Boy Laughing with Mud Spattered Cheeks

Late afternoon sun cuts through thin clouds above the highlands near Lichinga, illuminating a boy mid-laugh with his head tilted back. Thick brown mud stains his cheeks and forehead, contrasting against his skin in the crisp high-altitude light. Raindrops hang suspended in the air, catching the gold of the setting sun while wet hair clings to his temples. His eyes are squeezed shut in genuine delight, surrounded by the soft blur of green vegetation and distant hills. The shallow depth of field isolates his expression, leaving the background as a wash of emerald and grey. one drop of water slides down his jawline, tracing a path through the dried earth on his skin.