Series description
In Mexico, women are defending their lands against industrial projects, deforestation, water crises and climate change. In Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities, defending territory also preserves cultural memory, where nature and identity are one. Through collaborative creative processes in which women are invited to interact with the natural element with which they feel most connected, this project fuses body, gesture and landscape to create an immersive experience that celebrates environmental defenders and evokes our sensory and emotional connection with the living world.
Mangrove Swamp
Cirila Martínez works on the reforestation and protection of the mangroves in the Chacahua lagoon, Oaxaca, which is a vital ecosystem for local biodiversity. Faced with pollution and the progressive drying of the lagoon, she participates in community projects aimed at restoring marine habitats and preserving natural resources for future generations.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Tichinda
A visual intervention featuring ‘tichinda’ mussels harvested by Cirila Martínez, a member of the Mujeres del Manglar cooperative, placed over a photograph of her daughter, Judih Martínez, who supports her environmental work. The Mujeres del Manglar resist with a gender perspective, fighting against ecocide in their community.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Tsë’e
In Zapotalito, Oaxaca, pollution and drought are having a visible impact on a wetland that was once a vital source of life for local communities. Although tourism is the main economic driver, it has also fuelled environmental degradation. The lack of freshwater, river closures and new infrastructure threaten the lagoon’s fragile balance and local livelihoods.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Tenabaris
In Sinaloa, Yoreme (Mayo) women from Aquí No collective have led a decade-long resistance against a petrochemical megaproject in Ohuira Bay. The GPO company plans to build an ammonia plant that would extract and return warmer, saltier water, threatening marine life. Despite threats and intimidation, women have organised to defend their sacred land and community.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Tichinda
A visual intervention by Cirila Martínez, a member of the Mujeres del Manglar (Women of the Mangrove) cooperative. In this image, Cirila placed tichinda mussels over a photograph of her daughter, Judith Martínez, who supports her environmental work. The Mujeres del Manglar resist with a gender perspective, fighting against ecocide in their community.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Huaxin
In Ich-Ek, Campeche, Avia Sarita Huchin has maintained about 30 colonies of stingless melipona bees for more than 20 years. Sacred to the ancient Maya, their honey was used in rituals and traditional medicine. She founded a training school to preserve this living heritage and promote the bees’ cultural and ecological value.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Ahuehuete
Ahuehuete leaves are shown along the shores of Xochimilco. This majestic tree can live for more than 1,000 years. Its Nahuatl name means ‘the ancient of water’ or ‘the wise of water,’ reflecting its deep link to aquatic environments. Its submerged roots help stabilise chinampas (floating gardens), supporting the region’s aquatic ecosystem.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards
Chapines
Inspired by her grandfather, Gabriela Alejandra Morales Valdelamar preserves seeds, including a maize variety adapted to Xochimilco’s saline waters. After returning to her abandoned family chinampa, she revived ancestral farming knowledge and launched her Tlazolteotl project, honouring a goddess and symbolising Xochimilco’s cultural resilience.
© Mahé Elipe, France, Shortlist, Professional Competition, Environment, 2026 Sony World Photography Awards