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PICTORIAL STORY MUD A documentary project exploring the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate. April 12, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography DEDIPYA BASAK story DEDIPYA BASAK introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Dedipya Basak stands at the intersection of academia and artistry, wielding his camera as a tool for societal transformation. Hailing from Kolkata, his educational journey through Ramakrishna Mission and Jadavpur University laid the groundwork for a career marked by both scholarly rigor and creative vision. Since 2015, he has been the recipient of various research grants from the Ministry of India, allowing him to focus on fields as diverse as Happiness Economics, Human Culture, and Gender Economics over a span of seven years. Dedipya’s research has garnered acclaim in academic circles, illuminating crucial facets of human society, through publications in numerous esteemed journals. The seeds of Dedipya’s photographic passion were sown in childhood, nurtured by the thoughtful gift of a camera from his father, himself a photographer. Though his father’s physical presence may have faded, his legacy endures within Dedipya, driving him to capture the essence of the human experience through his lens. Unlike his father, Dedipya’s early forays into photography were exploratory, lacking a clear direction or purpose. Yet, over time, his camera became a tool for social commentary, a means of amplifying the voices of the marginalized and downtrodden, in alignment with the teachings of Ramakrishna Mission. Dedipya was a student of Ramakrishna Mission for twelve years. “I mainly focus on showing one particular theme with different points of view. It helps me to build up the story firmly and remind my viewers constantly of the central objective of the project. A constant change in point of view makes my images versatile and the sequence becomes engaging for my viewers,” Dedipya reflects on his photographic approach. Central to Dedipya’s approach is his ability to adopt varied perspectives, each frame telling a nuanced story of the human condition. Dedipya navigates communities characterized by reticence and delicacy, often situated in regions marked by extreme climate conditions and remote from urban centers. In such contexts, his network of contacts becomes indispensable, serving as gateways into these communities. These connections act as vital catalysts for his projects, facilitating group interviews, assisting in securing accommodations when needed, and offering support in myriad other ways. Dedipya acknowledges that without the invaluable assistance of these contacts, his ability to produce impactful bodies of work would be severely constrained. In 2021, Dedipya resolved to embark on a professional journey in photography, aiming to integrate his research into visual storytelling at the International Center of Photography in New York. There, amidst a cohort of talented artists and mentors, he delved into the intricacies of street photography, visual storytelling, and documentary practice. His dedication and talent were duly recognized in 2024 when he was honored with the ICP Directorial Fellowship. Throughout his studies, Dedipya honed his expertise in subversion, human culture, photographic editing, and the art of visual storytelling, shaping him into a multifaceted and impactful photographer. When asked about his educational experience in the United States and the valuable lessons learned, Dedipya shared, “The United States is the country of braves. If you have clarity regarding your work, then they will welcome you with heartiness. At ICP, we have some of the faculty members who are the best in their respective practices. They have differences in their opinions, photographic style, and many other ideas. But all of them are good humans. Their down-to-earth nature is the most valuable teaching for me. I strongly believe that apart from my publications in different countries, adapting their humanitarian view in my life is my greatest success.” It is this blend of technical skill and compassionate storytelling that defines Dedipya’s work. In 2022, while at ICP, Dedipya successfully concluded his inaugural documentary project titled Sidewalk . This project delved into the intricate life of Kolkata’s pavements, offering a captivating visual exploration. The compelling imagery garnered widespread recognition, finding its way into various international publications. During the same year, Dedipya embarked on a new documentary venture titled MUD . This project delves into the narrative of an ancient lake, aged 800 years, facing demise as a consequence of escalating global warming. Dedipya is passionate about sharing this impactful story, emphasizing its relevance and urgency in today's world with The Pictorial List’s audience. MUD encapsulates a visual journey documenting the lives of 70,000 impoverished fishermen residing around Lake Bhandardara, an 800-year-old lake in West Bengal, India. Tragically, this historic body of water is facing imminent demise as a result of severe global warming. From the 12th century until the conclusion of the British Raj in India, Lake Bhandardara played a pivotal role as a prominent trade route connecting with Southeast Asia. Moreover, it stood out as one of the few natural habitats for riverine pearls, thereby bolstering India's treasury with valuable foreign currency. Linked to the renowned Padma River, this lake teemed with natural plankton, establishing it as a prime feeding and breeding ground for numerous marine species. Consequently, local fisheries cooperatives reaped substantial daily earnings, amounting to approximately INR 15,000 even a quarter-century ago. Over the past twenty-five years, however, the situation has undergone a dramatic shift. Unprecedented climate changes have led to the alteration of Padma's course, disrupting the lifeline of the lake. As a result, the waterbed is dwindling, weeds are proliferating throughout the lake, and marine life is diminishing steadily. Consequently, the inhabitants of the surrounding twenty-one villages find themselves in dire straits. MUD is an ongoing extended documentary investigation of that glorious past, collapsing present, and dubious future. This poignant reality struck a chord with me deeply. Even today, when I close my eyes, the most repeated sentence by every villager resonates in my ear - “The lake is dying. Can you help us?” To commence the project, I conducted thorough research. During this process, I discovered an environmentalist from Kolkata who had previously conducted primary research on the lake. After multiple meetings with him, forging a connection that led me to individuals still residing in various villages surrounding the lake. Building a robust network with the locals, I pinpointed the existing research gap within the project and began my investigative work. Spanning over 50 kilometers in length, the lake remains largely unexplored, with only a few sections untouched by human influence. Despite my efforts, I have yet to complete visits to the entire expanse of the lake. Through my numerous visits to the lake, I've diligently collected information from the local fishermen. They reminisce about the bygone era as the ‘golden period’ of Lake Bhandardara. Regrettably, the current situation paints a starkly contrasting picture. The waterbed is desiccating due to rampant global warming, while weeds proliferate unchecked. With groundwater resources dwindling, local farmers resort to utilizing the residual lake water for jute farming, leading to a rapid deterioration in water quality with each passing year. My photographs capture the daily struggles of the villagers residing around Lake Bhandardara. Through these images, viewers can discern the residents’ efforts to adapt to the current state of the lake. Despite the challenges posed by its deteriorating condition, they resiliently seek opportunities to address their everyday problems, finding solace in prayer amidst their trials. The central issue of my project serves as a recurring motif throughout my photographs — the impending demise of the lake. Interspersed among these images are ‘no lake’ shots, providing a momentary pause or temporary divergence from my central theme. Upon resuming, I skillfully compose stylistically varied images of the lake, each offering a unique perspective on its plight. © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak © Dedipya Basak Documenting the lives and challenges of marginalized communities, Dedipya Basak captures their essence through his photographic essays. Surprisingly, each return home yields a plethora of positive insights. In this project, Dedipya’s primary revelation was centered on ‘their hope.’ Despite the lake’s dire state, they continue to fish, fueled by a steadfast belief that conditions will ameliorate, and future generations will experience the prosperous era of Lake Bhandardara, reminiscent of three decades ago. Being deeply connected with one’s documentary work can evoke a myriad of emotions. Dedipya’s journey epitomizes this profound connection, where academic inquiry converges with artistic expression to illuminate pressing societal issues. As he navigates the complexities of his projects, Dedipya shares insights into his approach to maintaining boundaries and cultivating a balanced, mindful, and safe work ethic. “For me, it is like meditation. I am involved in the entire process, but I am not attached to it. Though the theme of the project is always very sensitive from a humanitarian point of view, yet I keep myself consciously distant from that event – I become like a cinema screen where one can play any kind of movie, but it doesn't affect the screen. That is how I set my boundaries and create a balanced, aware and safe work ethic for me.” As Dedipya Basak’s voyage unfolds, his photographs stand as poignant evidence of the resilience and hope inherent in the human spirit. With a mindful and balanced approach, he traverses the emotional terrain of his documentary work, providing viewers with profound insights into our collective human experience. view Dedipya's portfolio 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 >>> THE LIFE WITHIN THE MOUNTAIN Ten years after first seeing Larung Gar, Jing Wei returns to a changed mountain, finding continuity in faith, memory and the lives held within it. PROSCENIUM GHOSTS Said Manseur honors these young actors, their courage, and the unseen work they give to keep theatre alive against the odds. 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.

