GROUNDED Over the last year Samantha Brown has documented the pandemic, mostly from the back of her campervan within local lockdown restrictions. GROUNDED May 3, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Samantha Brown INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE The world has been irrevocably changed by the events of 2020, and yet life must go on. For some, this has meant living a life of perpetual movement, in pursuit of a new normal, one where the need for physical connection is supplanted by the promise of virtual encounters. But for others, it has meant the chance to reconnect with the world in an entirely different way: through photography. Samantha Brown is a British-Canadian photographer and digital nomad, and she has spent the last year living out of her camper van 'Juno', travelling safely in line with local lockdown restrictions, while also capturing the pandemic in all its beautiful, intricate detail. This journey of self-discovery and exploration has culminated in her first book, GROUNDED. Samantha invites readers to join her on a journey full of visible beauty, underlying emotion and poignant reflections. From the empty streets of Bristol during the first lockdown, to the deserted ferry travelling through Europe during the easing of restrictions, Samantha's work captures the haunting out-of-season atmosphere that haunts every landscape she passes. Samantha's documentation of this period of history provides us with a unique perspective, and offers an inspiring message of hope and promise amidst the darkness of a global pandemic. Through her story and her photography, she encourages us to look for the beauty in the world around us, no matter how uncertain the times may be. We had the privilege of speaking to Samantha about her journey, her book GROUNDED and her life as a digital nomad. Read on to find out more about this inspiring individual and the incredible work she is producing. “I became a digital nomad, after my father died from leukemia and my daughter left university. I didn’t get the chance to travel so much when I was much younger as I was busy raising my daughter as a single parent. Dad’s death made me reflect on how short life is. So I left my corporate marketing job and established my business as a freelancer marketing consultant, working from my laptop. I became interested in photography in 2017, when my Dad was first diagnosed. I found it to be the best form of meditation – taking in your surroundings, focusing on them, and producing something creative at the end of it. Photography never fails to make me happy, no matter how tough life is.” IN CONVERSATION WITH SAMANTHA BROWN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Samantha, congratulations on your first book 'Grounded', about your personal ten month socially distanced journey in 2020. Why did you decide to bring this series of work together as a book? What did you want to convey with it? SAMANTHA BROWN: Thanks. During the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, many people's perceived sense of home – of being ‘grounded’ – disappeared, overnight. Suddenly we found ourselves in a dystopian dream world, a world where our bedrooms became our offices, without boundaries or definition, where much yearned for social connection played out on a flat digital screen, and where touch became forbidden. When restrictions eased, I ventured to Europe in line with travel recommendations – but these feelings and perceptions travelled with me. And from this experience, this photobook was born. I wanted to create a record of how the pandemic has affected landscapes, and our sense of self within a place. When I set off in Juno, as travel restrictions eased, I always knew that the journey would be a bit isolating. I’d anticipated this and even bought a van with its own bathroom and kitchen so I could be completely self-contained and not have to interact with people too much. But as I travelled down the west coast of France, I realised that the landscapes were utterly deserted. Beaches that would normally be teeming with tourists were empty. In some places – the Camargue for example – it felt like I was the last person left on earth. It’s been lovely to receive feedback from readers who’ve purchased the book, and found it quite moving. I’ve had people say that the sense of isolation - as conveyed by the book - matched with their experience of the pandemic too. TPL: Describe what it was like as a woman travelling solo in a campervan. What were some of the highlights and lowlights that you experienced on this journey? Was there anything you gained from this experience? SB: Having travelled for a few years on my own now, I consider myself to be a reasonably seasoned traveller, but this was one of the hardest trips I’ve ever done. It was hard work juggling the demands of solo van life with driving and working. But on top of that, a number of unexpected small disasters happened. I ended up in Bordeaux on the way down on the hottest day on record for 50 years – and as a 1998 Peugeot Boxer auto-sleeper, Juno didn’t have aircon. On that day I woke up at 2am covered in insects and decided to keep driving until I got to the Mediterranean, as I knew there would be a sea breeze that would cool me off. When I got down to the