7 Photo Stories That You Have To See This Week

And no, its not just Olympics coverage. Although there is some of that.

1. "First-Time Olympians Ready for the World's Stage" —ESPN

Gina LeVay

"In a week of sports photography, this series stands out for its emphasis on the athlete as a person. Gina Levay's choice of locations to photograph the women attending the Olympics for first time shows off their personalities — and their pride." —KB

2. "15 Stunning Portraits of Brazil’s Fastest-Growing Demographic: The Elderly" —BuzzFeed News

Bruno Mancinelle

"As the world’s most physically fit and pristine bodies compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, it’s easy to turn a blind eye to those demographics who don’t necessarily fit within the youthful beach-ready attitude of Brazil. With that in mind, it’s refreshing to see a collection of images by photographer Bruno Mancinelle on BuzzFeedNews, which documents an aging population of senior citizens in Brazil and pictures them with a sense of respect and dignity." —GHS

3. "We Went to a Twin Convention & All We Got Were These AMAZING Photos" —Refinery29

Tara Rice

"I mean, its a series of twins in all shapes, sizes and expressions, you can't go wrong. Tara Rice's sense of playfulness and smart eye for composition make this essay a gem." —KB

4. "The Power and Poetry of Italian Church Confessionals" —Slate

Marcella Hackbardt

"Catholics fear nothing more than divulging all their nasties to an old man in a box. And Marcella Hackbardt encapsulates this feeling so perfectly in these photos — styled ominously, void of people, and framed as if you’re about to enter the holy chambers of the almighty one. In this series, Hackbardt also encourages viewers to understand the spirit of confessing, even outside the confessionals." —AM

5. "Yemenis Flock to Coast for Brief Respite From War" —Al Jazeera

Rashad Bin Shoubrag / AL Jazeera

"Yemenis from the coastal city of Mukalla traditionally come together every August to experience a natural phenomenon that gives them a respite from the sweltering heat. But because of the unrest in Yemen in the recent years, the festival had to be canceled. This year is different though. With al-Qaeda no longer in control of the city, songs, dances, crafts, and the all-important dip in the cool water have once again kept their seaside alive, even for just a short while." —AM

6. "16 Deeply Haunting Photos That Capture Tijuana’s AIDS Epidemic" —BuzzFeed

Malcolm Linton

"Malcolm Linton's book is perfectly executed, the images balancing the dignity of humans in distress with a critical look at the larger circumstances that brought them to such straits. It's a series that is haunting and unforgettable." —KB

7. "Witnessing a ‘Complete Collapse of Society’ in Venezuela" —Time LightBox

Alvaro Ybarra Zavala / Getty Images Reportage

"This photo stopped me cold — it's one thing to read things like 'complete collapse of society' but quite another to see how that phrase applies itself to banal realities, such as grocery shopping and medical care. The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela in particular is distressing as this is not a country at war or ravaged by natural disaster but rather the victim of more mundane failures: economics and government mismanagement." —KB