunk stands proud of its heritage and fearlessly embraces freedom of expression. Here, punk is not only alive, it's thriving.
—G.H.S.
To celebrate the release of The Essential Marilyn Monroe, a new book chronicling the work of photographer Milton H. Greene, CNN has compiled a selection of his rarest and most iconic images of the famed Hollywood starlet. Yes, there's a certain charisma that defines Marilyn's presence before the camera, but in this case, the man behind the camera is able to capture through pure talent that special something that made Marilyn who she was. Each picture is just glowing with an aura that will send a chill down your spine.
—G.H.S.
This is a delightfully fun look at vintage Halloween. The old school costumes, the camp and the creepiness all work as a great lead-up to the holiday (and inspiration for those who haven’t bought outfits yet).
—K.B.
Here are the most moving, sorrowful, and breathtaking pictures from the past week.