Search this site

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

PICTORIAL STORY A DAY AT THE RACES October 30, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Peter Bartlett Introduction by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link West Yorkshire photographer Peter Bartlett has a long-standing interest in documentary photography dating back to the 1970s. This has evolved into a portfolio that documents everyday life against a backdrop of the ordinary urban landscapes of northern England. In October 2020, Peter’s 2019 project A Day at the Races was published by the Worcestershire based photo book imprint ADM Publications. Peter shared his story about racing culture in Great Britain with The Pictorial List. Horse racing is so popular in the United Kingdom that it is only surpassed by football in terms of spectator numbers, with over six million attendees passing through the turnstiles at racecourses around the country every year. The British horseracing industry is a world-leader, generating more than £3.7 billion for the country’s economy (in 2017) thanks in part to iconic events like The Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival, which are watched by millions around the world. Race goers are an eclectic group. At one extreme there is the serious punter, and at the other the casual race goer simply enjoying a day out. There are those that go to be seen as well as to see, the high rollers, the young, the old and those in between, the wealthy and those less so, the country set and the townies that just go to party. The mix of attendees is endless, creating a colourful atmosphere within the spectator enclosures as people circulate between the stands, the betting ring, the bars, and the parade ring, interacting and engaging with one another. I spent much of 2019 visiting race meetings in the north of England to capture a fly on the wall document of attendees enjoying a day out. Studying the odds, enjoying a drink, having a laugh, and soaking up the drama, my candid photos showcase the frivolity of pre-pandemic race days. From my own observations at racecourses around the North of England where the images were taken (and where I live), it is fair to say that although it is an elite sport, it is also seen very much as a social event, especially at the major race meetings at high profile tracks. I started A Day at the Races as a long-term project, intending to shoot throughout 2019 through this year and into 2021. However, the project was brought to an abrupt halt in March 2020 by the Covid-19 lockdown, when all elite sport was suspended. What I didn’t realise when I was shooting the images in the series during 2019, was that I was creating a historical document of social behaviour that is unlikely to be repeated for possibly several years. Horse racing returned in the UK, behind closed doors, from 1 June 2020. Two attempts were made to allow spectators to return. The first try, in August, was aborted a few days beforehand, and the second at the 2020 St. Leger Festival was abandoned after one day, although the racing at that meeting and others did continue behind closed doors. Furthermore, the one day’s racing at Doncaster (St Leger Festival) took place under strict conditions. Spectator numbers were heavily limited and strict social distancing provisions were in place. For example, a news report of the event showed signs announcing, “No Shouting” and “No Cheering”. If, or when, spectators do return to racetracks, it is fairly clear that the atmosphere for the spectators will be very different indeed. As things stand at present there seems little chance of spectators returning to racetracks until well into 2021. Most elite sports will continue to take place behind closed doors in the immediate future. Even when spectators do return, numbers are likely to be substantially reduced, with the spectator experience significantly altered by social distancing and other Covid-safe protocols. What you are seeing here is my documentary of the carefree dynamics of pre-pandemic days that we are unlikely to witness again in the foreseeable future, or indeed, perhaps for several years. © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett Peter Bartlett's project provides us with a glimpse of racing culture in the United Kingdom before the pandemic. As the world and many aspects of life evolve due to the coronavirus, it is important to remember what life used to be like. Peter Bartlett’s work serves as a reminder of this, and the photos are a historical document that will be valued for years to come. Take the time to appreciate Peter’s work and explore his portfolio. view Peter's portfolio Buy A DAY AT THE RACES >>> Read an interview with Peter >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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.

