Be inspired by the photographers on the 2022 List. 2022 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Adrian Pelegrin ADRIAN PELEGRIN Playa del Carmen MEXICO AHSANUL HAQUE FAHIM Dhaka, BANGLADESH AJ BERNSTEIN New York UNITED STATES ANWAR EHTESHAM Dhaka BANGLADESH ASEN GEORGIEV Sofia BULGARIA ASLI GONEN Eskisehir TURKEY BRIAN DOUGLAS Ontario CANADA CAHLEEN HUDSON New Taipei City TAIWAN CHETAN VERMA Gurgaon INDIA DEAN GOLDBERG New York UNITED STATES ELIZABETH PAOLETTI UNITED STATES EMIR SEVIM Istanbul TURKEY EMY MAIKE Baden Württemberg GERMANY FRANCESCA TIBONI Cagliari ITALY GABRIEL MIELES GUZMÁN Guayaquil ECUADOR GABRIELE GENTILE Parma ITALY GIANLUCA MORTAROTTI London UNITED KINGDOM GIORGIO GERARDI Venice ITALY JAN ENKELMANN London UNITED KINGDOM JEAN ROSS New York UNITED STATES JELISA PETERSON Texas UNITED STATES JENS F. KRUSE Mallorca SPAIN JONAS WELTEN Salzburg AUSTRIA LAINE MULLALLY Stockholm SWEDEN LELE BISSOLI Vercelli ITALY

Be inspired by the photographers on the 2021 List. 2021 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Meryl Meisler AGATA LO MONACO Gela ITALY ALAN THEXTON Melbourne AUSTRALIA ALEX RUTHERFORD Surrey UNITED KINGDOM ANDRES GONZALEZ Porto PORTUGAL ANDREW ROVENKO Melbourne AUSTRALIA ANDRÉ LOBÃO London UNITED KINGDOM AURÉLIEN BOMY Nantes FRANCE BARRY BOTTOMLEY London UNITED KINGDOM BASTIAN PETER Basel SWITZERLAND BEN ALLAN London UNITED KINGDOM BETTY MANOUSOS Athens GREECE CAMILLE WHEELER Austin UNITED STATES CARLA HENOUD Beirut LEBANON CAROL DRONSFIELD Brooklyn UNITED STATES CHICHEK BAYRAMLY Baku AZERBAIJAN CHRISTINA SIMONS Melbourne AUSTRALIA DAMIEN GORET Brest FRANCE DANIEL GOLDENBERG Buenos Aires ARGENTINA DANIELA PEREIRA Montevideo URUGUAY DANNY JACKSON Essex UNITED KINGDOM DAVID KUGELMAS New Jersey UNITED STATES DAVID LAWLESS Winnipeg CANADA DAVID SHORTLAND London UNITED KINGDOM DREW KELLEY California UNITED STATES EDUARDO ORTIZ Valparaiso CHILE

Be inspired by the photographers on the 2020 List. 2020 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Abbie Briggs ABBIE BRIGGS Madison UNITED STATES ABHAY PATEL Delhi INDIA ABHISHEK SINGH New Delhi INDIA ADAM SINCLAIR Melbourne AUSTRALIA ADESH GAUR Uttar Pradesh INDIA ADRIAN TAN SINGAPORE ADRIAN WHEAR Melbourne AUSTRALIA AHMET HOJAMYRADOV Minsk BELARUS ALEX FRAYNE Adelaide AUSTRALIA ALEXANDRA AVLONITIS Manhattan UNITED STATES ALEXEY STRECHEN Moscow RUSSIA ALICIA HABER Montevideo URAGUAY ANEEKA MANKU Birmingham UNITED KINGDOM ANGEL CARNICER Zaragoza SPAIN ANNA MARCHIOLI Clamart FRANCE ANNETTE LANG Nice FRANCE ANTONIS GIAKOUMAKIS Athens GREECE ANWAR SADAT Nairobi KENYA ARTURO CAÑEDO Lima PERU ASHISH PATEL Delhi INDIA ASSIA STARKE Vienna AUSTRIA ASTRID NEUNDLINGER Vienna AUSTRIA B JANE LEVINE New York City UNITED STATES BELINDA CORNEY London UNITED KINGDOM BENNY VAN DEN BULKE Adegem BELGIUM

Be inspired by the photographers on the 2024 List. 2024 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Anna Tut ALEXANDROS ZILOS Athens GREECE AMY HOROWITZ New York UNITED STATES ANA-MARIA ALB Bukovina ROMANIA ANN PETRUCKEVITCH UNITED KINGDOM ANNA TUT Krasnogorsk City RUSSIA CARMEN SOLANA CIRES Madrid SPAIN CATIA MONTAGNA SCOTLAND/ITALY DASHA DARVAJ UMRIGAR Karachi PAKISTAN DEDIPYA BASAK Kolkata INDIA EDWIN CARUNGAY San Francisco UNITED STATES FRANCE LECLERC Chicago UNITED STATES ISABELLE COORDES Münster GERMANY JOHN KAYACAN Los Angeles UNITED STATES JUSTINE GEORGET Lyon FRANCE MARIETTE PATHY ALLEN New York UNITED STATES MATTHIAS GÖDDE Beckum GERMANY MEI SEVA New York UNITED STATES MIA DEPAOLA Washington D.C UNITED STATES NAZANIN DAVARI Tehran IRAN PAUL COOKLIN UNITED KINGDOM PEDRO VIDAL Barcelona SPAIN RAFA ROJAS São Paulo BRAZIL ROMAIN COUDRIER Marseille FRANCE ROWELL B. TIMOTEO La Union PHILIPPINES SASHA IVANOV St. Petersburg RUSSIA

Be inspired by the photographers on the 2025 List. 2025 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Stephanie Duprie Routh ABDULLA SHINOSE CK Malabar INDIA ALEJANDRO DAVILA Pachuca MEXICO ANTON BOU Montreal CANADA AYANAVA SIL Kolkata INDIA BETTY GOH SINGAPORE BUKU SARKAR Paris FRANCE CYNTHIA KARALLA New York UNITED STATES DAVID GRAY New York UNITED STATES EVA MALLIS New York UNITED STATES FANJA HUBERS Utrecht THE NETHERLANDS FUTURE HACKNEY London UNITED KINGDOM GIORDANO SIMONCINI Rome ITALY GUILLERMO FRANCO Córdoba ARGENTINA HIROYUKI ITO New York UNITED STATES JAY HSU Yilan City TAIWAN KAT PUCHOWSKA Barcelona SPAIN LAETITIA HEISLER Berlin GERMANY LUISA MONTAGNA Parma ITALY MASSIMO LUPIDI ITALY MATTEO BERGAMI Bologna ITALY MEERA NERURKAR Düsseldorf GERMANY NASOS KARABELAS Greece ATHENS NICOLA CAPPELLARI Vicenza ITALY PARISA AZADI IRAN & DUBAI PARVATHI KUMAR New Jersey UNITED STATES

Be inspired by the photographers on the 2023 List. 2023 PHOTOGRAPHERS © Ypatia Kornarou AARON RUBINO San Francisco UNITED STATES ALESSANDRO GIUGNI Milan ITALY ALEX GOTTFRIED BONDER Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA AMY NEWTON McCONNEL Arizona UNITED STATES ANASTASIYA PENTYUKHINA Moscow RUSSIA ANDREE THORPE Ontario CANADA BARBARA PEACOCK Portland UNITED STATES BRANDEN MAY Atlanta, UNITED STATES DARREN SACKS London UNITED KINGDOM DOUG WINTER California UNITED STATES ELSA ARRAIS Leiria PORTUGAL FABIO CATANZARO Venice ITALY GILES ISBELL Chiang Mai, THAILAND IDA DI PASQUALE Rome ITALY JAN PONNET Antwerp BELGIUM JAYESH KUMAR SHARMA Varanasi INDIA JEFF ROTHSTEIN New York UNITED STATES JUAN BARTE Madrid SPAIN JUAN SOSTRE California UNITED STATES KONRAD HELLFEUER Görlitz GERMANY LEANNE STAPLES New York UNITED STATES MENA SAMBIASI Madrid SPAIN MONIKA JURGA POLAND NAIMA HALL New York UNITED STATES NSIRIES Bologna ITALY