SHOOT NEW YORK CITY Leanne Staples is a passionate and driven street photographer whose honest perspective of city life captures both its simplicity and complexity. SHOOT NEW YORK CITY September 27, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Leanne Staples INTERVIEW Bill Lacey Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Successful photographers shooting on the streets of New York City possess a keen eye, an awareness of space, and instincts that put them in the right place and time to click the shutter. Not all have the passion and drive to stick with it in the way that Leanne Staples does. Her intuitive feel for the city results in a perspective of what real life truly looks and feels like. Her choices are not driven by a need for ‘likes and follows’ on social media. Rather, it is the honesty of the moment that imprints her framing of city life, both the simplicity and complexity of it. Originally from Detroit, Leanne has an attitude and approach that make her a perfect fit for the city - one could easily mistake her for a native New Yorker. A photographer, a writer, and a mentor, Leanne doesn’t limit herself to purely street photography. She also explores the world of abstract photography, in both black and white and color. She embraces both film and digital, using whatever tools suit the moment in order to realize her vision. She moves slowly, always observant, always ready to bring the camera to her eye and frame the moment. When walking the streets of midtown Manhattan, Chinatown, Coney Island, or less touristy destinations, you just might run into Leanne running a private or group workshop. Her rich understanding of the medium and her easy-going demeanor makes Leanne an in-demand educator of both novice and experienced photo enthusiasts. Glancing at her work, it’s easy to understand why. “Photography is a broad subject. I shoot street, abstract street, and abstract photography. For me, street photography is an activity. It’s about forgetting about the camera and being in the moment. Capturing what I see. It is a method of participating in life. I attempt to achieve images that match my feelings and thoughts. I do this on an intuitive or emotional level. I try to leave the intellect and the technology out of the process.” IN CONVERSATION WITH LEANNE STAPLES THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hi Leanne, please tell us about yourself. What would you say first drew you to photography? LEANNE STAPLES: I was born in Detroit, and I left there in 1978. My father gave me a camera when I was 12, and I’ve been shooting ever since then. I had no idea how important photography would become for me, but it has always been a form of communication in my life. Sometimes an image can say more than words. I am also a writer, and I started writing at the same time as photography. For the past 13+ years, I have been providing group street photography workshops, private tours, and mentoring to people of all ages and backgrounds in New York City. It is a very fulfilling experience, and it is a joy to assist people in their photographic journeys. TPL: You shoot primarily in New York City. What special qualities unique to the city influence your street photography and how you portray the community? LS: I have the great fortune to shoot in New York City. It is a dream. That said, if I had to travel to shoot, I’d either move or quit photography. I’d like to think that people can shoot wherever they live. Part of what makes New York City unique is the sheer diversity and number of people. I am a thoroughly urban person so it is ideal for my personality. That said, the title of many of my group street photography workshops is Seeing With New Eyes. I shoot the same neighborhoods over and over again, and I never tire of it. There is much more to see if you take the time to look, to actually observe your environment. Most people who live here or visit here merely skim the surface of the city. TPL: What do you want your photographs to inspire in other people? What is their “takeaway”? How do you hope people feel when viewing your work? LS: I hope that people are inspired by my photography. It’s not a given. But I shoot because it’s what I love to do. Sharing my work with others and having them like it is the icing on the cake. That is something that wasn’t possible in the days before all thing's internet and digital. I was born to create, and photography is an addictive pursuit. NOT for the technology and the consumer aspect. Street and other forms of photography are about self-expression. It is how I see the world. It is communication without words. I am happy when people can connect with my work. But I don’t try to be all things to all people. I try to please myself with my work first. I hope that my photography leaves enough space in it for people to interpret in their own way. I am not trying to convey a particular message. TPL: What is the most rewarding part of being a photographer for you? LS: The biggest inspiration is when people are shooting with me in my workshops, and they find their inspiration, and they feel comfortable shooting street and finding new methods of doing it. I’d like to think that there’s reason to hope in humanity. I often find it on the streets. To be in the middle of a melting pot surrounded by people I will never meet and are beyond the six degrees of separation. TPL: When do you feel most inspired? LS: Great question. I wish I could give you a good answer to that. A good night’s sleep. Strong coffee. Forgetting about a million things going on in the world and just observing my environment. TPL: What are some challenges that you have faced as a photographer? Sometimes I get bored of the same routine, and then I switch up how I shoot. Lately, I’ve been shooting in Auto mode and really liking it. I don’t have many challenges in photography. I think that social media is a double-edged sword. It can be helpful and harmful at the same time. I try not to take it too seriously. Some of my favorite photos get very few likes. At the same time, those that I don’t like so much get lots of likes. So now I just post and what will be will be. I have met some amazing people both virtually and in person through social media, and it’s wonderful to be featured by The Pictorial List and others. Thank you! My photography is like a journal of my life in images. It is how I participate in life. 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? Please describe your process. LS: When it comes to street photography I am careful to not have preconceived ideas about what I would like to capture. I like to be surprised by the light, the weather, and the people that I will encounter. I intentionally walk slowly. Street photography is the art of observation. If you are moving quickly you will miss the subtleties. I look for things that attract my eye. For that reason, I set my camera up and forget about it and previewing images. I want to be in the moment and ready to shoot. TPL: Do you have any favorite artists or photographers you would like to share with us and the reason for their significance? LS: I have so many favorite artists and photographers. Saul Leiter is at the top of the list. I especially like how many of his photos almost look like paintings. I also really like Gerhard Richter and how many of his paintings look like photos. When you no longer know which medium it is. Blurring the lines as it were. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day..., who would you choose? And why? LS: Robert Rauschenberg. He was a great artist and photographer, and he continues to inspire me on a regular basis. TPL: What was the first camera you ever held in your hand, brought to your eye, and released a shutter on? What is the camera you use now, and your preferred focal length? Does the equipment you use help you achieve your vision in your photography? LS: The Nikkormat was my first camera back in 1966. That said, I think I had an Instamatic before that. But, the Nikon FE was the camera that I used for many decades before my entry into digital photography. I now use a combination of cameras. Fuji X100 V, Fuji X Pro 3, Nikon FE 2, Polaroid 600, and a number of other film and toy cameras. They are all tools that provide different possibilities. These are the cameras that I am able to bond with, and they allow me to pursue my vision. TPL: Tell us about your workshops, your books, your online blogs, and any events you want us to know about. LS: I provide group street photography workshops in different areas of New York City on most weekends throughout the year. I welcome photographers of all levels of experience, and I limit my workshops to 5 people so that everyone receives individual attention. I also provide private workshops and mentoring, and in both private and group workshops I help people find their own style and see photography in new ways. Street photography is an art. There is no paint-by-number recipe for it. You just have to get out there and do it. I have a newsletter for Shoot New York City, which is the name of my one-person independent business. I have self-published 2 photo zines of my street photography, and I hope to make more if I can learn how to use the technology to make books. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to) … LS: I write, read, exercise, meditate, listen to music, spend time with art and photography books, and watch cinema.” PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> CONTOURS OF ABSENCE Where concealment unsettles recognition and ordinary spaces turn psychological, the photographs of Serhii Fett suspend identity between presence and absence. 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. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. 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. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. 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. 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.

PICTORIAL STORY INDIA'S LOST CHILDREN OF POSTMODERNISM Growing up in Varanasi, Jayesh Kumar Sharma developed a perspective shaped by place and time. His work reflects the social and cultural shifts unfolding around him, becoming the concept of his story. June 9, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography JAYESH KUMAR SHARMA story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Jayesh Kumar Sharma is a trained and educated artist and photographer, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts (2012) from the Institute of Fine Arts, Varanasi, who lives and creates important work in India. His earlier interests in painting began to shift to the medium of photography. The different processes around the medium interested Jayesh, and he found them to be the directive to nurture the inspiration in his visual storytelling. Coming from a small village in rural India, close to the city of Banaras, sheltered Jayesh from current affairs of the so-called ‘Modern World’. Jayesh moved to the city of Mumbai, inspiring him to explore many of his country's diverse regions encapsulating the wide range of cultures and traditions. These formative years of investigation led Jayesh to a world of discoveries. His travels made him aware of the myriad changes Jayesh saw sweeping across his country. Jayesh became aware of social struggles and challenges, sensitizing him to the many traditions, rituals, local sports, crafts, that have been lost forever. Jayesh shares his revelation. “The onslaught of Modernism and relentless modernisation are not only spoiling our earth but our age-old way of life through which we have been deeply connected to the earth, to ecology, to the very soil we continue to live on. To me this has been a tremendous loss, and I feel we are losing these things forever. This primeval connection once gone, will alienate us forever.” Jayesh was brought back to his beginnings as a child, looking closer at his own traditions and understanding how and why they began. “Since childhood, I have been inculcating a habit of storing and collecting things, with some rudimentary idea of preservation, be it personal or traditional. Kashi, also known as Varanasi, is an ancient city in India and perhaps the only city in the world which has had the same running cultural practices since over 2,500 years is a city which influenced my formative years. I was inspired to experience and document the nature of human society and its varying beliefs, and to capture my thoughts and present my own formulations and understanding of the same through photography. My family influence has been traditional, and in my own journey of life I have experienced many changes around me. In this fast pace of progressivism somewhere the very structures of human society are being greatly affected, much is being irretrievably lost, and all this is happening so fast. My work has been infused and coloured with these influences – both exciting and sad at the same time.” Jayesh’s photography is driven by the impact of nature and the ecological contemporary situation of human life. It fuels the fire for critical and creative thinking, awakening Jayesh, inspiring him to share his independent thoughts as he embraces traditions and cultures of his country through his visual storytelling defined through his photography. “Photography is a medium that helps me to connect with myself. Amongst all my faculties, I feel that the one I find most developed and the one that I can use most creatively is the visual, so I found a way to express my thoughts in a straight way through photography. I think that photography is on the best footing among all those inventions through which you can work to inspire and awaken the ideas of nature and the relationship to the human condition in society.” Jayesh admits photography is more of a process than a profession for him. Jayesh firmly believes that for an artist to truly develop and create new work, they must be allowed failures, they must struggle and search their souls and go through the work, to understand the