Rest in peace
The stunning, mature work of photojournalist Camille Lepage, who was killed in the Central African Republic
Camille Lepage
French photojournalist Camille Lepage has been found dead in the Central African Republic, French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement Tuesday.
"The corpse of Lepage was found after a patrol by (French) Sangaris troops stopped a car driven by anti-Balaka groups, in the Bouar region," the statement said. Officials are investigating the circumstances of Lepage's death.
Lepage was just 26 years old and had recently relocated to South Sudan. She was interested in capturing populations in the margins, abandoned by their government, according to her website.
This is likely what led her to the Central African Republic, a fragile nation on the brink of genocide. After a coup in January, the country's minority Muslim factions are being forced into camps by Christian militia groups known as "anti-Balaka." Peacekeepers have been deployed, but the violence is ongoing and the situation is increasingly risky for international workers, reports Slate.
In South Sudan, Lepage photographed the sick, injured, and ostracized. In the Central African Republic, according to photos posted on her Facebook page, she took this keen eye and compassion to the Muslim camps to capture those living on the edge of society.
Her work is thoughtful and effortlessly striking, and it's clear that she had talent well beyond her years. Below are a selection of her photos and captions she wrote herself. --Lauren Hansen