The Pictorial List is a global online magazine exploring the beauty and complexity of all things photography. THE ART OF ATTENTION Curiosity turns portraits, objects, and places into discoveries as Len Irish reflects on a life shaped by the camera’s attention. Latest features PICTORIAL STORY LIFE ALONG THE RIVER Along the Hooghly, Shubhodeep Roy photographs Kolkata through faith, labour and memory, revealing a city shaped by water, inheritance and shared life. PICTORIAL STORY A HOME OF MEMORIES AND THE PRESENT Davide Santangelo returns to his family home by moonlight, tracing how absence, memory, and love continue to live within place, objects, and atmosphere after loss. PICTORIAL STORY THE PULL OF THE EARTH This is more than a record of rural Bengal. It looks at the bond between Sayan Biswas and the place that shaped him, even after distance has changed that relationship. INTERVIEW THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. BOOK TÜRKIYE Rpnunyez offers a thoughtful portrait of a country shaped by history, culture, landscape, architecture, and everyday life. BOOK BETWEEN SEA AND SKY Through walking and flight, Massimo Lupidi reveals Cinque Terre as a landscape shaped by attention, endurance, and the intimate bond between land and human life. INTERVIEW MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. INTERVIEW THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. PICTORIAL STORY ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. INTERVIEW WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. PICTORIAL STORY COLORS OF HUZUN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. PICTORIAL STORY OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. PICTORIAL STORY REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. PICTORIAL STORY WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. PICTORIAL STORY LAND, LABOR AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. AUGUST ART SERIES PICTORIAL FOUNDATION FILM FEST August 8 & Repeat Screening on August 9 Preshow drinks & treats @ 7pm | screening begins @ 8pm The Pictorial Foundation Film Festival brings together a curated selection of documentary, experimental, performance, animation, and artist films. Presented within our ArtSpace, the program explores the moving image as a site of artistic inquiry, visual storytelling, and shared experience. Join us for two evenings of contemporary cinematic practice. BUY TICKETS The Foster Portfolio (2017), film still. Courtesy of Danielle Katvan. © Danielle Katvan WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. New York, New York! PICTORIAL STORY NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASTION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy. INTERVIEW FABRIC OF NEW YORK VISUALS Elle Clarke lives NYC — snapping its heart and hustle with her smartphone, one real city moment at a time! INTERVIEW NOD OF RECOGNITION B Jane Levine’s portraits give a playful wink — inviting a nod of recognition to the hidden stories we all carry inside. INTERVIEW NEW YORK IMPROVISATIONS Fast-moving, off-kilter, witty, raw and classic film noir define Bill Lacey's photography. PICTORIAL STORY MERMAID MAGIC AJ Bernstein captures the magic of the Mermaid Parade—where fantasy, freedom, and community come together in a sea of color and joy. INTERVIEW GOTHAM MEMORIES Jeff Rothstein clicks, time unfolds — capturing the heart of the city in timeless frames, from 1969 to today. PICTORIAL STORY TAKING THE PLUNGE Carol Dronsfield takes the plunge with the Coney Island’s Polar Bears, capturing the chill, the thrill, and the heart. INTERVIEW THE AUTHENTIC GAZE Amy Horowitz says “Don’t Smile”— and in doing so, captures the real and wonderfully unscripted faces of New York City. VOLUME ONE- NEW YORK BUY NOW join the Pictorial Community >>> Follow us on Instagram #thepictoriallist @thepictorial.list Load More REGINA: BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AND DREAMS A boarding school room becomes the frame for Cleopatra Joint’s portrait of ambition, instability, and a young woman’s search for freedom. Interviews you may have missed REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE Camille J. Wheeler documents Austin's streets, with a particular focus on its homeless community. COMEDIANS Steve Best documents the British comedy scene, backstage and on stage, the highs and lows, and the joy of being a comedian. QUARANTINE IN QUEENS Neil Kramer's humorous and compassionate lockdown diary has gone viral. ENROUTE TO THE PINES Robert Sherman shares his documentary series about drag queens celebrating the 'Invasion of the Pines'. SERVICE INTERRUPTION Wojciech Karlinski documented Poland train stations during the pandemic, highlighting their formal and aesthetic side. VOICES OF THE NILE Voices of the Nile by Bastien Massa and Arthur Larie is a project documenting the relationship of Ethiopians with the Blue Nile. BREAKS FROM REALITY The magic only dreams are made of become reality for viewers as they engage in the poetic imagery of Mariëtte Aernoudts. BEYOND THE STORY Through her documentary photography, Christina Simons is compelled to tell the stories of those who are unable to do so themselves. © Russell Cobb Media Partners

