The Most Interesting Photo Essays Of The Week

    It's been a long week, but this roundup is short and sweet.

    by Kate Bubacz, Jared Harrell, Gabriel H. Sanchez, Anna Mendoza, Ben King, Matthew Tucker

    1. "Protesters Speak Out After Baton Rouge Police Shooting" —NBC News

    Gerald Herbert / AP Photo

    "There is not a single story, essay, or photograph that even begins to sum up the grief and tumult of this week. This well-edited roundup of protest photos by NBC is a start, showing the coming together of the Baton Rouge community in the wake of unspeakable violence." —Kate Bubacz, senior photo editor, BuzzFeed News

    2. "Nigeria's Booming Music Scene" —Reuters

    Joe Penney / Reuters

    "Alexis Akwagyiram features Nigeria’s music scene, which doesn’t even show artists in performance, but there’s no doubt you feel its energy vibrating across the African nation. You hardly ever hear that the arts can keep a country’s entire economy afloat, but if that’s the case in Nigeria, then just maybe, they can serve as proof to counter those doubting the industry’s impact." —Anna Mendoza, photo editor, BuzzFeed Australia

    3. "18 Intimate Photos Show What Being a Dominatrix Is Really Like" —Refinery29

    Samir Abady

    "While there are whips and chains too, Samir Abady's series of images capture a wide range of dominatrix duties, from the initial preparation to aftercare. The photos are intimate and telling of the trust that the subjects placed in Abady to capture them at their kinkiest." —KB

    4. "Colorful Photos Capturing Cuba’s Young Community" —Dazed

    Amanda Fordyce

    "Amanda Fordyce documented her recent trip to Cuba and the results are raw and intimate, detailing day-to-day life. Fordyce’s images offer a sense of nostalgia, showing the old-fashioned and vintage cars, and the human connections that are somewhat lost in our own digital world. Her photos are beautifully snapped, full of life and color, and really portray a more traditional world." —Jared Harrell, Photo Editor, BuzzFeed News

    5. "Powerful Photos From One of Texas' Most Historic Black Communities" —Mother Jones

    Marti Corn

    "Marti Corn's images capture the dignity and beauty of this small Texas town, one of the last emancipation communities that still exists. It is a wonderful look at the interplay of history and personality." —KB

    6. "Inside the BBC at Wimbledon" —The Guardian

    Tom Jenkins / The Guardian

    "Is that a closet where they’re holding a Serena Williams interview?! This behind-the-scenes look at tennis’s most prestigious tournament grants us plebs a healthy insight into that part of the game that we have never before been allowed to know about. I’m amazed to find out that the green and violet runs through the veins of the All England Club, literally down to the colours of the cables." —AM

    7. "Are These Images of People Resting in New York Dreamy or Voyeuristic?" —Slate

    Michael Massaia

    "Michael Massaia’s candid series titled “Deep in a Dream” focuses on people sleeping in public spaces. Massaia sets up his large-format camera using a short lens, and photographs his subjects from just a couple feet away. His calculated snaps show his subjects letting go, giving off a sense of relief. Whether or not you find them dreamy or voyeuristic, they’re insanely beautiful and so incredibly captured." —JH

    8. "American Dreams" —New York Times

    Ian Brown

    What is the American dream? The answer is as diverse and vital to the fabric of this nation as the people who call themselves "American." On the week of the U.S.'s 240th birthday and on the heels of national tragedy, mourning, and self-reflection, the New York Times brings together a collection of personal stories and pictures that attempt to put a face and voice to the pursuit of happiness in America." —Gabriel H. Sanchez, photo essay editor, BuzzFeed

    9. "Abandoned Checkpoints: Photographer Documents Europe's Forgotten Borders" —CreativeBoom

    Josef Schultz

    "In the wake of Brexit, it’s important to remember what a transformative effect the European Union has had on its member states. By incidental example — but one that marks this change — are the abandoned checkpoints found at borders of the European states. Polish photographer Josef Schulz documented these vacated military checkpoints across Europe for his 2005 series Übergang (Crossing), in which he digitally alters the background to bring focus on the desolate, almost alien structures that litter these forgotten borders." —Ben King, deputy art director, BuzzFeed News

    10. "12 Unique Pictures From the National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest" —BuzzFeed

    Anthony Lau

    "The National Geographic travel contest never fails to impress each year, and 2016 is no exception, with startling views into other worlds. We see families sleeping on their rooftop to escape the summer heat near the Ganges River in India; the photo is a scene of peaceful unity within a family. There is also an extraordinary photo of a fish seemingly eating another fish, while they are both snapped up by a hungry alligator in an incredibly rare scene. The overall winner of the contest was a photographer who snapped a silhouetted action-packed scene of a horseman rounding up horses in Inner Mongolia, showing incredible lighting and drama." —Matthew Tucker, picture editor, BuzzFeed UK