inspiration. Jayesh finds meaning and inspiration in a quote from Marcel Duchamp. “I believe art is the only form of activity in which man, as man, shows himself to be a true individual, and is capable of going beyond the animal state, because art is an outlet towards regions which are not ruled by time and space.” I asked Jayesh, what inspired the concept for his project Kushti? How did he approach producing the series? “The social and cultural changes taking place in the society became the concept of my story, in which I have made a poignant and valuable contribution. Varanasi is a very ancient city, where thousands of years of traditional activities helped form the society here. This creates a platform of visual storytelling with a direct outlook of social awareness, while remaining an intimate story about culture and traditions. Disturbed by our decreasing interest in traditional arts, I became more inclined to bring new attention to these fading traditions that once defined our culture. I am involved in an effort to document the few remaining traditional arts. I have a personal connection with each story, making my connections and observations genuine and authentic. Keeping myself personally invested in the story helps me shape my visual storyline. In this project it is Kushti, the ancient form of wrestling, that I am exploring and documenting. I see it dwindling rapidly and know it will disappear within the next few years. The education imparted in childhood affects not only your character but also the character of the society. Wrestling (Traditional Wrestling) is one such medium which has played a great role in the character building of the society, it is one of the ancient arts with a history of 2500 years. This is a practice which is not just about physical prowess but places equal emphasis on the disciplining of the mind - in that sense it is a kind of yogic practice. The wrestlers were an integral part of their communities and received both financial and emotional support from the larger community as this practice was treasured as a morally important practice. In this sense the wrestlers were not just sportsmen but were upheld as men of exceptional honour. The practice becomes not only about the physical, i.e. building the body and strength, but also significant to an individual's personality and one's very soul of being. I came face to face with this unique art/sport form many years back in Varanasi when I was a university student. Wrestling is the first traditional art which made me aware of the ending of many contemporary practices. I met Anurag Kanoria of Nine Fish Art Gallery for a photographic project almost a decade ago and was amazed to find him also speaking about these lost traditions and specifically Kushti too! We had long discussions on the subject of these dying arts and what we as art practitioners could do to intercede or record them before they vanish. He was a mentor and helped me pursue this and other similar projects. In a sense, it was a happy meeting of minds. We have since been working on other projects too. The entire process has been a long one, spanning over 6 dedicated years. As this has required my involvement with a rather closed culture, it took me almost 3 years to be accepted into the ‘fold’, so to say. Over those initial years, I involved myself in the inner lives and ways of the wrestlers. As they began to shed the first layers of suspicion at my presence, they slowly began to allow me to bring in my camera. Many of the frames that finally saw the light were already formulating themselves in my mind and when I could finally click it was an exhilarating experience. These Akhadas are usually very dark places and shooting inside has always been a challenge. Many of the exercises done by the wrestlers are very early in the morning, even before the sun has risen. It took a lot of experimentation from my end to get these images to where I felt they best depicted an accurate story. My purpose was not just to document in only an academic or anthropological way, but also create aesthetic pictures that have more meaning, embodying the soul of the tradition while embracing culture and community. It was this balancing act that I have found most fulfilling.” Jayesh’s project Kushti was just exhibited at MIA Photo Fair in Milan. Jayesh’s Gallerist Niti Gourisaria from the Nine Fish Art Gallery, Mumbai, sets the stage and premise for his story. “India stands in a rather strange space vis-à-vis Modernism and postmodernism as its own particular issues with nation building are layered intensely and intricately with its own myriad, complex and often conflicting civilizational sub-histories. The advent of photography in India happened more or less at the same time as it did in the West, but while its technological history paralleled that of the West, Indian photography had its own variations and interests, and these local concerns have also consumed Indian photographers. While in the West much of the interests of photographers over the past hundred odd years was the obsession with change and modernity and the pressing need to capture the new, Indian photographers have, in light of their own experience of the modern, been shy of highlighting their own community histories of thousands of years, except through the same problematic ‘colonial’ gaze. As India strides exuberantly into the next decades along with the global world it carries with it its checkered local histories of marginalized peoples, cultures, practices, and rituals which are losing ground and identity, and will probably vanish forever in the next decade at most. These are ‘The Lost Children of postmodernism’ to coin a term, and their worlds need to be recorded for posterity and documented for remembrance. Jayesh spent six years photographing the dwindling practitioners of Kushti, an ancient style of traditional wrestling which is dying out. Now it has few takers and is gasping for survival as the lure of international style wrestling and India’s recent glories in that style of sport have attracted most young practitioners. The old mud arenas found almost in all villages, where generations practiced together, are all empty now. Kushti was not just a sport but a philosophy of life and the almost monastic lifestyles and disciplines that the young had to take on, are no longer attractive. These old gymnasiums, known as ‘akhadas’ are largely silent and wear a forlorn and extremely run-down look and the same look is often reflected on the faces of its last few practitioners.” Jayesh’s journey did not stop here. He began an insightful exploration into the subject of ‘Leela’. Leela is a local folk street theatre, acted and played out by young children on the banks of the Ganges once a year. It is peculiar to Banaras, an enriching cultural event he has been attending every year for quite some time. While observing how it is losing ground in popularity and support, Jayesh became more and more concerned that the day is near that it will cease to exist, ending a run of almost 450 years. Jayesh explains the directive behind this work. “Leela is one of the most ancient folk theatre forms in India. ‘Leela’ usually depicts the major events that took place in the life of a significant personality whether real or mythical - an avatar of God (i.e. Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, Lord Narsingh) or even a revered saint or hero. The connection of the audience with Leela is much stronger than in any other theatre form because they know the narrative and deeply identify with the hero and his story. The audience can themselves become actors in the performance as they play the crowd scenes for the theatre. It is strongly believed by the Leela lovers that the actor playing the Lord Ram (or any other God) is not a performer, but rather a God himself for that period of time. Most of the Leela performances are out in the streets or public places. The history of Indian folk drama (Leela) has originated and developed from the storehouse of Sanskrit texts (written and oral) in India. Indian folk drama is deeply rooted in Classical Sanskrit theatre and is an important component of popular culture in Banaras. This particular traditional Leela showing the tale of the childhood of Lord Krishna is performed by young children and every year with a new cast. Records show that it has been performed continuously since the last 450 years. It is also performed in the neighbouring districts of Banaras. I have started shooting it recently, but I would like to explore this further and document the same. I am particularly interested in the interaction of these child artists (who otherwise lead everyday regular lives) with the performative space of the Leela which is created to depict the sacred realm. This performative space is temporal as it is at a very crowded public place, wherein the crowd moves aside and watches the actors perform, then closes in again as the actors move on. Interestingly the play’s various scenes might be often enjoyed by a shifting audience, as not all follow the actors around the city as the play unfolds. Deeply conversant with the story of the play, it is easy for the audience to simply enjoy the part performed before them and then move on with their own lives. This transitional and highly temporal spaces of theatre overlapping so casually with the daily lives of the audience is a fascinating act in itself.” Growing up in the ancient city of Varanasi has given Jayesh a unique and authentic perspective. He has witnessed the rapid changes that his generation is being subjected to, including the deep sense of loss and disconnect that begins to filter out memory, and begins to adulterate received identities. Jayesh is concerned that the changes are too rapid and the records of what is vanishing, too thin. Jayesh wants to dedicate many more years in exploring the formations and erasure of cultural identity and memory. © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma © Jayesh Kumar Sharma We leave you with some last thoughts and a quote from Jayesh: “It is said that change is the law of nature, and that change has become a part of my nature. Changing the world means changing the experience of seeing the world, it does not mean that you will leave the real world and go to the world of dreams, I make my pictures with this stream of focus. My job is to know what the truth or reality is, but this depends on what your point of view is.” We thank Jayesh for his time and insight into their fascinating traditions. We wish them much success in their documentation and illumination of these dying cultural ways of life and character-building traditions. You can experience Leela through Jayesh’s critical eye, and respectful perception on our website in his portfolio series, ‘Theater of the Ever-Living Gods’. He has been awarded for his brilliant contributions to photography and exhibits internationally. Follow his links for even more inspiration. view Jayesh's portfolio Jayesh is represented by Nine Fish Art Gallery >>> Featuring forgotten India with ‘Kushti’ and ‘Leela’ at MIA Photo Fair 2023 Milan >>> Fotografia article >>> Jayesh's 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 >>> THE LIFE WITHIN THE MOUNTAIN Ten years after first seeing Larung Gar, Jing Wei returns to a changed mountain, finding continuity in faith, memory and the lives held within it. PROSCENIUM GHOSTS Said Manseur honors these young actors, their courage, and the unseen work they give to keep theatre alive against the odds. 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.

5 A.M. Canadian photographer Brian Douglas stepped outside of his 9 to 5 world to document people, places and livelihoods at 5 a.m. 5 A.M. Documenting the people, places and livelihoods of the night shift February 11, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Brian Douglas INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE As the sun peeks over the horizon and the stars begin to slowly fade away, a new day begins. For some of us, it's time to roll out of bed and start the daily grind. But for photographer Brian Douglas, it's time to get to work. For Brian, the early morning, just before dawn, is the ideal time for capturing stories. As a photographer, Brian has a goal to create captivating images that draw in the viewer, telling the story in its raw and honest form. Having traveled to various parts of the world, Mexico, Hawaii, Cuba as well as the East and West Coast of Canada, his camera is always ready to capture something special. But it was at his home in Ontario that Brian developed The 5 A.M. project - a passion project with an interest to step outside of his 9-to-5 world and document people, places and livelihoods at or as close to 5 a.m. as possible. While most of us are tucked away in bed or commuting to our workplaces, Brian is out there catching the moments the rest of us often miss. Join us as we explore Brian's journey and find out what inspires him to capture these stories during The 5 A.M. project. “Every day 5 a.m. passes me by. While I am asleep there is a world that I am completely detached from. When I begin settling in for the evening there are countless others getting themselves ready to start their day. From bakers and farmers to gas station attendants and factory line workers, we live in a world that never truly sleeps. Productivity and services continue to be provided while many of us are asleep and dreaming. When I wake up in the morning I can, without a second thought, enjoy freshly made bread, produce picked hours earlier or even a newly paved road.” IN CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN DOUGLAS THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Brian. In your project 5 A.M., your photographs bring together the worker and the workplace. How did bringing these together first manifest for you? Why was it important for you to incorporate both images together as a diptych for the presentation of the image as a whole? BRIAN DOUGLAS: Presenting the worker and