Street photography has been a refreshing hobby for me. I am a passionate amateur and love going out and taking photos. Street photography for me is living in the moment and capturing the mundane. I feel that daily life, although boring to people who live it, makes for very interesting photographs. My drive is to constantly improve my photography and become better at it. VAJRADHAR ACHARYA Street photography has been a refreshing hobby for me. I am a passionate amateur and love going out and taking photos. Street photography for me is living in the moment and capturing the mundane. I feel that daily life, although boring to people who live it, makes for very interesting photographs. My drive is to constantly improve my photography and become better at it. LOCATION INDIA CAMERA/S Nikon D5200 @PROBING_REALITY FEATURES // Everyday Explorations

PICTORIAL STORY MERMAID MAGIC AJ Bernstein captures the vibrant spirit of Coney Island — from the wild energy of the Mermaid Parade to the eccentric moments of its everyday characters. Her work is a celebration of community and the freedom to be unapologetically yourself. September 2, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography AJ BERNSTEIN story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Who doesn't love a parade? How about a parade created by artists, based on mythology, and brought to life by the collective and creatively diverse community of Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York? Known for its wildly inventive costumes and freedom of expression, the Mermaid Parade was created by Dick Zigun, co-founder and artistic director of CIUSA from 1980-2021. Dick saw that the economy and true spirit of Coney Island was at a low point, receiving only negative press, highlighting only murder, arson, gangs, and graffiti. Dick proposed a change that would give Coney Island and its amazing community new direction. Dick studied parades, and it inspired him to do something public and visible to lift the image of Coney Island, what better than a Mermaid Parade. It worked and helped define Coney Island in new ways, bringing it and thousands of other people, into the future in bright extraordinary ways. The first Mermaids paraded down Surf Avenue in June of 1983, when there were more people watching, than actually marching in it. This year’s parade drew 800,000 people, ready to celebrate after the hiatus of the parade, because of the pandemic. The crowds cheered The Mermaid Parade’s return this year with more enthusiasm and need for self-expression, coming out of a period of solitude and self-isolation. It was time to let fantasy become reality and celebrate life with open hearts and open minds. Mermaids and onlookers alike were thrilled to have their parade again. AJ Bernstein is an experienced professional photographer who has worked in many industries, traveling the world, while exploring through her lens, its cultural diversity, with a preference for remote areas and favorite destination for inspiration, Papua New Guinea. AJ shares her wisdom from her years of experience in photography. “In the early years, it was tough for a woman photographer to gain a foothold in a very male dominated profession. I fought preconceptions about women in photography while wrestling my insecurity demons; my belief in my work is hard won. Perseverance, a good eye, Brooklyn honed chutzpah and talent for capturing people eventually prevailed. I am now on a mission, to dedicate myself to personal projects, most currently Coney Island, make meaningful connections to my community and fully commit to my practice of photography.” AJ admits to experiencing challenges along the way and brings to light her new found and constant inspiration. “For many years, after burning out on assignment work, I fell into a long dry spell and didn’t shoot. On my recent return to Brooklyn, the neverending subjects in Coney Island brought back my desire to make photos, to create my art.” We have the extreme pleasure of sharing AJ’s bold dynamic work that celebrates the extraordinary in all things. AJ engages us with her direct approach to photography, embracing the excitement and enthusiasm of her community with her very unique style. Coney Island becomes the stage that is saturated by an enthusiastic and unique cast of characters, with the spirit, and pride that allows for individuality and self-expression, creating visual stories like AJ’s photographic series, Mermaid Magic . AJ shares what it was like that first day she discovered the Mermaid Parade, and how finding communal joy is what keeps her coming back. “In 2017 I shot my first Mermaid Parade. That year it rained, which made it more intimate and sparkling, which did nothing to prepare me for the crowds, heat and the crazy the following year. I went berserk. You can’t capture it all, but