Mediterranean, around a week later I was evacuated due to an out-of-control forest fire. Luckily Juno escaped the direction of the flames, but many other vans in local campsites were destroyed. I moved to the Camargue after that and unfortunately attracted the attentions of a rather dodgy guy, who would not leave me alone. I ended up moving to a secure gated campsite and making a police report. There were many high points. I really loved the Camargue and the salt flats there, it is such a stunningly beautiful place with the most amazing light and sea mists which descend at the end of the day. I often felt like I was in a desert when I was there, the sense of peace was just wonderful. I loved taking photos as I travelled too and exploring the many facets of France – the mountains of the Pyrenees and Provence, the culture, food and wine. It’s an incredible country. And Juno was amazing. She never broke down or let me down once, and I’m very thankful for that. TPL: What important bit of advice would you give to someone who was thinking of embarking on a similar journey? SB: Consider having a van with aircon if you are planning to go to a country which might experience heat over 30 degrees Celsius. I don’t regret buying Juno as she has many amazing features but she just isn't suitable for southern Europe in early August, that’s for sure. Also there are some great apps which can show you where to park up for the night for free or a low cost – Park4Night is one of them. 'Bristol Restricted Area' © Samantha Brown 'Plage Naturistic' © Samantha Brown 'Empty Bar' © Samantha Brown 'Bristol Fog Trees Protection' © Samantha Brown 'Seadyke' © Samantha Brown 'Seven Bee Hives' © Samantha Brown 'Clifton Suspension Bridge' © Samantha Brown 'Bristol Fog Meadow' © Samantha Brown 'Bristol Ladies Mile Fog' © Samantha Brown 'Saltmine Stream' © Samantha Brown TPL: Tell us about yourself. Describe your life as a digital nomad. When and how did you become interested in photography? SB: I’m a 45 year old British-Canadian, and I was born in Wales. I count the city of Bristol in the UK as my home base – I’ve had a home and friends here for 24 years - although I often travel around whilst working (when there’s not a pandemic to contend with). Bristol is a very relaxed, creative and liberal place to live, with a strong music scene. My Canadian roots come from my Dad, who was born on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I became a digital nomad in 2019, after my father died from leukemia and my daughter left university. I didn’t get the chance to travel so much when I was much younger as I was busy raising my daughter Kaya as a single parent. Dad’s death made me reflect on how short life is. So I left my corporate marketing job and established my business as a freelancer marketing consultant, working from my laptop. The intention was to also dedicate more time to my photography as I travelled. I went to South and Central America, Bali, Thailand and India, traversing 11 countries, working as I went. It was an amazing journey and I made lots of fantastic friends along the way. I was in Goa when the pandemic caught up with me in March 2020, and I hastily left on one of the remaining commercial flights back home to the UK before the EU closed its borders. I spent the first lockdown in Bristol, before buying a campervan ('Juno') and travelling to France in the summer of 2020 when the lockdown travel restrictions eased. I became interested in photography in 2017, when my Dad was first diagnosed. After about 9 months of fooling around with my iPhone, I bought a Sony A7 and taught myself how to use it. I found it to be the best form of meditation – taking in your surroundings, focusing on them, and producing something creative at the end of it. Photography never fails to make me happy, no matter how tough life is. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to create? SB: I’m often moved by my emotion and also the landscapes around me. I also enjoy telling a story – I did a whole series in a chateau on the way home called L'Impasse, which was about an unhealthy relationship I found myself in whilst in France. I tend to use self portraits mixed in with landscapes because I’m travelling by myself and there’s no models for me to use. And I don’t feel comfortable instructing people to move to fit my creative direction, so it’s simplest to use myself in shots and use a self timer. TPL: When you take pictures, do you usually have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just 'come to you', or is it both? Describe your process. SB: I used to enjoy travelling around and coming across treasures to photograph, in a spontaneous way. Photography is a bit like a treasure hunt in that respect. But, increasingly I’m more interested in thinking through a creative concept and deciding how I want to shoot it. For myself, that process involves having an intuitive feel for what I want to convey, without thinking through every aspect of the detail, and then I let the photograph ‘happen’ when I get to the location. I wanted to create a record of how the pandemic has affected landscapes, and our sense of self within a place. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? SB: Many of the photographers that I really like and admire have an ability to convey feelings and emotions at a very subtle, almost unconscious level through their photography. I love the work of Tania Franco Klein, Elena Helfrecht and Guy Bourdin for that reason. Kadiya Qasem achieves a similar outcome with her British land and seascapes. I admire the creativity and maverick genius of Benoit Paille, and the bold creative direction of Juno Calypso, who uses incredibly stylised self portraits in her work. I also love the surrealism and mystery of Man Ray. TPL: Where has been your most favourite place to photograph? SB: Bolivia – the stark landscapes are out of this world, Scotland and the Camargue, in that order. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? SB: I have a rather old Sony A7 DSLR and a basic tripod, which I’m hoping to replace this year. I do love the Sony colours, especially in low light situations. My lens is a Sony f4 18-105mm. I don’t have any preference for focal length although I tend to avoid macro work. I’m a diehard light hunter, I use light and shade a lot to convey narrative. 'Ferry to France' © Samantha Brown 'Ping Pong Table' © Samantha Brown 'Carmague River' © Samantha Brown 'Camargue Layered Landscape' © Samantha Brown 'Carmague Abstract Landscape' © Samantha Brown 'Tractor' © Samantha Brown 'Lorry' © Samantha Brown 'Chateau and Juno' © Samantha Brown 'Vineyards in December' © Samantha Brown 'Joyeuses Fetes' © Samantha Brown TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? SB: For me, it’s really important to just enjoy photography and to be as creative as I can possibly be with it. I don’t do photography for money, I do my marketing work for money so I can focus on being creative with my photography. So following on from that, the creativity must take precedence over everything. I would love to create some more series over time and I hope that I can achieve that, that’s all. I’m also interested in exploring how I could use my photography in digital art. I have a lot to learn in that respect but I’m starting to think about it this year. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? SB: I’ve got an artist’s residency up in Scotland in early June with Cromarty Arts Trust and I’m very interested in doing a project involving both the landscapes and the light, which will be incredible at that time of year. It gets light at 4.30am and dark at 11.30pm – so plenty of opportunity for messing around with a tripod in the dawn and dusk times – although I’m told the midges can be rather fierce at that time of year. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... SB: Listen to music and dance with my friends at festivals. British festivals are world class – we love to party over here. Now I’ve had my vaccine, along with a large proportion of the adult population here, I’m really looking forward to some festivals opening up this Summer – provided lockdown continues to ease as planned. Most often we get so consumed with the game of life – all of its pursuits, emotions, and experiences. We become distracted or lost. After the loss of her Dad, Samantha reflected on how short life is. So she left her job and became a digital nomad dedicating more time to her photography as she travelled. The Pictorial List would like to thank Samantha for sharing with us her inspirational story. Buy her book GROUNDED and follow Samantha on Instagram and experience her visual storytelling for yourself. VIEW SAMANTHA'S PORTFOLIO Buy GROUNDED by Samantha >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

These photos were taken in London during 1964. I was working as an assistant at Woburn Studios Ltd. These pictures are the result of walking the streets in the weekends. CARL LINDHE These photos were taken in London during 1964. I was working as an assistant at Woburn Studios Ltd. These pictures are the result of walking the streets in the weekends. LOCATION Stockholm SWEDEN CAMERA/S Nikon, Hasselblad @CARLLINDHEPHOTOS FEATURES // London Calling

I forget about the world when I walk around with my camera, my clicks are impulsive and passionate. I am a light searcher and am always looking for a creative perspective. INGRID CLAUWAERT I forget about the world when I walk around with my camera, my clicks are impulsive and passionate. I am a light searcher and am always looking for a creative perspective. LOCATION NETHERLANDS CAMERA/S Panasonic Lumix GX80 WEBSITE https://www.ingridclauwaert.com/ @INGCPHOTOS FEATURES // A Creative Perspective

Photographs punctuate my life. It gives my life a rhythm; it sets the pace and provides me opportunities to pause. It makes me brave, takes me to situations I’d otherwise be uncomfortable in. It allows me to see things without judgment and stretches my boundaries. It’s a tool for me to explore myself in a creative way, to not be in control or analyse and to grow as a person. SUZANNE PHOENIX Photographs punctuate my life. It gives my life a rhythm; it sets the pace and provides me opportunities to pause. It makes me brave, takes me to situations I’d otherwise be uncomfortable in. It allows me to see things without judgment and stretches my boundaries. It’s a tool for me to explore myself in a creative way, to not be in control or analyse and to grow as a person. LOCATION Melbourne AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Fuji XT3, Fuji XPRO2 and Canon 7D Mark II WEBSITE http://www.suzannephoenix.com.au @PHOTOSPUNCTUATEMYLIFE @PHOTOSPUNCTUATEMYLIFE FEATURES // Isolation Portraits Choosing to Challenge Photos Punctuating Life