the workspace as a diptych in 5 a.m. was a way for me to try and tell a story in one image. Far too often, in my opinion, the people behind the work go unrecognized. We may know the name of a company and enjoy their projects and/or services but how often do we get to see the person who, in some way, helped create that experience for you? By pairing them as one piece my hope was to tell more of the story. This is Doug and he brews the beer you’re currently at home enjoying. Or this is Jesse and Kate and they support some of our most vulnerable people who, for whatever reason find themselves without a stable living environment but deserve as much as anyone else love and care. TPL: What is the full story behind the project? What was the initial inspiration? BD: When I first moved to Kitchener-Waterloo over ten years ago with my wife we lived in a Loft that was once home of the Kaufman Shoe Factory. We were downtown and surrounded by this amazing industrial landscape. Kitchener was built around heavy industry but when I arrived many of the old factory spaces sat empty. The industrial landscape was changing, and I quickly found myself exploring and documenting these buildings. I knew that many would be converted into new spaces (more lofts or office spaces) or they would be torn down. I wanted, in my own way, to create a record of these buildings. These factories employees, thousands of people through their lifetime and sustained a community. I felt that story deserved to be preserved. Once I had pretty much exhausted the spaces I could access and as the work from this project was exhibited and shared within the region, I began looking for my next passion project. While reflecting on my time in those factories I would often think of how empty they were while also wondering about how alive they once were. I would imagine the connections, the conversations, the friendships, and relationships that were formed during the hours spent working within those four walls. As much as I loved creating this body of work, I knew it was missing one thing: the faces of those people. The project has given me a newfound respect for the world of work and ignited a passion in me to further explore work and industry as a theme within my photography. One night I was brainstorming out loud with my wife about what my next project should be. I knew I wanted to give a face and voice to a segment of the working world and she said, “What about night shift workers?” As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it, but I was all in! The next day I started crafting my artist statement, was on Google researching shift work jobs and not long after that 5 A.M. was born! TPL: How does 5 A.M. differ from your previous work? Is this type of visual storytelling something you would like to pursue again in future projects? What do you think is your next chapter in your exploration with future projects? BD: 5 a.m. was different from previous work in that it included portraits. Before this project started, I had not taken a portrait since grade 10 photography. Never did I consider myself to be a portrait photographer. I was terrified! Buildings don’t move. They don’t talk. They are just there. But photographing people was the exact opposite! There was a reason I never photographed them. I was scared. Felt unqualified and was 100% second guessing myself for venturing down this road. Jump forward almost 10 year (I started this project in 2013) and I cannot tell you how happy I am that I took this challenge on. Not only have a learned so much as a photographer but also personally. This was a project in which I truly leaned on my training and skills as a Social Worker: establishing connection, making people feel comfortable and at ease within our interactions together, asking questions and trying to, in my own way, get a sense of who these people are so that I could photograph them in a way that they would be proud of. I plan to, as soon as it is safe to do so, add a few more portraits to this body of work. I have some ‘wish list’ jobs I want to add to this project; a worm picker being top of my list! After that I have considered maybe a book to bring this project to an end. Before that though I hope to exhibit it more. I do have one upcoming exhibit set to be hung sometime in February. Currently I have a few new project ideas on my mind. One of those projects further expands on work and industry as a theme. The other project is purely portrait based but would incorporate some more purposeful interviews to tell stories differently, and a project I have had brewing for several years now would be a photo/video documentary titled “Anticipations: In life a death” and would very much blend my world of social work with my world of photography to tell, what I hope, would be a powerful story of what life teachers us about death and what death can teach us about life. Jan-Michael - Firefighter - Fire Station 2 - Kitchener © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Eddie - Supervisor, Operations - Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Andy - Nurse - Grand River Hospital © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Heidi - Midwife - K-W Midwifery Associates © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Bruce - Constable © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Florance - Spiritual Care Provider - Grand River Hospital © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Overnight Program Support Workers © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Mary - Housekeeper © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Dan - Dairy Farmer - Cressridge Farms © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas TPL: Brian please tell us about yourself. BD: I am a father, husband, social worker and photographer. I grew up in Holland Landing, Ontario about an hour and a half North of Toronto where my parents owned a 14-acre forest. Being able to just go outside and ‘get lost’ in the woods for hours on end was an amazing sense of freedom as a kid! At the very back of the property (the ‘neighbours' so to speak) was a small scrapyard. I would often find myself with my siblings or friends exploring the old cars and school buses and it was the first place I went when I was given a disposable camera as an elementary student for a class project. I was probably 8 or 9 years old and already an urban exploring photographer! That was like 30+ years ago but urban exploring was truly my first love as a photographer and shaped my perspective as a photographer and many of the themes of my work. I currently I live in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, where I work full-time as a social worker. I take on freelance photography/video opportunities when they present themselves, but tend to put a lot of my time and energy in to passion projects such as 5 A.M. TPL: What draws you to photography and art? How did your journey into photography begin? BD: I touched a bit on what drew me to photography in the previous question, but that first disposable camera really did give me this amazing, eye opening opportunity to capture the world around me. I do not remember much about growing up or school as a kid but this has always stood out. I still have some of those 4x6 prints kicking around somewhere! My next venture into photography was high school when I had the chance to truly learn the art of photography; rolling my own film, shooting film, developing it in the darkroom and just loving the ability to create. Although I don’t shoot film anymore, there really is nothing like watching your photograph start to slowly appear on the paper. After high school, I still did a bit of photography but lost touch with it for a bit. I didn’t have a darkroom, I was busy in University and it wasn’t until graduated and decided to purchase my first DSLR that I reconnected with my love of creating images and I haven’t stopped since! What I love about photography is the idea that we all see things in a slightly different way. I also love the challenge, especially with some of my older work, of making something that typically could be viewed as an ‘eyesore’, mundane or not worth a second glance beautiful and relevant and worth a closer look. With my more recent work such as 5 a.m. and some of the street photography I have been doing, trying to capture the essence of a person in a portrait or to make what could be seen as an otherwise ordinary moment on the streets captivating is incredibly rewarding and enjoyable! It also challenges me to grow, learn and adapt as a photographer. One of the things I enjoy about looking at the work of others is the inspiration that it gives me to push myself. There are some other local photographers who shoot the same streets I do, or who create portraits and it drives me to experiment, to look at their photographs and figure out what they are doing that draws me in to their work and how I can, in my own way and with my own style, apply some of those elements. The project has given me a newfound respect for the world of work and ignited a passion in me to further explore work and industry as a theme within my photography. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? BD: A few of my favorite local photographer would be Wayne Simpson (@waynesimpsonphoto), Dan Dunlop (@the__stash) as well as Karl Kessler who is not on any social media. I am also really inspired by Harvey Wang (@harveywang_ny) who my friend Karl introduced me too. I also really love the work of Ben Thouard (@benthouard), Clark Little (@clarklittle) and Ray Collins (@raycollinsphoto) all of whom have a focus on the ocean! TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? BD: Hmm…this is a really tough question. I’d probably want to shoot with Clark Little for a couple of reasons. The first reason is because I do love his work! But the second reason is that he is based on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. Growing up I had the privilege of travelling to Hawaii with my family on several occasions. We would frequent the North Shore to watch surf competitions, to have the waves crash on us at the beach or to sit back in awe on the days the waves were just too big to go anywhere near the water. A chance to go back AND to learn to photograph those waves from someone like him would be priceless! 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? How much post-processing do you do? BD: My gear for sure helps but I would say the lenses more so than the camera body itself although the camera itself has been important to in order to produce high quality images for print. For this project, to date, the camera body has been exclusively the Canon 5d Mark III although I have recently upgraded to the r6 as I explore more video. For the setting shots I used the Canon 16-35mm. About half the portraits were shot with a Zeiss planar 50mm, f1.4 that a close friend lent me. When he moved, I purchased a Sigma 50mm f1.4 art lens. These two lens tend to be my go to lenses for work like this. If I am on the street I do enjoy the Sigma 50mm but I also really enjoy my Canon 24-70 f2. For street photography I love my Fuji X 100V although I have been wandering with the r6 lately. But I do still reach for the Fuji when I am going out to shoot the streets! In terms of my post-processing, it is minimal. It is rare for me to longer of on an edit and if I do, I tend not to spend more than 10-15 minutes. Dariuza (Derek) - Taxi Driver - City Cabs © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Anonymous - Production - Valley Blades © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Christain - Overnight Motivator © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Chuck - Racker - Kuntz Electroplating © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Doug - Brewer - Brick Brewery © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Jason - Front Desk Ambassador © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Nanct - 9-11 Dispatch © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Patty - Baker © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Oliva - Nurse - Grand River Hospital © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Mike - Newsreader - CBC Radio Kitchener-Waterloo © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Vernon - Sales Representative - Little Short Stop © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Evelyna-Sophia, Shannon and Raina - Servers - Mel's Diner © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas Al - Tow Truck Driver - Active Towing © 5 a.m. Brian Douglas TPL: Is there any advice that you would give yourself if you started photography all over again? BD: Challenge yourself more to step outside of your comfort zones. I think I would also tell myself to create a network of other photographers who you could connect with, learn from and support each other. I probably also would tell myself to embrace social media. I think back to the urban exploring I was doing (and continued to do) long before and after Youtube, Instagram, etc. and to some of the success photographers have had on those platforms with that work. I feel like I was ahead of the game as a photographer but behind the 8-ball in my uptake of the new formats to share work. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… BD: When I am not out photographing (or working) I tend to be home (or out and about) with my family; you may also find me playing guitar or playing something on the PS4. PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> CONTOURS OF ABSENCE Where concealment unsettles recognition and ordinary spaces turn psychological, the photographs of Serhii Fett suspend identity between presence and absence. 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. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. 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. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. 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. 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.