oh did I try! Six hours, running around in hot sun, dehydrated, hungry, exhilarated by the endless photo ops, the mad costumes, the joy, everyone eager to pose for photos, not the usual street shooting experience. And the bare breasts! I learned that as long as it’s artistic, and not lewd, it’s allowed. When the mermaids returned this year in full force, I was there to meet them.” The Coney Island community has been a source of inspiration on a daily basis. Engaging with people she shoots, connecting with her community, creating friendships and clear relationships, gives AJ a genuine view to candidly and honestly portray the characters of Coney Island. AJ shoots more than just the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island and has found much inspiration in the eclectic diversity of the people who live, work, and play in Coney. She tells us what has given her this inspiration to create new work exploring ‘Day into Night’. “The Coney Island community of Carneys, artists, Polar Bears who swim in winter, people roaming the back streets at dusk, and a cast of eccentrics has become a source of unending fascination for me. Engaging my photography, connecting with such diverse people in my community, creating friendships and clear relationships gives me an open view to candidly portray the characters of Coney Island.” As AJ is testament to, it is not always the equipment that is important. AJ reminds us of the importance of just getting out and taking photos, to engage in photography as art. She admits to essentially learning her craft over again, transitioning from film to digital. “My first experience was capturing the winter hijinks of the Polar Bear Club using an iPhone. I would later use a point and shoot, then a low-level Canon DSLR. But this year, I raised my game. I bought a mirrorless, full-frame Canon R5 and two RF lenses, and that’s when my work began to take shape. Coney Island is the ideal place for me to mine the power of the personal project in all four seasons: it is unapologetic hedonistic joy, a last stand of uncivilization where the subway meets the sea. It suits my nature to go out alone with a camera and no agenda, to connect with people away from the constraints of urban life. This summer, in stultifying heat, I’m spending more time roaming the back streets at twilight, my favorite time to shoot when the sun goes down, lights come up and the magic begins. I worry as Coney Island inexorably yields to more development, but I’ll continue to chase its vibrant life until it morphs into another generic amusement park and becomes a ghost of childhood wonder.” AJ leaves us with her candid thoughts and truths that motivate her to create new work. “In weak moments, I indulge in regret that it took me so long to fully commit to my shooting. I am now, essentially, relearning the craft, and no longer coasting on a good eye and what comes easily. Ira Glass talks about the gap between the killer taste that got you into your creative pursuit, and how initially it’s this taste that disappoints; at first you are making work that is just not that good, and you know it. That’s where many lose heart and quit. I remember her words; Glass says, “It’s only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. You gotta fight your way through”. Finally, I am in the fight. The gap is closing.” AJ thinks there’s an enormous amount of opportunity for women today. AJ has made the conscious effort to engage her subjects, embrace their uniqueness and spirit in that moment, and to let her work evolve as her community does. She chooses to not make just photographic images but to create art. She explains, “There is something about me and my genuine enthusiasm for life and for people that shows in the work.” © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein We would like to thank AJ for sharing her enthusiasm with The Pictorial List, and for making women more aware of the challenges, while at the same time giving them hope that times are changing, thanks to women like AJ, who have helped forge the way. AJ is currently exhibiting in the More Art of Coney Island show at the BWAC Gallery in Red Hook Brooklyn. She has seven 24”x 36” prints not to be missed! To learn more about AJ Bernstein and to see more of her work, go to AJ's profile link below. You will be inspired! view AJ's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> REGINA: BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AND DREAMS A boarding school room becomes the frame for Cleopatra Joint’s portrait of ambition, instability, and a young woman’s search for freedom. LIFE ALONG THE RIVER Along the Hooghly, Shubhodeep Roy photographs Kolkata through faith, labour and memory, revealing a city shaped by water, inheritance and shared life. A HOME OF MEMORIES AND THE PRESENT Davide Santangelo returns to his family home by moonlight, tracing how absence, memory, and love continue to live within place, objects, and atmosphere after loss. THE PULL OF THE EARTH This is more than a record of rural Bengal. It looks at the bond between Sayan Biswas and the place that shaped him, even after distance has changed that relationship. ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold.