I really only discovered the photography at the age of 37, just three years ago. After being an employee for 15 years, in 2018, I decided to became a full time photographer. Life gave me the opportunity to meet Balint Porneczi, who is living in my town, and he introduced me into the art by lending me some photo books of old and modern photographers and by reviewing my work. I prefer black and white, however, I do like to keep colour for some particular photos. The pictures that you can see in my gallery are mainly from an upcoming book project focused on my beautiful town of Rodez, where I was born and raised and where I am still living. Now I am documenting it everyday and trying to leave my mark in the modern history of the city. JOCELYN CALAC I really only discovered the photography at the age of 37, just three years ago. After being an employee for 15 years, in 2018, I decided to became a full time photographer. Life gave me the opportunity to meet Balint Porneczi, who is living in my town, and he introduced me into the art by lending me some photo books of old and modern photographers and by reviewing my work. I prefer black and white, however, I do like to keep colour for some particular photos. The pictures that you can see in my gallery are mainly from an upcoming book project focused on my beautiful town of Rodez, where I was born and raised and where I am still living. Now I am documenting it everyday and trying to leave my mark in the modern history of the city. LOCATION Occitanie FRANCE CAMERA/S Ricoh GR3 WEBSITE http://www.jcproduction.fr/ @JOCELYN_CALAC FEATURES // Tour de Ville

I'm an artist at heart, or rather someone who would like to be one! I work in the international development sphere, which gives me plenty of opportunity to take photographs. My photography took off in 2016, whilst I was doing project work in Nigeria. I was able to capture images that truly reflected the countries I worked in, and not the stereotypical images that were peddled in the media. My style is mostly street and predominantly people too. I have a mix of my London life and fabulous people I meet in Africa. There’s something about capturing people in their environment that I really enjoy. It wasn’t easy to begin with and, it took me a while to be brave enough to move on closer to take the shot, as well as, being able to approach people and take their portraits. Fortunately, I had a lot of good advisers at hand! IBI GOWON I'm an artist at heart, or rather someone who would like to be one! I work in the international development sphere, which gives me plenty of opportunity to take photographs. My photography took off in 2016, whilst I was doing project work in Nigeria. I was able to capture images that truly reflected the countries I worked in, and not the stereotypical images that were peddled in the media. My style is mostly street and predominantly people too. I have a mix of my London life and fabulous people I meet in Africa. There’s something about capturing people in their environment that I really enjoy. It wasn’t easy to begin with and, it took me a while to be brave enough to move on closer to take the shot, as well as, being able to approach people and take their portraits. Fortunately, I had a lot of good advisers at hand! LOCATION London UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Sony A7iii, Fujifilm X100F @IBI.GOWON.PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // Shot From the Heart Shop Back in Time

I am drawn to light, colour and sights that move me. The feelings that I try to communicate in my captures are melancholy and a certain kind of moodiness, but also feelings of awe, facing the wonders we come across in life. My subjects vary, it can be landscapes, cityscapes, still-life, and people. ANNA MARCHIOLI I am drawn to light, colour and sights that move me. The feelings that I try to communicate in my captures are melancholy and a certain kind of moodiness, but also feelings of awe, facing the wonders we come across in life. My subjects vary, it can be landscapes, cityscapes, still-life, and people. LOCATION FRANCE CAMERA/S Lumix F2200 @AK_MOODYSHOTS FEATURES // The Wonders of Everyday Life

IN MEMORY OF AARON RUBINO We have the great pleasure of highlighting a photographer's work that has been tucked away, and hiding in the shadows, being cared for by a friend. Recently they were offered to Gary Nolan. They trusted Gary to keep them safe and shed some light on Aaron Rubino’s photography and respect the memory of his friend. Aaron Rubino's youngest daughter has graciously shared her heartfelt sentiments about her father's legacy: Aaron Rubino worked as a professional photographer in the 1930’s through the early 1950’s. For some time Mr Rubino worked with the Associated Press in San Francisco. And subsequently joined the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle where he worked until the early 1950’s. During World War II, Mr. Rubino was in the 6th Army stationed in the San Francisco Presido where he served as a base photographer. After WWII, Mr Rubino was assigned to