I am an award-winning street and social documentary photographer. I am also owner and founder of CUT and DRY Blogzine, and a member of the Photographic Circle Collective. I have always loved Street Photography, but it wasn't until late 2018 that I actually started to get dedicated to that genre. As I'm residing in Athens, this is where the majority of my work comes from. For me, street photography is ultimately liberating because it is an expression of my need to look at things differently. I have always been drawn to the power of imagery as a way to express my own completely subjective interpretation of what I feel rather than I see. BETTY MANOUSOS I am an award-winning street and social documentary photographer. I am also owner and founder of CUT and DRY Blogzine, and a member of the Photographic Circle Collective. I have always loved Street Photography, but it wasn't until late 2018 that I actually started to get dedicated to that genre. As I'm residing in Athens, this is where the majority of my work comes from. For me, street photography is ultimately liberating because it is an expression of my need to look at things differently. I have always been drawn to the power of imagery as a way to express my own completely subjective interpretation of what I feel rather than I see. LOCATION Athens GREECE CAMERA/S Fujifilm X-T20 WEBSITE https://bettymanousos.smugmug.com/ @BETTY.MANOUSOS FEATURES // Souls of a City

DE-SIDERA The clocks have stopped and time waits outside. Gabriele Gentile travels across Italy capturing the beauty of ancient buildings in decay. DE-SIDERA February 4, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Gabriele Gentile INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE In a world of ever-evolving technology, it can be easy to forget that the power of photography is rooted in the ability to capture moments in time and immortalize them for generations to come. It's a special art form, but one that takes skill and dedication to perfect. This is especially true for photographer Gabriele Gentile, whose work focuses on the time-stopping nostalgia of decaying structures across Italy. Gabriele was born and raised in Parma and studied the humanities and communication fields, but it wasn't until his thirties that he got into digital photography. Immediately captivated by the potential of the art form, Gabriele has since devoted himself to capturing and preserving the beauty of these sites from the past, focusing on the history and charm they exude. In his project DE-SIDERA, Gabriele has sought to showcase the remarkable range of structures that time has left behind, including villas, palaces, castles, theaters and hotels. He has been driven by a passion to replicate the timeless beauty of these places through photography, with a sense of nostalgic reverence for their former glory. Gabriele's photos give viewers a glimpse of a bygone era and the beauty of decay. Each image invites us to pause and ponder all that has come before us, while also inspiring us to appreciate the present moment. Through his stunning photographs, Gabriele brings together the past and present, reminding us of the power of photography as an art form that captures and preserves moments in time. “I have been hunting for these places since six years ago, traveling all around Italy looking for abandoned beauty, to be able to eternalize it with my photographs. Waking up in the middle of the night, kilometres of Italy between deserted highways and narrow streets of small villages, intricate woods and wild gardens to cross. But when you are inside every effort disappears: you look up and that beauty, illuminated by the sunrise, it envelops and pervades you, with the taste of dust and background of silence. It's just you and her, the great abandoned beauty. The clocks have stopped and time waits outside.” IN CONVERSATION WITH GABRIELE GENTILE THE PICTORIAL LIST: Gabriele please tell us about your project DE-SIDERA? What does the title mean and where does it come from? What was the inspiration behind your project and when did it begin? Is it an ongoing project? GABRIELE GENTILE: 'De-sidera' is undoubtedly my most substantial project, both in terms of the number of shots and the time and energy devoted to it. In fact, my approach in a serious way to the photography I mentioned above substantially coincides with the beginning of this project, a project that I continue to carry out today, although I try not to divert attention from other ideas and photographic genres that are a part of me. heart. Abandoned places fascinate me since I was a child, after all they represent ancestrally the unknown to be (re)discovered, a limit to be overcome, and their most magnificent part, which is the one I am looking for specifically, satisfies the aesthetic sense that is at the basis of my idea of photography. The term de-sidera comes from Latin (language studied in my classical path) and literally means "lack of stars". It immediately seemed like a perfect intuition as the title of this project, for various reasons: it indicates a desire in the sense of lack, nostalgia, and the nostalgic side of these photographs, as well as of my character, is very accentuated, as is the strong my desire to enter these places and discover the beauty hidden inside. Furthermore, by photographing for my precise stylistic choice only the interiors of these buildings and never their external appearance, the lack of stars also becomes literal, although metaphorically the stars continue to shine in the decadent beauty of these places. TPL: How did you become interested in photography? GG: I approached photography