PICTORIAL STORY KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris flips the script on rural Australia, using infrared photography to transform everyday scenes into surreal landscapes that invite us to look again. May 24, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography SEAN PARIS story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link We immerse ourselves in the creative photographic processes and practices of photographer Sean Paris. Sean’s journey in photography has been a dynamic exploration of artistry and professionalism, shaped by his upbringing in the picturesque landscapes of the Yarra Ranges. Growing up nestled within the Yarra Valley, in Victoria Australia, Sean’s affinity for the natural world was instilled from an early age. Sean’s parents were park rangers, nurturing his curiosity while fueling his passion, feeding his appetite and desire to explore nature’s universe. Sean first discovered his passion for photography, receiving his first camera at the tender age of 11 first exploring landscapes and tree ferns. This initial spark ignited a lifelong pursuit of visual storytelling, leading Sean through diverse genres and creative endeavors as he sought to define his unique photographic voice. “I always loved art growing up. It was all I wanted to do when in school. I used to get told off on a regular basis for always drawing at the back of the classroom. When I got my first camera, it was an art form that I really connected with. I loved the technical side of operating a camera, learning about light, and being able to document my life and the people around me.” Following formal education in Melbourne and years spent apprenticing under various photographers, Sean has emerged as a versatile freelance photographer. Specialising in corporate and product photography, Sean seamlessly blends his technical expertise with an unwavering commitment to artistic expression, infusing each project with his discerning eye for detail and a fervent dedication to capturing the essence of every moment. “A lot of the time, when I think about what has influenced my direction in photography, I struggle to pin it down. I think most of my influence has come from what surrounds me in my life, whether that be interesting people I have met over time or a life experience that changes my perspective on the world and pushes me to want to create work around that.” Sean Paris believes that storytelling is an art form that evolves over time, shaped by experiences and honed through countless endeavors. In the realm of photography, he finds this narrative skill takes on a profound significance. For Sean, photography serves as a medium that sheds light on the unseen facets of society, challenging individuals to confront new realities they may otherwise overlook. Whether capturing moments of adversity or celebrating instances of triumph, Sean weaves intricate tales that provoke thought and evoke emotion. His imagery transcends just being documentation, prompting viewers to contemplate the complexities of the human experience. By harnessing the power of visual communication, Sean not only informs but also inspires, inviting audiences to engage with unfamiliar perspectives and embark on journeys of imagination. In a world inundated with information, Sean believes visual storytelling serves as a beacon, guiding us through the labyrinth of existence and illuminating the intricacies that surround us. “Storytelling plays an important role in photography. We can exist in the world and choose not to see things that are around us in society. A lot of people live this way, using photography as a tool to showcase stories, whether negative or positive, and raise awareness or show something interesting or quirky. It can expand people's ideas of a place and use their imagination. People respond to visual communication; it's one of the first things we learn, and that's why it's so powerful.” We embark on a visual expedition into the heart of rural Australia through Sean’s brilliant visual storytelling. In his latest photographic narrative Koala Country he unveils the captivating tapestry of country towns adorned with eccentric architecture and vibrant holiday attractions. Picture vast landscapes with wheat silos standing as silent sentinels along expansive roads, and nostalgic motor inns evoking the bygone era of family road trips. The kind of visual experiences that will capture the imagination, transporting us to another place and time. Infrared colour photography is a fascinating technique that involves capturing light in the infrared spectrum rather than the visible spectrum. In traditional colour photography, the film or digital sensor captures light in the visible spectrum, which ranges from approximately 400 to 700 nanometers. However, in infrared color photography, the camera is modified to allow it to capture light with wavelengths beyond the visible spectrum, typically in the range of 700 to 1200 nanometers. This expanded spectrum allows infrared cameras to transform ordinary subjects such as trees, skies, buildings, and landscapes, presenting them with distinctive colors and tones. Photographers use infrared colour photography to convey a variety of emotions, moods, and artistic expressions. It can reveal details and textures that are not visible to the human eye and can create surreal or otherworldly images exploring natural beauty, mystery and intrigue, emotional impact, personal expression, symbolism and metaphor. Overall, infrared colour photography offers photographers a powerful tool for artistic expression, allowing them to convey a wide range of emotions, themes, and messages through the unique visual language of infrared light. What distinguishes Sean’s work is his adept use of a modified DSLR camera, skillfully harnessing the 590 nanometers spectrum encompassing both visible and infrared light. Through this innovative technique, he uncovers the hidden cultural and social nuances often overlooked amidst these picturesque settings. The camera’s modification introduces a surreal quality to the visuals, revealing a light spectrum imperceptible to the human eye. Incorporating such a wide range of spectrums allows Sean’s visual storytelling to take new directions, allowing the viewer to get lost in the photographic narrative. Sean is motivated to find the iconic photographic nuances that have been cultivated through the years in rural Australia. Sean is diligent with his research, he investigates the areas he wants to explore, thoroughly studying his subjects. “I prepare all of my solar panels and batteries, get in the ute, and drive in that direction. I work all the way until I reach my destination, so the distance to one location will often double as I stop photographing frequently along the way. I’m always searching for another subject on the road, constantly searching for that photo that will fit into this project. Photographing with a modified infrared camera is unique in the way you have to work with light; in this case, I need full sun and generally no cloud to achieve the style of image I want, which often photographers steer clear of. Working on the infrared spectrum can be challenging; its