photograph the United Nations meetings in San Francisco. "As for rewards – my father told me that he won a prize for Cigar Photo of the year. It was a picture of Pierre Salinger, whom my father worked with in San Francisco. Mr Rubino was a very close friend with Joe Rosenthal. Mr Rosenthal was Mr Rubino’s superior at the AP and they remained good friends until their deaths. Mr Rosenthal gave me a photo of the raising of the United States Flag on Iwo Jima – the same photo that won Mr Rosenthal the Putlitzer Prize. I am still in contact with Joe’s daughter, Anne." Read the full story by Gary Nolan through the link below. AARON RUBINO IN MEMORY OF AARON RUBINO We have the great pleasure of highlighting a photographer's work that has been tucked away, and hiding in the shadows, being cared for by a friend. Recently they were offered to Gary Nolan. They trusted Gary to keep them safe and shed some light on Aaron Rubino’s photography and respect the memory of his friend. Aaron Rubino's youngest daughter has graciously shared her heartfelt sentiments about her father's legacy: Aaron Rubino worked as a professional photographer in the 1930’s through the early 1950’s. For some time Mr Rubino worked with the Associated Press in San Francisco. And subsequently joined the staff of the San Francisco Chronicle where he worked until the early 1950’s. During World War II, Mr. Rubino was in the 6th Army stationed in the San Francisco Presido where he served as a base photographer. After WWII, Mr Rubino was assigned to photograph the United Nations meetings in San Francisco. "As for rewards – my father told me that he won a prize for Cigar Photo of the year. It was a picture of Pierre Salinger, whom my father worked with in San Francisco. Mr Rubino was a very close friend with Joe Rosenthal. Mr Rosenthal was Mr Rubino’s superior at the AP and they remained good friends until their deaths. Mr Rosenthal gave me a photo of the raising of the United States Flag on Iwo Jima – the same photo that won Mr Rosenthal the Putlitzer Prize. I am still in contact with Joe’s daughter, Anne." Read the full story by Gary Nolan through the link below. LOCATION San Francisco UNITED STATES CAMERA/S mostly likely a 4x5 Speed Graphic or similar @_PHASE33 FEATURES // The Resurrection of Rubino

I was born in New York City where I have spent most of my life. I had a career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis and university teaching. Just before my 70th birthday I began taking photography classes at The International Center of Photography. I developed a strong interest in candid street photography. Now, thirteen years later, I have been in over eighty group exhibitions, have had four solo shows and have won a number of awards, such as 1st place in the Soho Photo Gallery National Competition in 2015. I was a finalist in the Miami Street Festival in both 2017 and 2018 and Streetfoto San Francisco in 2018. In 2019 I was the winner of both the PDN 'FACES' Awards for self-portraits and the Street Division of the Pollux Awards. I was also a finalist in The London Street Photography Festival. Most recently I was the winner of the 2020 6th Annual Street Shooting Around the World Exhibition at the Los Angeles Center of Photography for best individual photograph. Additionally, in 2020, I was the 3rd Place Winner of Lens Culture Streets. ​My work has been featured in Popular Photography Magazine. PAUL KESSEL I was born in New York City where I have spent most of my life. I had a career in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis and university teaching. Just before my 70th birthday I began taking photography classes at The International Center of Photography. I developed a strong interest in candid street photography. Now, thirteen years later, I have been in over eighty group exhibitions, have had four solo shows and have won a number of awards, such as 1st place in the Soho Photo Gallery National Competition in 2015. I was a finalist in the Miami Street Festival in both 2017 and 2018 and Streetfoto San Francisco in 2018. In 2019 I was the winner of both the PDN 'FACES' Awards for self-portraits and the Street Division of the Pollux Awards. I was also a finalist in The London Street Photography Festival. Most recently I was the winner of the 2020 6th Annual Street Shooting Around the World Exhibition at the Los Angeles Center of Photography for best individual photograph. Additionally, in 2020, I was the 3rd Place Winner of Lens Culture Streets. My work has been featured in Popular Photography Magazine. LOCATION New York USA CAMERA/S Sony A9II, Leica M10 WEBSITE https://www.paulkessel.com/ @STREETSKESSEL FEATURES // Hauptbahnof

