Chedino Rodriguez Martin, a transgender activist from Cape Town and the first-ever Miss Trans Africa, stepped onto the international stage at the Miss Trans Global 2023 pageant in Woking, U.K. In the lead-up, she and her designer dedicated two months and over 40,000 rand (about $2,100) crafting the elaborate gowns and costumes she would wear—symbols of her two-decade-long journey in pageantry.

This moment marked several firsts: it was her first time traveling outside South Africa, her first international competition, and her first pageant that included her full support team—make-up artist, hairstylist, dress designer, and husband by her side.

I have been documenting Chedino’s journey since 2012, and this story for NPR captured her most public milestone yet. This photograph of her, exhausted after a long day on stage, is one of my favourite, and, was nominated in 2023 for the Audience Award at the Zilveren Camera, the Netherlands’ leading photojournalism prize.