light we can’t see and reacts differently with different objects and plant matter, so I might drive four hours to get to a location, and then that image doesn’t work out well. This is the nature of the beast.” Sean embraces the technical challenges of infrared photography, choosing the creative process because of its inherent ability to pinpoint subjects, isolating them from surrounding vegetation. Understanding the properties of the wavelengths of light, he recognises that infrared light doesn’t typically reflect off artificial objects like metals or concrete structures, thereby allowing for a clearer focus on the intended subjects. Sean utilises this technique revealing elements in plain sight that are often overlooked. He engages the viewer, enhancing the playful participation with the subjects depicted in rural Australia. Through his deliberate choice of infrared technology, Sean provides a profound platform for observation, allowing his viewers a unique perspective inviting them to explore and appreciate the intricacies of the rural landscape in ways they might not have considered before. “I grew up in the country and have family in the country. I wanted to photograph a place that was close to me and document the way rural Australia looks at the present time. I wanted to focus on the quirks and uniqueness of it. Things are ever changing in this country, things disappear, developments happen. This project celebrates those places.” Every journey carries unforgettable moments, woven intricately into the fabric of the adventure. One such tale unfolded for Sean on the road to the Wimmera in Western Victoria. “I was driving to the Wimmera in Western Victoria, and on the way, I noticed an amazing old pub sign with a big rams head on it. I stepped out of my car, walked up to the sign, and went to take a photo when all I could hear was gunfire. I turned around, and the local gun club next to the pub was firing off around 10 rifles on a Sunday afternoon.” Such serendipitous encounters that happen beyond the frame can become deeply ingrained in the spirit of Sean’s journey, enriching his narrative while infusing the project with layers of unexpected authenticity and charm. “I just finished photographing the infamous Big Koala at Dadswells Bridge when I decided to keep pushing on towards Stawell, a town around 20 minutes from the Big Koala . I had a look around town and took some pictures, then I came across something amazing. A pyramid on the outskirts of town was accompanied by other attractions scattered across the property and seemed to be occupied privately. I later found out this was an old tourist attraction created in the 1980s called Casper’s World in miniature. It was said to have been started up by a dentist who would collect people's teeth and, with the teeth, create miniature worlds and sculptures. That was one of the main attractions of this old theme park.” Capturing the essence of rural Australia presents various challenges, among them being the unpredictable weather conditions, particularly the scarcity of sunlight. Sean seizes every opportunity when the sun does shine to maximise the visual effect of infrared photography. In terms of location selection, he relies on a mix of personal knowledge from his upbringing as well as being diligent about doing extensive research. Sean maintains a vast list on Google Maps, pinpointing unique towns and tourist landmarks across the country. When it comes to capturing the cultural and social subtleties of rural Australian communities, he prioritises elements that are integral to the landscape and history of the areas he photographs. Incorporating nostalgic elements like motor inns not only adds depth to the narrative but also evokes shared experiences of traveling through the vast Australian countryside, creating a sense of connection and familiarity for viewers. Additionally, Sean finds the aesthetics of vintage signage and design from past decades complement the rural landscape and add a timeless quality to his photographs, particularly when captured using infrared techniques. Sean hopes his photography project will shed light on the quirky and beautiful aspects of rural Australia. He believes that by showcasing this part of the history of the country, he can expand people’s perceptions of what rural Australia truly entails. One unexpected discovery he encountered in various areas is the presence of “thong trees” – old gum trees adorned with hundreds of discarded thongs, reflecting a unique aspect of Australian humour. Initially, Sean didn't pay much attention to these quirks. However, as his project progressed, he noticed the disappearance of planned subjects and the gradual decay of historical buildings. He hopes that his series will not only capture these disappearing elements but also serve as a means of celebrating and preserving them. Sean aims to bring recognition to lesser-known rural locations, emphasising their significance amidst the vastness of the Australian landscape. Sean gives great thought to the future of rural communities. Sean harbours a hopeful vision for the modern era to usher in a resurgence of job opportunities and bolstered infrastructure in rural areas. Observing the decline of traditional industries, he empathised with those facing unemployment and hardship, wishing for revitalisation. With a deep appreciation for history and heritage, Sean felt a sense of urgency to preserve the treasures of the past. From weathered old buildings to captivating signage and beloved tourist attractions, he envisioned these cultural gems as essential legacies for future generations to cherish. Sean remains steadfast in his aspirations, dreaming of a future where rural communities thrive and their rich tapestry of history remains vibrant and alive. For Sean storytelling isn’t just a technique, but he considers it to be the very essence that binds his body of work together. His understanding of the pivotal role storytelling plays in photography extends beyond mere image-making, taking much care in crafting narratives that resonate deeply with his audience. He transforms moments frozen in time into poignant tales that not only captivate but also provoke thought and emotion. At the heart of Sean’s approach lies the belief that storytelling lends coherence to his collections, elevating them from an assortment of images to cohesive narratives with important meanings. Each photograph serves as a building block in the larger story he seeks to tell, whether it’s unraveling the beauty of Koala Country or shedding light on pressing social issues. By weaving together thematic elements and evocative visuals, he creates a sense of place and atmosphere that transports viewers into the heart of his projects. Sean embraces a diverse range of methods and styles, tailoring his approach to suit the unique demands of each subject matter. Sometimes, his work takes on a more abstract form, inviting viewers to interpret and engage with the narrative on a personal level. Other times, he adopts a more direct approach, guiding his audience through a structured narrative pathway that unfolds with each frame. Sean’s photography is a testament to the power of storytelling as a tool for awareness, connection, and visual expression. With his imagery he invites us to see the world not just as it appears, but as stories waiting to be discovered and shared. “A lot of the emotional impact in my work comes subconsciously when shooting. I obviously try to view what I’m photographing in a way that will best represent that story, but often there are a lot of things coming into play at that moment, especially the technical side, whether that is camera settings, lighting, or being aware of your surroundings (if you're working next to highways). Often, a lot of the work of creating a narrative with feeling can happen in post-production when you are placing images that work together to compile that story. Sometimes you have the idea for a project and you have to just go and do it without thinking about it too much, as you never know what can happen or how something might unfold. You just have to get out there and photograph as much as you can and be in the world. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.” However, amidst the meticulous planning and technical finesse, spontaneity retains its allure. Sometimes, the most profound stories emerge from serendipitous encounters and unforeseen twists of fate. In these moments, photographers must relinquish overthinking and immerse themselves in the world, capturing its essence with authenticity and raw emotion. The journey of a photographer is a dynamic interplay of technical mastery and emotional intuition. Each frame captured by Sean is a testament to the delicate balance between the two, resulting in photographs that exceed visual representation, resonating deeply with audiences and leaving an indelible imprint on the soul. © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris © Sean Paris Sean Paris is an award-winning photographer, renowned for his unique approach to storytelling capturing his visual translations through photography. He brings a wealth of experience and passion to any project, driven by a desire to uncover the hidden gems of rural Australia. Through Koala Country , Sean extends an invitation to viewers, beckoning them on a transformative trek. Together, they will challenge perceptions and cultivate a newfound appreciation for the rich tapestry of rural Australia, as illuminated by the mesmerising radiance of infrared photography. Koala Country offers more than just a photographic journey but serves as a testament to the power of storytelling through visuals. Through the lens of his modified DSLR camera, Sean not only captures rural Australia but also uncovers its hidden narratives and cultural subtleties. His knowledge and use of infrared photography adds a surreal quality to his visuals, revealing layers of beauty imperceptible to the human eye. By delving into the heart of rural communities, Sean preserves and celebrates their heritage, showcasing both the quirks and the beauty of these often overlooked landscapes. His work serves as a reminder of the importance of storytelling in photography, not just as a means of documenting scenes but as a way to evoke emotions and encourage a fresh perspective. Sean invites his audience to see rural Australia in a new light, to appreciate its complexities and nuances. His unique narrative extends beyond mere imagery; it invites us to reflect on our own connections to place and history. Learn more about Sean Paris and follow his links for more inspiration and new ways to think about visual storytelling. The Pictorial List is grateful for Sean’s valuable contribution, and we are sincerely pleased to share it with our community. view Sean Paris' portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> REGINA: BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AND DREAMS A boarding school room becomes the frame for Cleopatra Joint’s portrait of ambition, instability, and a young woman’s search for freedom. LIFE ALONG THE RIVER Along the Hooghly, Shubhodeep Roy photographs Kolkata through faith, labour and memory, revealing a city shaped by water, inheritance and shared life. A HOME OF MEMORIES AND THE PRESENT Davide Santangelo returns to his family home by moonlight, tracing how absence, memory, and love continue to live within place, objects, and atmosphere after loss. THE PULL OF THE EARTH This is more than a record of rural Bengal. It looks at the bond between Sayan Biswas and the place that shaped him, even after distance has changed that relationship. ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold.

I’m a Scots-born photographer and writer based in New York City, where I spend most days walking five to ten miles with a camera in hand. My creative path has taken me across continents — from the peaks of Colorado to the backroads of Florida, and from Southeast Asia to the heart of New York — driven by a desire to capture the emotional texture of place and experience. My work has appeared in publications like The Sun Magazine, and I’m currently developing a series of large-format print volumes that reflect a long-form, immersive approach to photography. One of my most rewarding and challenging projects was a residency at Brooklyn’s Central Library, where I documented the quiet, essential work of a public institution that serves as both cultural hub and social lifeline. My most recent series, What Do We Want?, focuses on the layered realities of protest in New York City, capturing not just the marches, but the silences, tensions, and fleeting exchanges that give these movements their emotional depth. As a journalist by training and a Green Card holder, I understand the personal risks involved in covering civil unrest, but I believe that bearing witness is part of my responsibility as both an image-maker and a resident of this city. DAVID GRAY I’m a Scots-born photographer and writer based in New York City, where I spend most days walking five to ten miles with a camera in hand. My creative path has taken me across continents — from the peaks of Colorado to the backroads of Florida, and from Southeast Asia to the heart of New York — driven by a desire to capture the emotional texture of place and experience. My work has appeared in publications like The Sun Magazine, and I’m currently developing a series of large-format print volumes that reflect a long-form, immersive approach to photography. One of my most rewarding and challenging projects was a residency at Brooklyn’s Central Library, where I documented the quiet, essential work of a public institution that serves as both cultural hub and social lifeline. My most recent series, What Do We Want?, focuses on the layered realities of protest in New York City, capturing not just the marches, but the silences, tensions, and fleeting exchanges that give these movements their emotional depth. As a journalist by training and a Green Card holder, I understand the personal risks involved in covering civil unrest, but I believe that bearing witness is part of my responsibility as both an image-maker and a resident of this city. LOCATION New York UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Sony A7 WEBSITE https://davidagray.myportfolio.com/ @DAVID_A_GRAY FEATURES // What Do We Want?