progressively, initially thanks to new technologies, then I became more and more passionate about photographing, excited by the power of photography to fix a moment, making it eternal. From there, about six years ago, I started to deepen it in a serious way and with adequate equipment. TPL: Talk to us about your photography. What is it that inspires you to be a visual storyteller? How have your captures changed the way you see? GG: In reality my shots have not changed my way of seeing, simply my way of seeing has been translated into my shots. I notice that I have like a little camera built into my eyes, and I think that's my gift. Maybe I don't pay too much attention to a wonderful rainbow in a pleasant landscape but I always manage to grasp that detail, that cutout that interests my story. Beyond any vision, I don't photograph what I see but simply what I think. So ultimately for me to be a photographer is to express myself through images. TPL: Do you ever get burnt out creatively? Explain how you keep the creative energy flowing. GG: Consistency is definitely not my merit! After all, I think that creativity is not a talent that can be constantly active, it is like a fire, sometimes it goes out but if you continue to keep the embers warm under it it will rekindle. This long period of the pandemic (perhaps not only for objective limitations but precisely at the level of creativity) was not easy from my point of view, but I try to keep the flame always burning, even continuing to stimulate myself through various forms of art. A painting exhibition, a film, a book, even the verse of a song can give birth to something. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? GG: I am perhaps more attentive to past artists than to purely contemporary ones. In addition to all the expressionist current in the field of painting, if I had to name two names in the photographic field I would certainly say Franco Fontana and Luigi Ghirri. I fell in love with Franco Fontana at first sight seeing an exhibition of him in Tuscany. His use of color, rendered not as a complement but as a photographic subject, is just what I hear and see too, so admiring and knowing his production was like feeling understood! Of course, “De-sidera” of all my projects is the one where the use of color catches the eye less, but it's still important. I could not imagine black and white photographs of my abandoned places for example. Luigi Ghirri is another great Italian photographer of international fame and his use of space, also and above all of negative space, is pure poetry for me, and the same feeling I felt for Fontana about color is valid. What do you have against nostalgia? It is the only entertainment that is given to those who are wary of the future. - Paolo Sorrentino TPL: If you could choose just one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? GG: Surely Franco Fontana, beyond the purely technical aspect of photography (which for me, as for him, is certainly not the most important) would undoubtedly be a great human and philosophical enrichment, as well as fun! TPL: What are some tips or advice you would give yourself if you started photography all over again? GG: Many photographers even of the highest quality are self-taught, so this is not necessarily a bad thing. However, if I could start again today I would do specifically photographic studies. 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? GG: Going back to the above, for me photographic equipment is nothing more than a means. So I simply try to be equipped with the means that I believe are most suitable for what I want to do and transmit, without being a slave to them. In this case I started photographing with Fujifilm and finding myself well I have remained faithful to the Fuji system until today. In reality, if I had to choose a preferred focal length, it would be those close to the angle of view of the human eye (for example a 50 mm) or even a telephoto lens for my more abstract and minimal visions. I don't particularly like wide-angles as a rendering but it is obvious that in this project that falls within the field of architectural interiors I had to resort to them right away. However, I try not to abuse it when possible for the environment in which I find myself and for the shot I want to produce, thus preferring the use of wide angles in their less thrust version. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? GG: I'll answer you with a quote that I love from one of my favorite films, “La Grande Bellezza” by Paolo Sorrentino: “What do you have against nostalgia? It is the only entertainment that is given to those who are wary of the future.” Beyond the joke, I don't like looking too far ahead. I would like to continue this specific path to discover new abandoned places to immortalize and show to people, cultivate and deepen the humanistic and photographic themes that fascinate me most, and the dream is to be able to insert myself in the environment of the art galleries. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? GG: I won't tell you too much because everything is in an embryonic phase, but I'm working on the theme of the environment, even in its relationship of encounter/confrontation with man. Obviously always developed with my point of view and my language. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… GG: What can an Italian do? Go to the stadium! Apart from this Italian vice, I am a great fan of electronic music (especially Trance), we hope that the pandemic can gradually subside and make us return to our passions with carefree. 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.