WALKING BUENOS AIRES We take a deep dive into the journey of Alex Gottfried Bonder - an artist who has spent many years uncovering the soul of Buenos Aires through street photography. WALKING BUENOS AIRES August 16, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Gottfried Bonder INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Buenos Aires is a vibrant city known for its unique culture and colorful nightlife, and is home to street photographer, Alex Gottfried Bonder. Since his arrival in 1994, Alex has explored the urban landscape of Buenos Aires through his work, capturing moments in time that are both mundane and extraordinary. His love of street photography is driven by his curiosity and creativity; it encourages him to wander through neighborhoods that are often overlooked to discover the hidden beauty of this dynamic city. Alex’s portfolio is expansive, including participation in various exhibitions, and even a book, “Caminando Buenos Aires”, published in 2018. As an artist, he is uniquely drawn to irony and the absurd, and his photographs reflect this aesthetic. Alex has drawn inspiration from many figures in the field, but particularly admires Elliot Erwitt for his ability to capture a moment with such humor and poignancy. This interview will take a deep dive into the journey of Alex Gottfried Bonder - an artist who has spent many years uncovering the soul of Buenos Aires through street photography. Join us as we explore Alex’s creative process, inspirations, and the unique perspective he has on this historic city. “I am convinced that the pillars of my street photography are curiosity, the capacity for observation and creativity. If any of these elements were missing, it would be very difficult to obtain satisfactory results.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ALEX GOTTFRIED BONDER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Alex, welcome to The Pictorial List. Let us begin by telling us about yourself. ALEX GOTTFRIED BONDER: I was born in 1962 in Santiago de Chile. For family reasons, in 1977 I left for Israel. Since I was 15 years old, I was greatly attracted to art, so at 17 I left school and went to study fine arts at an institute in the city of Tel Aviv. I remember that I was the only minor, since due to the compulsory nature of military service, all the other students could only start studying once they had finished. In 1981, I left for Italy, also with the hope of studying fine arts. And for the next two years I studied at the “Accademia di Belle Arti de Carrara”, doing a little bit of everything, painting, drawing and sculpture. And while I did take some photos, photography was not a priority for me at the time. 1983 it was my turn to go to Switzerland, where among other things I had the opportunity to learn Vitraux techniques and also begin my experience with black and white and laboratory photography. During 1994, I moved to Buenos Aires. Although at first, I thought of dedicating myself to tourism services, things turned out differently, and shortly after I started working as a photographer at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Buenos Aires, doing what is called “dental photography”, and for the next 23 years I dedicated myself almost exclusively to that type of photography. My beginnings with street photography occurred in 2013, when I was able to buy my first compact camera, with an interchangeable lens. It was the only way to overcome the fear of going out on the streets of the city, with a camera in hand without fear of being a victim of insecurity, or of risking too valuable equipment, since it gave me the chance to put it away almost immediately, in my jacket pocket. Currently I dedicate myself almost exclusively to teaching photography courses and workshops. TPL: What would you say first drew you to photography? What is it about this medium that you still have a passion for today? How did street photography find you or how did you find street photography? AGB: I remember that from a very young age, I felt a great attraction to cameras and the magic they produced. Added to that, I always felt a need to develop creative activities, both drawing and painting, sculpture, printing, stained glass, and I even made Super 8 films. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, I was only able to start practicing photography seriously as an adult. I think that street photography attracts me and helps me in particular because it allows me, on the one hand, to satisfy that curiosity that I have to discover new places, observe people in their surroundings, feel those aromas that are so varied depending on what part of the planet you come from, perceiving colors, etc., and on the other hand, being able to generate something creative with everything I see. TPL: Could you tell us what living in Buenos Aires has inspired in your work? What special qualities unique to this city influence your street and the way you portray your community? AGB: Buenos Aires is a fascinating city, like most big cities. There is not much to add. Each city has its own idiosyncrasies, and Buenos Aires is no exception. But once again, what moves me the most is the need to get to know every corner of the city, and of course I take pictures along the way. On the other hand, I always like to repeat that Buenos Aires is the Argentine capital of the “absurd”, since we constantly find ourselves facing situations that would surely be impossible to explain, with words, to someone from another place. At first I try not to take documentary-type photographs, but rather to think that I can invent from what I call “the elements available to the photographer” which is everything I see, starting with people, buildings, advertisements, graffiti, lights and shadows etc. That is why I say that creativity is essential for my type of photography. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to keep photographing? AGB: I don't know if the correct word is “inspiration”. But what moves me is surely the expectation of ever, one day getting that unique, unrepeatable photo, better than any of the photos I've taken so far. TPL: There are two techniques that are colloquially referred to as ‘hunting’ and ‘fishing’ in street photography. When you are out on the street taking pictures, are you a ‘hunter’ or a ‘fisher’, or is it a combination of both? Please describe your process. AGB: I believe that I can be both a ‘hunter’ and a ‘fisher’, and this is clearly seen in the photos that I shared with you. The most spontaneous or candid photos are the product of a more ‘hunter’ attitude, always with the camera in hand, attentive, observing from all sides what is happening and predicting what may happen. Waiting for that ‘something’ that can happen at any moment unexpectedly. On the other hand, when I see something striking, such as a mural, graffiti, architecture, a shadow, or anything else that my imagination turns into an image, I become a ‘fisher’ waiting for someone to pass so that I can eventually finalize the ‘construction site’. There are photos like the one of the dentist with the tweezers, which has taken me several days to achieve the imagined result, since it doesn't just happen by being in the place, having the camera in hand and taking the photo. And here let me emphasize that in my humble opinion, at least in my case, both one mode and the other require a large dose of luck to accompany me, since, without it, surely I would not be able to take photos, so to speak. Then there is also the geographical factor. There are parts of the city, such as the financial sector, in which, having a high population density, it is easier to assume the ‘hunter’ mode. It's like fishing in a troubled river... On the other hand, on a Sunday morning, on a less-crowded avenue, it is surely more feasible to have a ‘fisherman’ attitude since we will have more time available to imagine and mentally assemble possible photos. Personally I think that the ‘hunter’ type photos tend to be more original and unrepeatable, while the ‘fisher’ type are usually more creative but not so unrepeatable. It is for this reason that I do not show several of my photos until a few years have passed, when it is totally impossible to take a similar shot. TPL: What is the most rewarding part of being a street photographer for you? What are some of the challenges that you have faced? AGB: I think the most satisfying thing that can happen to me as a photographer is to see my photos framed on a gallery wall, appreciated by viewers. See the smile on their faces as they look at my photos. When it comes to challenges, there always are. Daily. It may be gathering enough courage to go and discover marginal neighborhoods, considered unsafe, or having lost the fear, or rather the shame of asking permission to take a close-up portrait of strangers. A daily challenge, and enormous, is to try not to repeat photographs already taken a thousand times, not to turn my photography into a kind of craft. Look for originality. The construction of an image does not only involve the person or people who are in the frame, but also the environment that accompanies it. TPL: Is it impossible for you not to be constantly on the lookout for a moment to be captured? AGB: From the moment I leave my house I become a 360° camera. 😉 The question is how long one can be 100% focused on street photography. TPL: Where would you say your curiosity for people comes from? AGB: Some people are naturally curious and some are not. I am curious. And that includes curiosity about the behavior of people, in the environment in which they are. But again, the construction of an image does not only involve the person or people who are in the frame, but also the environment that accompanies it. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day..., who would you choose? And why? AGB: Yes of course. First I would put Elliott Erwitt. His unique gaze has always fascinated me. His sense of irony is incredible. Then, there is something in Sergio Larraín's work that I also like a lot. And I cannot fail to mention André Kertész, Josef Koudelka, etc. But normally I try to refrain from making this type of list, since it is impossible to name all those who in one way or another deserve to be named. AGB: Well, if the question is about photographers from the past, surely Elliot Erwitt. But I would also have liked to be able to share with Richard Sandler a tour of the New York subways in the 80's. TPL: What was the first camera you ever held in your hand, brought to eye, and released a shutter on? What is the camera you use now and your preferred focal length? Is there anything on your wishlist? AGB: 1980…I bought my first camera. An Olympus OM10. I currently use the micro four thirds format with a 35mm (equivalent) lens. With respect to wanting to buy something more modern or different, the truth is that I am already at that stage in which I realize that no new camera is going to improve my photographs in any way. My limitations are in myself, they are not technological (I read it somewhere...). TPL: Are there any special projects that you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? What are some of your photography goals for the next 3-5 years? AGB: If it can be defined as a project, it could mention being able to have (remarkable) street photos taken in each of the 48 neighborhoods of the city. Another project that I am slowly starting to work on is the publication of my second book on street photography in Buenos Aires. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to) ... AGB: When I'm not taking photos in the streets...I'm deleting most of the photos I took…haha...but I like movies and rock music.” Thank you very much TPL for the opportunity to exhibit my work. PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> CONTOURS OF ABSENCE Where concealment unsettles recognition and ordinary spaces turn psychological, the photographs of Serhii Fett suspend identity between presence and absence. 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. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. 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. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. 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. 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.