PICTORIAL STORY NEAR KUDROS A collaboration between photographer and poet, capturing the essence of Cutro’s landscapes — where image and word come together to reflect its quiet beauty. June 15, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography FRANCESCO MERCADANTE words DANIELA CERRATO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Near Kudros (Cutro) ...where the imagination takes you by the hand There are places where nature plays a decisive role in our thoughts and words sometimes struggle to express the enormous charm captured by the senses. Therefore, it happens that to reinforce the idea of beauty, a synergy of expressive forms (painting, photography, storytelling, poetry, music...) comes to the aid which together make a creative effort useful to better convey the idea of how "powerful" the influence of a landscape. This is where this need arises, the idea is from Francesco Mercadante, passionate about painting and photography, who thought of an interaction between photography and poetry to bring out the best of the beauty of Cutro, of which he comes from, offering me the opportunity to express in verse what he has captured with the lens. Let's start by getting to know the history that Cutro went through, interspersing the news with the splendid shots by Francesco Mercadante that highlight a particular area… Cutro was a town in ancient Magna Graecia and in Greek it was called Kyterion, Koutro/Kudros in Latin times, probably with the meaning of potter in Greek, since a lot of pottery was produced due to its clayey nature. Jumping to the second half of the 1500s, under Spanish rule, it became the most important granary in the area until it obtained the title of city from King Philip II in 1575. On March 8, 1832, in the early hours of the day the city was destroyed by a disastrous earthquake and most of it was razed to the ground with hundreds of victims. Until the mid-twentieth century, Cutro was the most populous and productive center in the area, but later it underwent an important emigration, first to Germany and later to northern Italy: in particular to Emilia and Lombardy. The largest community of Cutrese origin is located in Reggio Emilia A pleasant climate for most of the year its peculiarity is the natural beauty of the area that includes Cutro and Roccabernarda where the so-called badlands give the landscape a suggestive, almost surreal face, also composed of clay monoliths, biancane and hills cultivated with wheat and for this reason defined as yellow dunes . They are the same dunes that Pier Paolo Pasolini in his reportage The Long Sand Road published in the magazine Success in 1959, described as follows: “...Then the road leaves the sea and enters an area, all yellow, with hills that look like dunes imagined by Kafka. Some peasants return on horseback, or on some very slow old carts, along the infernal road, without a tree around...” Pasolini chose it to shoot some scenes of The Gospel according to Matthew and later affirmed that: “the Calabrian landscape is enhanced, with its marvelous natural contrasts, in which gentle slopes contrast with violent rocky jolts” ...and more... “In Calabria the most serious of crimes was committed, for which no one will ever answer: the pure hope, the somewhat anarchic and childish hope of those who living before history, still has the whole of history ahead of him, was killed.” The particularity of the area has been perfectly transferred into captivating images in the photographic reportage by Francesco Mercadante who has masterfully collected the suggestion and magic of the place and allows the observer to immerse himself in the enchantment, in that dose of surreal that hovers in the veiled and rarefied atmosphere of the views; as he himself stated: “What I photographed are not images but a reproduction of myself, that is the landscape that entered me and became a photograph. I set my camera to a long exposure then closed my eyes and photographed the yellow dunes.” I have never visited those places but Francesco's talking images were an excellent guide and inspired me to write the poem Kudros in which I tried to best collect the spirit with which he perceived and reproduced the incredible aura of that land. © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante © Francesco Mercadante Kudros where the body returns to clay pre-genesis silence dominates, the light envelops, disorients, bewilders the senses. Bare clay, lizard in the sun, asks the wind faint blow to the traveler the enthusiasm of the senses to grasp the elusive. Beyond the dunes it descends towards the coast an echo of stories and voices, clearer lights anticipate the sea but in this delirium of sand the mysteries of Oinotria dwell Inviolable, deep, ionic. - Daniela Cerrato, April 2022 view Francesco's portfolio Read an interview with Francesco >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> Visit poet Daniela Cerrato's website >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> REGINA: BOARDING SCHOOL LIFE AND DREAMS A boarding school room becomes the frame for Cleopatra Joint’s portrait of ambition, instability, and a young woman’s search for freedom. LIFE ALONG THE RIVER Along the Hooghly, Shubhodeep Roy photographs Kolkata through faith, labour and memory, revealing a city shaped by water, inheritance and shared life. A HOME OF MEMORIES AND THE PRESENT Davide Santangelo returns to his family home by moonlight, tracing how absence, memory, and love continue to live within place, objects, and atmosphere after loss. THE PULL OF THE EARTH This is more than a record of rural Bengal. It looks at the bond between Sayan Biswas and the place that shaped him, even after distance has changed that relationship. ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold.