“I Love You Real Fast,” Krisanne Johnson’s exuberant and sorrowful essay about young girls coming of age in Swaziland amidst a devastating HIV epidemic, took first place from the W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography on October 19, 2011.

It’s a nice bit of timing for Krisanne and The Half King photo series: “I Love You Real Fast” is on exhibit now through November 26, 2011 at The Half King. (Note: In person, her photos are even better.)

Caption: 2010. An HIV-positive woman, 19, swims at the natural hot springs swimming pool in Swaziland. Recently told she must start taking anti-retroviral drugs, she is scared to start due to the stigma surrounding the drugs. She now dreams of joining the army because the salary would help support her newborn child.