I am a 57 year old self-taught photographer based in València. I have been taken photographs since I was twenty - friends, family, travels...working in some photo labs and doing some reports. Later, I stopped taking photographs for some years....and then recently I found street photography. JOSE MARCO LULL I am a 57 year old self-taught photographer based in València. I have been taken photographs since I was twenty - friends, family, travels...working in some photo labs and doing some reports. Later, I stopped taking photographs for some years....and then recently I found street photography. LOCATION Valencia SPAIN CAMERA/S Fuji XE2, X100T @MARCO_LULL FEATURES // What Strikes a Chord

Me interesan las personas y el lugar en el que habitan con todo su entorno social y en cualquier ámbito. Todos tienen alguna historia que contarnos, nos guste más, o nos guste menos. La fotografía es la herramienta mágica que puede captar un instante único. ​I am interested in people and the place where they live with all their social environment and in any environment. Everyone has a story to tell us, we like it more, or we like it less. Photography is the magic tool that can capture a unique moment. FELICIA OLIVARES Me interesan las personas y el lugar en el que habitan con todo su entorno social y en cualquier ámbito. Todos tienen alguna historia que contarnos, nos guste más, o nos guste menos. La fotografía es la herramienta mágica que puede captar un instante único. I am interested in people and the place where they live with all their social environment and in any environment. Everyone has a story to tell us, we like it more, or we like it less. Photography is the magic tool that can capture a unique moment. LOCATION Valencia SPAIN CAMERA/S Canon 400D, Canon G11, Samsung Note 8 FEATURES // Curious By Nature

I was raised in the suburbs of New Jersey, a short bus ride from New York City. I earned a PhD in Biochemistry from Columbia University, but left the field of molecular biology research to raise my family. After leaving research, I took an interest in photography and began taking classes at ICP and other online platforms. I honed my skills through many photography trips all over the world. My photography spans several genres including street photography, landscape photography and long exposure cityscapes. Currently my focus is a series of candid portraits of strangers captured on the streets of New York City. The people in the photographs all possess a characteristic, gesture, or physical trait that I identify as parts of my own story. The series is a composite of pieces of her life – a self-portrait. B JANE LEVINE I was raised in the suburbs of New Jersey, a short bus ride from New York City. I earned a PhD in Biochemistry from Columbia University, but left the field of molecular biology research to raise my family. After leaving research, I took an interest in photography and began taking classes at ICP and other online platforms. I honed my skills through many photography trips all over the world. My photography spans several genres including street photography, landscape photography and long exposure cityscapes. Currently my focus is a series of candid portraits of strangers captured on the streets of New York City. The people in the photographs all possess a characteristic, gesture, or physical trait that I identify as parts of my own story. The series is a composite of pieces of her life – a self-portrait. LOCATION New York City UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Sony a9 and a7 WEBSITE https://www.bjanelevinephotography.com/ @BJANELEVINE FEATURES // Nod of Recognition

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, I moved to Zagreb in 1992 after completing my B.A. majoring in Music and French. As I had always had an interest in photography, I attended courses at the Zagreb Photo Club in 1995 to improve my skills. However, due to work and family obligations, I hung up my camera for many years but once again took up photography four years ago after completing the Camino de Santiago. I am most interested in black and white street and documentary photography and like to document ordinary everyday people and scenes. MARY PILAS Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, I moved to Zagreb in 1992 after completing my B.A. majoring in Music and French. As I had always had an interest in photography, I attended courses at the Zagreb Photo Club in 1995 to improve my skills. However, due to work and family obligations, I hung up my camera for many years but once again took up photography four years ago after completing the Camino de Santiago. I am most interested in black and white street and documentary photography and like to document ordinary everyday people and scenes. LOCATION Zagreb CROATIA CAMERA/S Nikon D750 WEBSITE http://www.themarvelsofdailylife.com/ @THE.MARVELS.OF.DAILY.LIFE FEATURES // Broken Heart Ghost Busters The Marvels of Daily Life

STORIES TO REMEMBER Jimmy Spaceman is a social documentary photographer whose projects have captured many powerful images documenting life in real time. STORIES TO REMEMBER July 30, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jimmy Spaceman INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE In an increasingly digitalised world, social documentary photographer Jimmy Spaceman stands out for his commitment to conveying important stories through the honest representation of people and everyday life. Jimmy's powerful images of Palestinians crossing Israeli Checkpoints in the Westbank, capturing life in Mumbai's Dharavi Slum India, and other works have been used in the political theatre play 'My Jerusalem', featured on Broad Magazines Instagram page weekly special, and have been the subject of a main feature on The Dummy's Tales blog magazine. His work is an ever-evolving journey of personal growth and a journey to make social change through photography. In this interview, we speak to Jimmy Spaceman about his life as a social documentary photographer, his unique approach to photography, and his mission to capture and convey powerful stories through powerful imagery. Join us as we delve deeper into the mind and work of this talented photographer. “I currently live in Sheffield, but I am originally from Merseyside in the United Kingdom. I became interested in photography around ten years ago. I am also a musician. I found myself taking photos of mates' bands at events where we putting on at the time. This led on to a passion for street photography, which became the training ground for my social documentary work. I try to get out with my camera daily or at least as often as I can. I have always had a day job during my creative adventures. I do gardening jobs and a bit of painting and decorating to pay the bills and fund to any photographic adventures. It’s a hard way of doing things I suppose, I am often physically tired after work, but whilst grafting I am usually dreaming of my next adventure. I carry a camera with me at all times.” IN CONVERSATION WITH JIMMY SPACEMAN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Jimmy, documentary photography is important to you but you also do some street photography. Talk to us about the similarities and the differences between both genres. What happens when you go out with your camera? Do people respond positively to you, or do you sometimes get negative reactions? If yes, how do you handle it? JIMMY SPACEMAN: I love the ability to pause a moment in time. Not staged one, a real moment in time. Recording history correctly including life’s emotion, humour, sadness, ups and downs. Whilst I’m out on daily street photography walks, I like to give myself little challenges such as window reflections shots or each photo must contain purple. I think little games like these help to develop your "photographer's eye". Photographing people can be difficult, you definitely need to be street wise. On occasion, in the UK, people can get paranoid or annoyed. I feel that I have a good rapport with people in general and I treat people with respect. Most of the time I do take the photo and worry about the reactions later. Humour always comes in handy. I won’t just take a photo of a homeless person and walk off I will hang out with them for a while and make sure they are happy (and usually buy them some food). I nearly always try and show the image to the subject. If I get any negative reactions I just quickly move on and apologise. One time I took a photo of a butcher in Sheffield market chopping some meat and the staff all got annoyed with me. They all had their meat cleavers raised. I hung around and explained myself and apologised for the distress I had caused them. I explained that I was working on a project showing hard working people in Yorkshire. They were worried about my motives. There was way less photography paranoia in India. I had people jumping in front of my camera and wanting me to take photos of their friends and family. I suppose when out doing street photography I am looking for the photo, but with my documentary photography it is more about the project as a whole. When I was spending time in Dharavi Slum, I was generally trying to make friends and contacts with the residents and workers. I spent time getting to know my subjects and gaining their trust. Two years later I am still in contact with people from Dharavi. I do find it wonderful the people and places my camera has taken me! TPL: Talk to us about your process on what makes a documentary series. What experience would you like your viewers to come away with after viewing your series? JS: I like the idea of making positive change with photography. Giving people a voice who wouldn’t otherwise have one. Truth. I see so much misinformation in the media, everyone has an agenda. I want my work to be honest and heartfelt. I have no hidden agenda apart from documenting life in front of me. I do lots of research beforehand. Knowledge can show and gain respect, whilst a lack of knowledge can be potentially dangerous. TPL: How has COVID-19 impacted you personally and your work? JS: Covid has affected everyone in the world. Early in 2021 I lost one of my best friends. She was a care worker and died at the age of 45. This was before any lockdown. I also lost my uncle aged 56. He had no underlying health issues and was a massive influence on me. He was an amazing colourful character who always nurtured and encouraged my creativity. The obvious travel restrictions have hindered most people’s plans. Personally I spent this time re-exploring my local surroundings and using it as an opportunity to brush up on camera techniques, and of course plotting future photography projects. TPL: Where has been the most significant place that you have photographed? What did you take away from this experience? JS: I photographed checkpoints at the West-bank with an organisation called Machsom Watch. Photography was prohibited in some military areas, so I had to be discreet. Machsom Watch is a volunteer organisation of Israeli women who are peace activists. They oppose the Israeli occupation in the area known as the West Bank and oppose the appropriation of Palestinian land and denial of Palestinian human rights. They support the right of Palestinians to move freely in their land and oppose the checkpoints which severely restrict Palestinian daily life. Since 2001 they have been observing and reporting on the occupation. On a daily basis, they monitor the West Bank Checkpoints. What struck me was how young the Israeli Soldiers were, some looked only about 18 years of age. National service is mandatory for all Israeli citizens over the age of 18. Most of the Soldiers were not comfortable with me taking photographs so I had to be careful, although one soldier shouted “Pink Floyd” at me and signalled a peace symbol. Most of the Palestinians I met on the other hand seemed happy to have their photographs taken. Some of my Israel Palestine photos were used in a political theatre piece by Avital Raz - "My Jerusalem", which has toured around the UK. I feel that as a photojournalist or social documentary photographer I don’t take sides. I want peace for everyone. I know both Palestinians and Israelis and treat them both with equal respect. I felt privileged to be able to photograph part of a conflict. I don’t feel I should take “sides”, especially when it isn’t my conflict. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JS: Suzanne Stein…I love Rob Bremner’s work. He has captured Liverpool and Merseyside throughout the 80’s and 90’s (reminds me of my childhood)…Vivian Maier, Josef Koudelka, Martin Parr, Don McCullin, and the list goes on... I love the ability to pause a moment in time. Not staged one, a real moment in time. Recording history correctly including life’s emotion, humour, sadness, ups and downs. 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? JS: I own a Canon 70D, and a couple of lenses, but I am thinking about moving over to Fuji. I invested in a large iMac, I love working with a big screen, although for my street photography and social documentary work I do very minimal editing, a slight bit of cropping, if that. I like to get it right in the camera. I also have a Canon pro-1000 printer, which has blown my mind seeing my work in print and has definitely impacted the way I do my photography. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? JS: As a photographer I hope to have many more adventures. I am planning another visit to Dharavi Slum as soon as possible to do a follow up project investigating the effects Corona has had on one of the world's poorest and overpopulated slums. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? JS: I have been preparing for an exhibition of my work in Sheffield of my time in Dharavi. I am trying to also include a live video feed directly from the Slum with some local residents. We have been working out technical issues, and are aiming for a Q&A session during the exhibition, with some of the subjects of my photos. I feel that this could be a great collaboration and will also help them out as I will pay them a UK salary for their time. Covid obviously delayed these plans and a couple of galleries I know have even had to close. I am also working on my first photo book which is nearing completion. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… JS: I make Electronic Ambient Music in my spare time." PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> CONTOURS OF ABSENCE Where concealment unsettles recognition and ordinary spaces turn psychological, the photographs of Serhii Fett suspend identity between presence and absence. 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. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. 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. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. 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. 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.