PICTORIAL STORY THE SHOW MUST GO ON October 23, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Simo Väisänen Introduction by Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link When we think of circus, we often conjure up images of wild animals, daring aerial acts and colourful clowns. But there is much more to the circus than just entertainment and spectacle. In Finland, the circus is an art form that has been around for centuries, evolving and growing to become a respected and much-loved part of the country's cultural heritage. This is why Simo Väisanen, a highly accomplished Finnish photographer, has had a long-held fascination with the circus and has captured some stunning photographs of shows by Circus Caliba, Circus Florentino and Circus Finlandia between 2012 and 2019. His love for old Finnish black and white movies, Italian neorealism and Akira Kurosawa's and Sergei Eisenstein's productions shines through in his photographs, captivating audiences with the beauty of the circus and its characters. Step into the magical world of the circus with Simo Väisanen's photography and embark on a journey of discovery and delight! I have always been a great fan of circus. It all began when me and my kid brother hadn't even started school yet. Our Mum took us to a circus which had come to our hometown Kuopio in Finland. We saw lions, dogs, horses and one Indian elephant doing their act with their trainer or tamer behind his or her whip. Nowadays there are no wild animals in circuses in Finland. That's the law. I believe that's ok. Lions belong to Africa. Circus (sirkus - fin, circus - en) in Finland began when a French equestrian circus group performed in Turku in 1802. In successive decades Finland became a fixture on international circus tours as groups passed through on their way to St. Petersburg from Stockholm. During the last 200 years circus has grown to become a respected, active and independent art form. The first Finnish circus troupe started performing in 1896. At the beginning of the 20th century, circus acts were often performed as part of touring funfairs, but long distances, hard winters and the high entertainment taxes that were levied on circus hindered sustainable circus activity. Finland is the third country in Europe, where circus has been accepted into the National Inventory of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The second awakening of Finnish circus began in the 1970s. The founding of our biggest touring tented circus, Sirkus Finlandia in 1976 revived a long-lost Finnish circus tradition. Youth circuses were also established in the same decade. Since then, a huge rise in the number of children and youth engaged in circus as a hobby has fed a new generation of performers and spectators. Today there are more than 8,000 amateurs in 44 youth circus schools and clubs all around the country. High quality youth circus education is widely available and is designed to provide a solid footing for professionalism in this art field. Contemporary circus art began to develop in Finland in the 1990s. One important step in the development of the art form in Finland was the founding of The Association Cirko – Centre for New Circus in 2002. Between 2004 and 2006 Cirko carried out a development project for a new circus with funding from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. In 2006 Cirko was divided into two, so that the tasks of documenting, developing and promoting circus arts became the responsibility of Circus Info Finland and Cirko continued as a production centre. The opening of the Cirko venue and residency centre for contemporary circus in Helsinki in 2011 was a major step forward. Today we have around twenty full-time contemporary circus companies and around the same number of solo artists, duos, collectives and working groups, with an estimated 250 circus professionals. Circus is being taught in two educational institutes. The street arts sector in Finland still remains quite small and unorganised. Outdoor performances can be seen at summer festivals in Finnish cities and villages, but our short summertime and unpredictable weather conditions have hindered the growth of the sector. The Finnish government has systematically supported circus arts over the last decade. Nevertheless, compared to the state support received by theatre and music venues the support for circus is still very small-scale. In 2014 circus art was finally included in the law for theatres and orchestras, but there until now there are no circus organisations that receive legislated funding from the government. Circus Finlandia, where I took some of the photos shown here, is The National Circus of Finland. It is a touring family circus founded by the Jernström family in 1976. The Circus Finlandia Grand Tour around Finland starts in April and ends in Helsinki in October. More than 200,000 Finns see their programme every year. Other famous big circuses that have been touring in Finland in the 21st century are Sirkus Caliba, Sirkus Florentino, Sirkus Tähti and Sirkus Valentino. There's one image though that will stay in my mind forever. A trapeze act is an essential part of any circus. In 1960's there were no safety nets in circuses. That first ever evening at the circus there was this already a bit elderly German couple with their only son in his twenties. The son flew through the air and his parents kept watching him closely at the same time taking care of the ropes that controlled the trapeze bars. Suddenly the son couldn't catch the bar coming towards him and he came down almost headfirst and thudded on the sawdust. The poor mother ran screaming to her son and started caressing his back gently with her hand. Soon we heard the ambulance. The paramedics did their job and in no time the ambulance headed to the hospital with the whole family in it. The circus band started playing again and the ringmaster announced the next performance. The show must go on! © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen © Simo Väisänen Simo Väisanen's photography captures the beauty and timelessness of the circus, an art form that has been around for centuries in Finland. His works are inspired by the greats in the world of film, bringing to life the spectacle of the circus world. 