A bride wades by means of a flood to get married: Aaron Favila’s greatest {photograph} | Photography

I’ve been working as a photographer for the Associated Press bureau in Metro Manila for almost 30 years, and in that point floods within the Philippines have develop into more and more frequent. One day final July, I returned to the workplace after a morning spent in my waders, photographing the after-effects of a monsoon that had flooded a lot of Manila and the encircling areas.

While I used to be having lunch and drying out, I bought a message from a photographer buddy on project in Bulacan, the subsequent province. She’d been taking pictures at Barásoain Church, a historic constructing that was flooded, and as she’d made to go away, somebody had mentioned: “Don’t you want to wait for the wedding?” It was onerous to consider individuals had been getting married in these circumstances, however she instructed me the ceremony was attributable to begin at three, which gave me an hour to get there. Even in perfect circumstances it might have taken a minimum of 40 minutes, however I jumped in a automotive with the AP driver and we made it to inside a kilometre or two of the church, by which level the water was too deep to proceed.

Luckily I used to be capable of flag down a rescue truck that was not off course. I used to be pondering: “A lot of guests will probably be late, they’ll never start at three. I’m bound to at least catch some of the wedding.” But the truck saved stopping to ask individuals in the event that they wished a journey. I used to be serving to the rescuers pull individuals on board, however secretly pondering: “Please go faster!” My brow was beginning to sweat.

There’s an enormous car parking zone in entrance of the church, so when the truck stopped, I used to be nonetheless about 100 metres away from its entrance doorways. I may see a white determine in entrance of them. I mentioned: “Damn! That’s the bride about to go in!” and went splashing by means of the water like a hippopotamus, reaching her moments earlier than the doorways opened. The individuals within the church had been about to see the bride in her costume for the primary time – I simply had time to take a number of footage whereas nonetheless catching my breath and pretending to not be in a panic. It was the right time to reach, really.

I later discovered the bride and groom, Jamaica and Jade, had accomplished a web site go to the day earlier than and been briefed that the church was nearly definitely going to flood. Both got here from areas vulnerable to flooding, so it was a state of affairs they had been used to. They’d been a pair for a few years already and simply wished to stay to the plan.

I’ve photographed weddings of buddies and I’ve photographed floods for work, however by no means the 2 topics collectively. If you’re taking pictures for a publication, you normally look ahead to the height second, so in that occasion I’d have left as quickly because the newlyweds kissed – that might have been the image. But I stayed for the entire ceremony and labored like a marriage photographer, being cautious to not get in the way in which of the photographer they’d booked.

I wished to get particulars just like the sneakers lined up on a pew to maintain them dry, and the groomsmen standing knee-deep in water of their formal barong tagalog shirts. But this picture of the bride alone exterior the church is my favorite. I really like the carvings on the door, the sense of faith and historical past, and that although the prepare of her costume is actually floating, it nonetheless appears rigorously organized. All that lace was by no means meant to be in water.

This was the primary time footage of mine have gone viral. Previously I’d put up on Instagram and half the likes could be from my family members, however the wedding ceremony within the flood actually appeared to catch individuals’s creativeness. It’s essential we don’t flip a blind eye to struggle and devastation, however maybe these photographs resonated as a result of they present love and resilience within the face of catastrophe. During the complete ceremony, I didn’t see a single one who gave the impression to be unhappy due to the circumstances. The pictures are stuffed with pleasure.

Aaron Favila is a 2026 World Press Photo award winner

Aaron Favila’s CV

Born: 1974, Manila
High Point: Winning the World Press Photo 2026, Asia-Pacific and Oceania, Stories.
Top tip: Be excited, be affected person, know your gentle, do the grind, seek for the completely different, and luxuriate in!