UNDER THE COVERS WITH AMERICAN BEDROOM Barbara Peacock, opens the door to her subjects' bedroom, revealing their intimate thoughts and emotions. Discover the confidence and trust shared between the photographer and subject for an authentic and inspiring experience. UNDER THE COVERS WITH AMERICAN BEDROOM REFLECTIONS ON THE NATURE OF LIFE July 4, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Barbara Peacock INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Barbara Peacock is an assignment photographer living in Portland, Maine. She studied fine arts at Boston University School of Fine Arts, and photography and filmmaking at The School for the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University. She began as a street photographer and gradually became an assignment lifestyle photographer. Barbara began finding the threads of her hometown tapestry with a project that began in 1982 culminating with a published book in 2015, ‘Hometown’. A thirty-year photographic project that explores the community of the small town where she grew up and continued to live as an adult, Westford Massachusetts. Her photography examines life as she lived it, through the valued personal experiences with people she interacted and worked with, socially engaging on a day-to-day basis. We often walk through our daily lives, without paying close attention to the people we encounter, and the valuable contributions they make to our existence, even in their simplicity. While documenting community events and daily life Barbara exposes the simple realities that help shape the way we engage the world. She asks us to not just look but to see the important contributions inspired by the community. She asks us to open our eyes, as well as our hearts, respect old traditions, while we discover and make new ones, admire our neighbors, and lead with a handshake. Barbara gives back to her community through her visual storytelling, becoming an important thread in the fabric of her community. We have the privilege of sharing Barbara’s current project, which was started in 2016, inspiring the book: American Bedroom - Reflections on the Nature of Life. This exploration is an anthropological examination of American culture spanning across the continental United States of America. Barbara invites us into one of the most sacred and private spaces where humanity exists. Where the door is often closed, securing the contents and protecting the intimacy we nourish as individuals, and share as partners, or families. It is where we dream, celebrate our personal triumphs, nourishing our bodies and minds. It is the space and place we retreat to in times of despair, where we heal from sickness, repair emotionally, replenish when depleted, finding absolute comfort in. ‘American Bedroom’ stories open the door respectfully, giving the subjects the opportunity to authentically communicate this intimacy honestly and openly, unreservedly. ‘American Bedroom’ breaks through the many barriers we create in our society. Barbara opens the door of a bedroom, illuminating the intimate thoughts, revealed through the bodies and souls of her subjects. The naked truth is open for interpretation, and inspiration. The confidence and trust shared between the photographer and subject are unique, allowing the photograph to exist, without feeling like it has been created. Its powerful message lies in the authenticity of the moments shared between the photographer and subjects; this is the magic that Barbara shares with us. We are grateful to have the opportunity to ask Barbara about the connections she has made and the contributions she offers to help define humanity through her photography in the landscape of the American Bedroom. “When physical bedroom doors are opened to me there is a veil of religion, politics, and ideologies that is mysteriously and magically lifted. What remains, is the bare soul of human life, a story, and purity of heart that rises like cream to the top. This is not a look at our differences, although there may be many, it is about our likenesses, our loves, our dreams, and all the threads of commonality that connect us as human beings.” IN CONVERSATION WITH BARBARA PEACOCK THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Barbara, thank you for your time, and for your candor answering our questions. We find your work to be a powerful statement about American culture in the 21st century. Please tell our readers a little about Barbara Peacock, where you are from, and your connection to your community. BARBARA PEACOCK: I live in a small town in Maine outside of Portland. I moved here six years ago before that I lived in Massachusetts for all of my life. I had a portrait studio in a very small town, so I knew everyone, and it was a nice community where I photographed the people for over 30 years while I was raising my children and working as a professional photographer. My first body of work was called ‘Hometown’ which was a documentary about the town I grew up. My community up here in Maine has much closer ties to my immediate family and a few local families that I’ve met and become close to. TPL: When did you first pick up a camera, when was it obvious you were not going to put it down? Who was your biggest influence in the way you see through your lens? BP: I first picked up a brownie camera when I was four or five years old and took pictures of the family pets and my siblings. My dad had a 35mm camera which he would not allow me to use until I turned 16, but there are pictures of me running with that camera and bringing it to him. I think he was in the garden and wanted to photograph something and had me go get it, so I love that picture because it shows a determined young girl. I kept asking my father if I could get a 35mm camera, when I was a little bit older, he said that if I earned half the money, he would pay the other half. When I was about 14, I got a job in a bakery for the Summer and saved all my money and at the end of the Summer, my dad and I drove into Boston and I picked out my first camera, which was a Canon camera with a 50mm lens. When I was in high school, we had a dark room and a really enthusiastic art teacher that I really connected with, he was a great influence. He taught us how to process black-and-white film, and how to print it, and I ended up as the high school photographer for the yearbook. After that, I went to art school and it was mostly drawing, painting, and sculpture for two years as photography was not part of that curriculum. Since I missed photography quite a bit, I transferred to the Museum School in Boston where I could do photography and filmmaking. I had already been influenced by the photographs in ‘The Family of Man’ by Dorothea Lange and Walker Evans but now at the new school, I was introduced to Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Frank, Eugene Smith, Helen Levitt, Diane Arbus, Bruce Davidson, Gary Winograd etc., and I was taken by street photography. Although I worked as a commercial photographer for many years, I continued to pursue shooting ‘Hometown’ in the pure style and adherence of the school of street photography. Eventually, I was able to study with Mary Ellen Mark, Eugene Richards, and Ernesto Bazan. TPL: What was your first connection to the community, even as a little girl? What was the spark that ignited this fire that has become an inspirational element that has become the backbone and structure of your work? BP: The spark was what I mentioned above about my dad having this camera, and the fact that we had these brownie cameras around the house with black and white film, and every once in a while, little photographs with scalloped edges, would appear on the kitchen table and my brothers and I would gather around completely fascinated. So, for me, it all started back then. It seemed magical and I was completely connected to it. But also, I think the fact that I was so connected to our small town was because I walked everywhere as a kid (Back then we used to walk everywhere, my mom never gave us a ride even in snowstorms!). As I said in Hometown “The very essence of the town penetrated my soul through the soles of my feet.” So, when it was time to build a body of work, I decided to turn my camera to what I knew which was my ‘Hometown.’ 'Laverne and James' © Barbara Peacock 'Claire and Tee' © Barbara Peacock 'Cai and Claire' © Barbara Peacock 'Sonia' © Barbara Peacock 'Alexander and Grace' © Barbara Peacock 'Dale' © Barbara Peacock 'Micah and Kody' © Barbara Peacock 'Chloe' © Barbara Peacock TPL: Tell us more about the diversity in what you photograph. What are the Pros and Cons of flexibility required to successfully achieve this. What is the constant or connecting thread you have found throughout all the frames you have constructed? BP: It’s always about people and being open to their stories and lives. In the case of ‘Hometown’ I was more of a fly on the wall, trying to capture life as it unfolded in front of me. In that case it was more of a casual head nod or a conversation after the fact. For ‘American Bedroom’, once someone was willing to allow me to come into their bedroom it more or less became what I call ‘a song and a dance.’ By that I mean the song is keeping a conversation going while I assess the light and address the technical, (you have to make it look easy and seamless). The ‘dance’ part is to keep that going while I shoot so they become less nervous or self-aware. The pros are that I have had the opportunity to meet so many people who open up about their lives so they can tell their story for the world to see. There really aren’t many cons since all of this is an incredibly privileged and humbling experience and opportunity. Once in a while, I travel a long way to photograph someone who ghosts me, but that kind of thing happens. You have to stay focused on the project as a whole and not allow yourself to get dragged down by the bumps in the road. The constant thread with all the images I have taken is the storytelling of human lives. TPL: Your photography that we have shared focuses on the fabric of American society. You find common threads that create unique patterns weaving an authentic tapestry of American culture. Barbara, please introduce your project ‘American Bedroom’ to us. What inspired the concept for ‘American Bedroom’? BP: The genesis of ‘American Bedroom’ began one spring morning when I was looking out my bedroom window to view my garden. When I turned, I saw my husband wrapped up in bed linens, bathed in low amber light, looking like a Renaissance painting. The caveat was his snore mask which created a dichotomy of the classical and the contemporary. I chuckled a little, as I sat back in bed with my coffee ‘Rebirth of naturalism’ from art history was spinning around my head. I began to complete the scene in my head as to where and how I would be if this was a photograph. Then my mind began to consider the contents of our bed stands with books, water, sleep aids, notebooks for midnight thoughts, and the coffee ring stains. I thought, in a non-secular way, God is in the details. My eyes drifted to my dresser with family photos of the kids and pets, ceramic birds that were my mother's, and a jewelry box where I knew there were treasured love notes from my children tucked away for bittersweet walks down memory lane. TPL: Talk us through the narrative of ‘American Bedroom’ - what journey are you taking us on? What is the full story behind the project? BP: The story behind ‘American Bedroom’ is the people. I am taking you on the journey one bedroom at a time, while the people are completing the journey with their stories. This is a glimpse of America and Americans at this time in our history. TPL: After the concept, what was the process you went through to make this a real project? What are some successes, and what are some learning curves, or advice you can share that was a valuable lesson you learned? BP: After I formed the initial concept, I asked friends and family what they thought of the idea. Everyone was enthusiastic about it. I began to ask people if they would be my subject and to my amazement some said yes. My first photograph for ‘American Bedroom’ was of a young girl named Jessica. I met her at an outdoor flea market. She gave me her name on a little piece of paper. About a month went by and I finally made a date to photograph her. I knew several things before I started. I knew it would be a wide lens so I could get all of life’s little details in the frame, (the whole project was shot with a 24mm lens). I also knew I would be using a tripod since I would often be in low-light situations. It is also important to mention that ‘American Bedroom’ is not a true documentary, but more of a melding of photography and painting - and that I would allow myself to move things and potentially help the subject’s pose. Jessica was beginner's luck in a lot of ways. I created my first image exactly how I imagined it. I began sharing the images on social media - Facebook and Instagram. People responded positively and enthusiastically. I continued shooting locally and then made my first journey to The South. Once I had about 15 strong images I applied for grants. In 2017 I won the Getty Editorial Grant, and the project was off and running. There is much I have learned. Too much to put down here but I think the most profound thing I learned was that I became a conduit for the voice of the people and that the project was much bigger than me. Also, it was key to use social media to get the work out into the world. The project gained international attention and has been written about in approximately 30-40 feature articles. I have been interviewed for 3 podcasts, have had two museum shows, and sold prints to collectors. In the end, this did not equate to book sales. There was some kind of disconnect. My advice is to try hard to get gallery representation. Both here and in Europe. And, to broaden the reach beyond photographers. TPL: How did you find your willing subjects? Was there a selection process you went through? Talk to us about your method and experimentation before the final images in your project. Did you know how you wanted the project to look? How long did each image take to create? BP: Initially, I photographed family and friends and local willing subjects. To broaden my search, I would post on Facebook / Instagram where I was traveling to and ask folks if they had any connections there. Once on location I would go to small towns and find local diners, hair salons, and hardware stores, where everyone knew everyone. Often, I would leave small cards that had a little about the project and my contact info. I would meet people along the way, and they knew people. So, there were a myriad of ways to meet willing subjects. Most sessions last about an hour. I try to always shoot from two different angles. I don’t experiment more than that. As I said previously, I use one lens - a 24mm. There is so much going on within the 4 walls and the subject(s) that my concentration is mainly on how to create the strongest composition, harness the best light and tell this human story uniquely. I often made a habit of having coffee or taking them out to eat or just talking for a long while. Another thing I learned is that there are a lot of lonely people who would like someone to sit with, to stay a little longer. Once I am processing the images, I look at each image for expression, gesture, and focus. I choose my selections by giving them a 2-star. When I go back for round two, (usually a few days later), I then give my favorites a 3 star. I review those and pick anywhere from one to three images, and these give a 4 star. Once I have the subject's personal statement, I share an image on social media. Sometimes there is clearly one winning image that stands out and that is always wonderful. TPL: What is your take away from your visual story exploration? What have you learned about the American Bedroom? What do you wish readers to learn through your photography? BP: Yesterday I was telling a woman I had just met, a few of the background stories of two of the people I have photographed. She got goosebumps and teared up. She held herself tight for a few moments and this was without seeing the photographs. I think such raw and authentic human emotion is one of the most beautiful things on this earth. It is pure and real and can never be denied. These stories are humanistic tales of living in this country, at this time. I hope to not only give these people a voice but to give them, (and those like them), the power to be seen and to speak deeply to the viewer to gain empathy, emotion, and a silent respectful communion. For those suffering, growing, lost, addicted, alone, loving, learning, grieving, yearning, dreaming, and even content, there is a fellow kinship and identity that holds power. The power found in human connection. 'Laura and Spencer' © Barbara Peacock 'Hope and Kurt' © Barbara Peacock 'Jessica' © Barbara Peacock 'Pepere' © Barbara Peacock 'MEK' © Barbara Peacock 'Kalastas Family' © Barbara Peacock 'The Layfayette Family' © Barbara Peacock 'Billy' © Barbara Peacock 'The Mathews Family' © Barbara Peacock TPL: Share with our community why projects are important, what have they brought to your work? Was the first step the hardest? What was the first step? Is there a last step? BP: Projects are important for the soul of the creator and for the audience. If you are an artist, of any type, you simply need to create. It is hardly a choice. It is how we live our lives. It is what allows us to breathe. That might sound dramatic, but it is quite true. The observer is allowed to use their curiosity and imagination to view work and form their opinions. It can open worlds for people who may not have had an opportunity to experience something firsthand or would not have the proclivity to do so, to begin with. The first step is simply doing something. Take a chance. Formulate the idea and then begin. I’m not sure if the hardest step is the first, but rather when you are in the middle of a big project it can become difficult to go on. There are conclusions to projects. Creating a book for a body of work is more or less a final step. There may be gallery and museum shows and book signings, but the creating of imagery for the project - that part is over. TPL: What projects do you have planned for the future? Will American culture be the inspiration? BP: Yes. There will be one more American story to complete a trilogy of American projects. I don’t have the total concept down, but it will be centered on women. TPL: When you are not out making these connections through your photography, what is Barbara doing? Do you escape to your bedroom? What does Barbara’s bedroom say about Barbara? What might we be surprised to find? BP: My home and my family are my lifeline. I am married and we have three wonderful grown sons. We are fortunate to live in close proximity to them. Our lives overlap all the time, and it is truly a blessing. I’ve done nothing more important in my life than to give life. I have some lovely flower gardens and my office looks over a deck with flowers, birds, and hummingbirds that come and go all day. In the winter my world is full of beautiful snowfalls. I love to read, draw and paint and I am always at peace when I find the time to do so. I also have written a few screenplays and hope to direct a film next year. I listen to a huge variety of music; it is incredibly important to me. I have playlists for all different times of the day with everything from classical, jazz to rock. You will always find my bed made with pretty pillows. My bedroom is light, airy, and pretty. I don't spend much time there, but I like it to be comfortable and pleasant and welcoming for an occasional afternoon nap with a book and my cat, and for nighttime sleeping. PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> CONTOURS OF ABSENCE Where concealment unsettles recognition and ordinary spaces turn psychological, the photographs of Serhii Fett suspend identity between presence and absence. 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. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. 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. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. 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. 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.

PICTORIAL STORY REBELS FOR A CAUSE September 25th, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography by Tris Story by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link We humans are quite good at driving other species to extinction. We kill them, often illegally. We overfish our oceans and disturb the natural balance of marine species by pollution. As a species, we grow and grow and grow. In the 1960s there were 3 billion people in the world, and we are most likely going to see the global population reach 9 billion soon. And these people are consuming more and more of the earth's resources to sustain an ever more consumption-rich lifestyle. We pollute through industrial operations. We destroy almost all natural habitats. 75 percent of the land that is not covered by ice has been changed by humans. We emit so many greenhouse gases that we are looking at a global average temperature rise of 3-4 degrees, which has massive impacts that are already being felt in some of the world: more fires, more droughts, more severe storms and other disasters, and by consequence, more species extinctions. Around 1 million animal and plant species are estimated to be under threat of extinction, more than ever before in human history. Many will have died out by the time a baby born today graduates from primary school. It is worse than expected, happening much faster than ever before. According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) nature has been subject to an unprecedented rate of global change during the past 50 years. "The evidence is that unless immediate action is taken, this crisis has grave impacts for us all," warns David Attenborough in the recent and highly recommended BBC One documentary Extinction: The Facts . “The health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever. We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide.” - Sir Robert Watson, Chair of the IPBES. Looking at all the harm we have done and continue to do, it is so easy to despair and lose hope. I often just want to throw in the towel or stick my head in the sand. But we cannot, we must not let things slide, not for ourselves, not for our children. We cannot look away from our own behaviours. We need to think of what we consume, and how much of it, and where it comes from. After all, there is no evidence that the purchase of just one more gadget makes us happy. This includes what we eat, and how much of the food we buy we end up throwing away. We actually waste about forty percent of the food that is produced globally, so agricultural sustainability is also about reducing that food waste. Scientific evidence of the impact of our food systems on the environment clearly indicates that with adjustments of how we farm and what we eat, we could really improve the prospects for climate and species dramatically. We do not all have to turn vegetarian, but we can think about whether we really need to eat meat as often as we do, or cut back on dairy products, and if we can, buy from organic sources (which, if we are talking about eating meat, also to some extent and depending on the country you live in, may ensure better farm animal welfare). So I try to be conscious of my own behaviours and how it contributes to that huge human footprint. It is pretty bad. My family owns a car. We occasionally fly for a long distance vacation. But I do try to reduce my personal impact. I sold my second car and started biking or taking public transport to work. I became a vegetarian only this year, and before that I ate meat rarely and only from organic sources. I plant insect-friendly flowers and herbs, and I do not use any insecticides on them. I lowered the thermostat by one degree in the winter to save energy, and we produce some of the electricity we use with photovoltaic panels. Those are little things, but they are a start. Many of us do care, and many of us want to make a difference, and we can. Not only with our consumption, but also by speaking up. How is it that policy makers can act decisively on issues such as Covid-19 (because some really have done so), but not on issues that are just as important and that affect all our futures? It is because all they often worry about is the next election, and because it takes a very strong outpour of public discontent to make politicians change tack from business as usual. The impact of Covid-19 is being felt here and now, it is very immediate and in our face. But the impacts of climate change and species extinction are not being felt so immediately, at least not in the rich countries, where consumption is highest (although one could argue that the drastic bushfires in Australia last year, and now in California, are already impacts of climate change). Ironically, there is a connection between this global pandemic and the environmental destruction we have wreaked on the planet, something that is well understood by wildlife veterinarians using a one health approach. Pandemics, ecology, and climate are interlinked in a delicate network. What we have done to our environment makes us, and wild animals, sick, and it displaces both wild animals and humans. In such conditions, diseases can easily take hold and in some cases, such as with Covid-19, jump from animals to humans, becoming zoonotic diseases. And still, despite all scientific evidence, politics is painfully slow in reacting to the crisis. They make statements, big words that sound promising, but little action follows. So how can one get policy makers to act decisively? Protest, protest, protest. For real transformational change, politicians have to see a massive groundswell of citizens rising up to show they care about these issues, and the politics has to follow suit by making policies that provide the right kinds of incentives on a path towards more sustainable ways of living on our only home, this planet. This is why several protest movements have been taking to the streets for. Such movements are not new, but the most noteworthy spark that brought millions of young people into the streets has been provided by Fridays for Future, a global climate strike movement that started in August 2018, when 15-year-old Greta Thunberg began a school strike for climate. "Our house is on fire!" - Greta Thunberg That young student's action created a wave of strikes that have by now spread to 7,800 cities in 218 countries with 14 million strikers. These are truly rebels for a cause that is important to all of humanity. Today, on 25 September 2020, Fridays for Future is organising another Global Day of Climate Action. The students have by now been frequently joined and supported by adults, including teachers for future and scientists for future. Another protest movement created around the same time as Fridays for Future is focusing on extinction and the global environmental damage wreaked by humans: Extinction Rebellion. Their concerns are the same, but they argue that it is necessary to go “beyond politics”. Established in the United Kingdom in May 2018, with about one hundred academics signing a call to action, Extinction Rebellion is a non-partisan, but not unpolitical, international movement that uses non-violent direct action to try to entice governments towards ecologically sensible politics. While the issues are global, the UK movement organisers demand that governments acknowledge the current climate and biodiversity crisis, act now to halt species extinction and climate change, and that the government make policies based on a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice, rather than based on interest lobbies and party politics. Their concept of a Citizen's Assembly may seem far out there, but is in their words the “fairest and most powerful way to cut through party politics”. It is also not completely unprecedented, as they cite examples of successful assemblies from a range of countries, including Ireland, Canada, Australia, Belgium and Poland. In London, and globally, members of the movement also organise colourful protest marches to raise awareness on this global cause. Extinction Rebellion members will even go to the extent of allowing themselves to be arrested. © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks © Colourbricks The colourful protests are of course eye-catching, but they are hopefully much more than that. These new protest movements are reminiscent of the civic protests of the 1960s in the United States, which did bring about a lot of change. Because the outcome of the current peaceful rebellions is of great concern to all of humanity, we have to do our very best to strengthen and increase such protests, so as not to let politicians off the hook anymore when it comes to action to protect our home, our planet earth. view Tris' portfolio Read an interview with Tris >>> Sources used in this story - The Guardian | Open Letter: Act now to prevent an environmental catastrophe Extinction Rebellion | Emergency on Planet Earth And watch - BBC One documentary Extinction: The Facts 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 >>> THE LIFE WITHIN THE MOUNTAIN Ten years after first seeing Larung Gar, Jing Wei returns to a changed mountain, finding continuity in faith, memory and the lives held within it. PROSCENIUM GHOSTS Said Manseur honors these young actors, their courage, and the unseen work they give to keep theatre alive against the odds. 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.