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I thought that, with time, all the questions I have been asking myself for years about my relationship with photography would be resolved. To give evidence of a world in continuous change?, To provoke feelings?, Poke around in the consciences?, Hedonistic exercise? Selfish Utilitarianism?, Memory sustenance? Far from it, a multitude of possible answers remain open. Doing photography: a crude attempt to usurp from Life infinitesimal parts of its Time - that merciless God - to recompose them in whimsical combinations of light and shadow, creating illusory windows to the outside world but also to the inner one. I hardly ever photograph objects, monuments or landscapes, which, if anything, are mere decorations accompanying a single protagonist: the human being, with his strengths and miseries, with his yearnings and frustrations, with his laughter and tears. And I can't remember a single one of my photographs in which, at the moment of shooting, I have not been accompanied by the deep conviction that only chance or even time are the single reason why I’m not that old man from a remote tribe, that devotee in ecstasy inside a madrassa, that beggar sheltering from the rain under the tin or that nouveau riche who disdains everything that doesn't concern him in the first person. I do not photograph what I see but what I am. I never think of my photographs as art objects or consumer items, they have nothing to do with ephemerality either. I think of them as tools at the service of a simple idea so masterfully summarized by Wayne Miller: the universal truths of being human. I firmly believe that the value of a photograph is shared, at least in equal parts, between the photographer and his models, who tolerate and accept his presence, who endure on many occasions his intrusion and insolence, and who in the end, converted into paper and unaware of the passage of time, allow themselves to be observed, returning to us, like mirrors, some unknown part of ourselves. RPNUNYEZ I thought that, with time, all the questions I have been asking myself for years about my relationship with photography would be resolved. To give evidence of a world in continuous change?, To provoke feelings?, Poke around in the consciences?, Hedonistic exercise? Selfish Utilitarianism?, Memory sustenance? Far from it, a multitude of possible answers remain open. Doing photography: a crude attempt to usurp from Life infinitesimal parts of its Time - that merciless God - to recompose them in whimsical combinations of light and shadow, creating illusory windows to the outside world but also to the inner one. I hardly ever photograph objects, monuments or landscapes, which, if anything, are mere decorations accompanying a single protagonist: the human being, with his strengths and miseries, with his yearnings and frustrations, with his laughter and tears. And I can't remember a single one of my photographs in which, at the moment of shooting, I have not been accompanied by the deep conviction that only chance or even time are the single reason why I’m not that old man from a remote tribe, that devotee in ecstasy inside a madrassa, that beggar sheltering from the rain under the tin or that nouveau riche who disdains everything that doesn't concern him in the first person. I do not photograph what I see but what I am. I never think of my photographs as art objects or consumer items, they have nothing to do with ephemerality either. I think of them as tools at the service of a simple idea so masterfully summarized by Wayne Miller: the universal truths of being human. I firmly believe that the value of a photograph is shared, at least in equal parts, between the photographer and his models, who tolerate and accept his presence, who endure on many occasions his intrusion and insolence, and who in the end, converted into paper and unaware of the passage of time, allow themselves to be observed, returning to us, like mirrors, some unknown part of ourselves. LOCATION San Javier SPAIN CAMERA/S Nikon D810 WEBSITE https://www.rpnunyez.com/ @RPNUNYEZ_PHOTOGRAPHER FEATURES // Red Blood Abyssinian Diaries The Whirling Dervishes of Konya

I am a Melbourne based photographer specialising in street. Always on the hunt for strong composition elements, rich (but sparing) use of colour and deep shadows to create mood and tell stories. I love to show the wonderful City of Melbourne, Australia, in new ways that will surprise and intrigue. ADAM SINCLAIR I am a Melbourne based photographer specialising in street. Always on the hunt for strong composition elements, rich (but sparing) use of colour and deep shadows to create mood and tell stories. I love to show the wonderful City of Melbourne, Australia, in new ways that will surprise and intrigue. LOCATION Melbourne AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Fuji XT30 @_ALIGHTFANTASTIC_ FEATURES // A Light Fantastic