BOOK GROUNDED May 3, 2021 BOOK PHOTOGRAPHY Samantha Brown TEXT Samantha Brown INTRODUCTION Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Samantha Brown is a British-Canadian photographer, and a digital nomad. Over the last year Samantha has documented the pandemic, mostly from the back of her campervan named Juno, whilst travelling safely in line with local lockdown restrictions. GROUNDED is her first book. How does a pandemic affect a physical place, and our sense of self within it? That's the question that Samantha pondered on a ten month, socially distanced journey in 2020. Departing India prior to the grounding of flights in March, Samantha documented the empty streets of Bristol during the first lockdown, before venturing to Europe via a deserted ferry as restrictions eased. Along the way, she encountered an out-of-season, out-of-time atmosphere that haunted every landscape, allowing her to explore themes such as alienation, loneliness and the isolation of travel. GROUNDED is a photo book of visible beauty towards a deeper well of immersive, indefinable emotion filled with promise and hope. Every page is a joy to look at by itself. The book can be understood as a travel memoir, too, inspiring those who are wanting to begin a similar journey. Grounded is presented as a special boxed book with a signed 10x8" print. Available exclusively from www.artdecomagpie.com (ADM Publishing). First edition run of 150 copies. Published: April 2021 by ADM Publishing Book - 70pp softback book on 170gsm paper. 350gsm cover with matt laminate. Perfect bound. Digitally printed. 253mmx203mm. ISBN: 978-1-9997596-3-6 READ INTERVIEW CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team.

THE HUMAN STAGE Photographing since the 80s, Pradip Mazumder's passion is to shoot the street with the human element with a strong emphasis on storytelling. THE HUMAN STAGE July 17, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Pradip K. Mazumder INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Pradip K. Mazumder is an American photographer of Indian origin, based in Northern Virginia, USA. He grew up in Kolkata, India, and came to the USA on a job visa, back in 1998. He has been taking pictures since the 1980s. His initial inspiration came from the Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray. From his films, Pradip learned the fundamentals of photography, cinematography, composition, lighting, and many other essential techniques. Pradip recently shared a story about life along the river Ganges with us. In this interview we took the opportunity to ask him about his photography. “My interest lies more towards the ‘real-world street scenarios’, the present-day society we live in, and how we interact with others in a public place.” IN CONVERSATION WITH PRADIP K. MAZUMDER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Pradip please tell us about yourself. When did you start getting interested in photography? PRADIP K. MAZUMDER: My family and I are based in Northern Virginia, close to Washington, DC, USA. I grew up in Kolkata, India, and came to the USA on a job visa, back in 1998. By profession, I work in the IT industry. It was around the mid-80s when my cousin introduced me to photography. An Agfa Isolette III folding camera from my uncle and the intricacies of aperture, shutter speed, film speed, focus, depth of field…was overly complicated in the beginning! I gradually ventured into the 35mm SLR world with a Pentax K1000 camera, which I still miss from time to time. It was a fully manual mode camera (both exposure and focus) with a 50mm normal lens, and that is how my photography has been shaped. Even today, I shoot mostly in manual exposure mode. Those days, I used to buy B&W 'cut film', which is the leftover film from the BnW movies spooled into 35mm film cassettes, and which local photography stores used to sell at a much cheaper price, compared to the branded ones. I used to get an 8”x 10” sheet print done, from the 36 exposure B&W negatives, and choose from there, the ones I would like to get a print done. The luxury of taking multiple shots at a given scene was limited at that time, so I used to choose my composition very carefully. Gradually, I moved to color negatives, and color transparencies, which was my favorite medium, before moving to the digital format, at a much later time. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? PKM: I am a big fan of the legendary Indian filmmaker, Satyajit Ray. Watching his films is like learning the fundamentals of photography, cinematography, composition, lighting, and many other essential techniques of moviemaking. He used to do the storyboarding himself using hand sketches, as well as marking the optimal camera position based on the arrangement of the elements and subjects within the frame. He was a master storyteller, as his films are often referred to as “poetry in celluloid” and is typically about humans, humanity, human relationships, and interactions (both external and internal). Ray’s films have always been a big source of inspiration for me, which I think has influenced my photographic style, particularly the visual storytelling aspect, and in terms of the composition, lighting, and the ‘human element’ factor. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? PKM: Apart from Satyajit Ray and Raghubir Singh, I got highly influenced by Raghu Rai, the legendary Indian photographer, and photojournalist. He was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who introduced Rai to the Magnum Photos. I remember meeting him once in Kolkata, where he came for the inauguration of a photographic exhibition, where one of my images got selected. That is a prized moment for me. In Kolkata, I used to go to the Photography Clubs, and that is how I got introduced to Henri Cartier-Bresson and his style of “decisive moment” photography. That was such an overwhelming experience for me, as it was a photographic genre that I was not aware of. For me, to describe it correctly, I would have to use the words of Cartier-Bresson himself, “Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.” Thus started my love for street photography, which to date continues. Another aspect of Cartier-Bresson that amazes me is his work on portraits. I found this book “Henri Cartier-Bresson Portraits” in a used bookstore in Kolkata, and it is still one of my prized possessions. How an environment or the surroundings can play a role in portraying the personality of an individual… This book is a classic example of that. Out of the several iconic images in that book, one picture stands out to me that of Jean-Paul Sartre, smoking a pipe. The image reveals so much about the personality of Sartre himself. I very much love and admire the work of Steve McCurry, who to me, is an institution by himself, and the real living legend in the world of photography today. Looking at his works reminds me of the films of Ray that share the same philosophy of narrating fascinating visual stories, always with the intriguing ‘human touch’ in them. I own many of Steve McCurry’s books and to go over his images, their appeal, and attractiveness, I feel calls for a much bigger discussion. My favorite image by him is the one titled “Boy in mid-flight”, which was shot in Jodhpur, India. It is such a dynamic, well-composed, and gripping image you can feel all the tension going on in that particular scene. To this day, I find it nothing but breathtaking. TPL: Who do you think has most inspired your style? PKM: All of the great visual storytellers, as mentioned above e.g. Satyajit Ray, Raghu Rai, Raghubir Singh, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Steve McCurry… all of them have big influences on my style of photography and my thought process, the way I look at the world through my lens. Instagram has put me back in photography, particularly street photography. After moving to the US, I got busy with my career in IT, settling down, raising our kids, going over the immigration/citizenship process that otherwise put photography in the backstage. I was doing casual photography, mostly of family and friends. However, sometime in early 2018 was when my wife presented me with a Nikon DSLR, which revived my interest in photography. Somebody then pointed me to Instagram which opened up a whole new world around me. I discovered a platform where you can share your work and interact with fellow photographers and audiences globally and realized the enthusiasm and interest in street photography, along with the prospect of interacting with some of your favorite photographers, which would have otherwise not been possible. I started seeing more and more works of Steve McCurry, and my admiration grew for him and his work. I felt so excited when he liked my work or commented on the pictures! In the same way, I came across the work of Bryan Peterson, the bestselling author of so many photography books, and whom I consider my mentor and a real Guru (i.e. a Teacher). There is a saying in Sanskrit, “Knowledge is such a precious wealth, that no one can take it away from you, and it grows, the more you spread it!”. Bryan’s knowledge in photography, to me, fits in perfectly with that quote. If you follow his Instagram feed, you will see that he is always teaching and always sharing his wealth of knowledge so that others can benefit from it. To me, this comes from his genuine love for the art of photography. In my social media experience, I have seen/followed the work of many renowned photographers around the globe and have found Bryan to be unique in this respect! He has always been kind enough to point out some of the key elements in my photography that have helped me to critically analyze my images. I own several of Brian's books, and among them ‘Understanding Exposure’ and ‘Learning to See Creatively’, are my favorite ones. TPL: What do you love about street photography? PKM: With the human element, and with a strong emphasis on the visual storytelling aspect. To me, it is not just shooting scenes like silhouettes against brightly lit colorful backgrounds, which seems to be quite popular in Instagram. My interest lies more towards the ‘real-world street scenarios’, the present-day society we live in, and how we interact with others in a public place. The other thing that I have noticed in Instagram, in the street photography circles, people categorize themselves as color or B&W photographers. I love to categorize myself, as just a photographer, rather a visual storyteller. It is the subject which is paramount to me which dictates whether it would fit in better in color or B&W. So, I have no bias towards any of them, rather I try to go by the contents in a given scene. In my experience though, I have found color street photography to be more challenging than B&W. Within the color frames, there needs to be a harmony among the colors, and sometimes the presence of a dominant color can drag the eye away from the main subject. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? PKM: Not really. I have always been interested in capturing the candid shot of people in an outdoor location, which I still do. Previously, I used to shoot trees, in various shapes and forms, and mostly in B&W, which I do not do too often these days. In the street genre itself, when I am not shooting people, the next most interesting subject for me is birds, or more precisely, city birds and how they fit in an urban landscape. Dogs come next, as I naturally have an affinity for both of these wonderful creatures. What has changed for me over the years is the realization of the importance of light in a photographic image, more so in candid street photography. True, there can be no image without light, the word ‘Photography’ from its Greek origin meant “drawing with light” … it is not just light, but the quality of natural light hitting a subject can make all the difference. Sometimes I have felt that “light” itself is the subject of my image, and if I take away that particular light, the image loses its appeal. I always find myself chasing the light, trying to capture some fleeting moments around me before they are lost in the ripple of time. TPL: Do you have a favorite place(s) to photograph? PKM: I would say, New York and Kolkata. To me, both these cities have amazing people and an amazing sense of energy. TPL: How did you have the idea of documenting life along the river in Kolkata? PKM: “The Ganges” by Raghubir Singh, is one of my favorite books on Photography. The book tracks the entire path of the Ganges, from its origin in the Himalayas to its final destination in the Bay of Bengal (a journey of 2600 km). This book is backed by the exquisite photography of people along the banks, whose lifestyle, culture, religion, and habits have been shaped by the river for generations. When I was in Kolkata last January, I did not plan to do a series on life along the river Ganges. I did quite a bit of photography in Kolkata, and the life around the Ganges was a part of it. When I was looking at the images, later on, the idea came to put it in a series and write a story about it. I specifically wanted to highlight the richness in diversity and character of the people in Kolkata, whose lifestyle is very much intertwined with that of the river. Since I am unable to do a whole series like Raghubir Singh, I had to settle for just a part! TPL: Often you focus really closely on people in your street photography. How do you go about it? PKM: In a busy street intersection what I love doing is mixing with the crowd, up to an extent that nobody is paying attention to me. I love the feeling that I am part of the crowd itself. From there, if I come across the right scene that provides a backdrop for a story, I typically take quick shots. Whether or not I am carrying a camera, I am always capturing images in my mind. I am always looking for an angle, and in the absence of a viewfinder, I use my fingers to do a look through. Street photography has to be done quickly, and it does not always give a second chance. As Cartier-Bresson mentioned, the eye must be trained to identify a composition, or a fleeting moment, and then the intuition to click the shutter at the right instant. The look-through process helps me towards framing my images quickly. TPL: What camera/s do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? What characteristics do you think you need to become a good photographer? Any tips or advice for someone just starting out? PKM: A fast lens helps in street photography, and I typically use a Nikon D5600 with a 35mm f/1.8 lens. Sometimes I use my wife’s mirrorless camera i.e. a Fujifilm X-T3 with a 23mm f/2 lens. I prefer to shoot in raw mode and use LightRoom for image processing. Since I do street photography, I am a firm believer in the term, “if it has to be a street, it has to be candid!” Observation, sensitivity, and visual representation of a storyline... I believe these are some of the key attributes of a good street/documentary photographer. A successful visual storyteller needs to be aware of what is happening in the society around her/him and has the compassion to record it truthfully and artistically. For someone just starting, I would say, see if you are passionate about photography since, in the long term, we would only continue something that we are passionate about. Identify the genre that excites you. In the beginning, you can try out with over one genre and see which are the ones you love the best. Once you are ready to share your work publicly, create an account on Instagram, and study some successful accounts and how they organize their feeds. Try to keep your feed focused on one genre only in an account, otherwise, people might get confused. If you cover multiple genres, you could think about separate accounts. Furthermore, use relevant hashtags, as they can help reach out to your photography outside your circle. In the beginning, you may not get enough Likes or Followers, but please do not get disheartened with that and leave your hobby. Keep on doing your good work, without even looking at the numbers, and you will get noticed over time. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? PKM: I did some work on the theme, “Chasing the light” in New York, and Washington, DC. I plan to do some more work on that and make some online presentations. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I… PKM: Most of my free time goes to my two dogs. We have two of them, Frosty (a Bichon Frise), and Hershey (a poodle)...the cutest, most lovable companions that one can ever wish for. They are just like our family members, so much so that it is hard to stay without them for a single day!” 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 find inspiration in art, science, music and the photography work of others. I want to have that personal and emotional connection in my scene and subject, to translate that emotion into my photographs. To me, human presence in photos adds interest. I walk around the streets of my hometown and document life as I see it. Beyond this, the content is very important to me, and I seek photography to draw attention to particular causes or issues. STEFAN HELLWEGER I find inspiration in art, science, music and the photography work of others. I want to have that personal and emotional connection in my scene and subject, to translate that emotion into my photographs. To me, human presence in photos adds interest. I walk around the streets of my hometown and document life as I see it. Beyond this, the content is very important to me, and I seek photography to draw attention to particular causes or issues. LOCATION Munich GERMANY CAMERA/S Fujifilm @MUNICH_FOTASTIC FEATURES // Socially Distanced The Bigger Picture

My passion for photography has been with me for as long as I can remember, shaping my creative journey and driving my exploration of visual storytelling. My primary focus is on product photography, event photography, and documentary work, where I aim to capture the essence of moments and objects in a compelling way. In addition to photography, I am deeply inspired by graphic design, and I find that this influence often feeds into my photographic approach. I am always eager to push boundaries, experiment with new ideas, and learn from each experience. Creativity fuels everything I do, and I’m constantly searching for innovative ways to express my vision. CARMEN SOLANA CIRES My passion for photography has been with me for as long as I can remember, shaping my creative journey and driving my exploration of visual storytelling. My primary focus is on product photography, event photography, and documentary work, where I aim to capture the essence of moments and objects in a compelling way. In addition to photography, I am deeply inspired by graphic design, and I find that this influence often feeds into my photographic approach. I am always eager to push boundaries, experiment with new ideas, and learn from each experience. Creativity fuels everything I do, and I’m constantly searching for innovative ways to express my vision. LOCATION Madrid SPAIN CAMERA/S Nikon D5600 WEBSITE https://carmensolanacires.myportfolio.com/work @CARMENSOLANA.JPG FEATURES // Through My First Lens

WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. WHERE EMOTIONS BREATHE Simple encounters Irina Sedletskaya almost missed become photographs shaped by silence, distance, uncertainty, memory, hope, and resilience. August 2, 2026 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Irina Sedletskaya INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Irina Sedletskaya began photographing from a desire to hold onto moments before they disappeared. Living and working in Kazakhstan, she has developed a visual language attuned to distance, silence, and emotional states. Over time, the camera became less a tool for keeping records and more a way of understanding what moves beneath the surface of what she sees. A quiet melancholy moves through Irina’s photographs, but she does not see black and white as a language of sadness. For her, monochrome removes distraction and allows light, silence, and emotion to become more visible. What may first appear melancholic is, in Irina’s view, closer to resilience. Her work is shaped by personal experience without becoming directly autobiographical. Childhood, motherhood, loneliness, hope, and the search for belonging inform the way she looks at the world, but these experiences are translated through stillness, gesture, and distance. Irina is not interested in giving the viewer a fixed narrative. Her images often begin with a simple encounter and open into something unresolved, leaving space for memory and interpretation. In Irina’s work, ambiguity becomes a form of invitation. “Every project begins long before I pick up my camera. I constantly observe the world around me. A landscape, the movement of the wind, the way a model stands still, a branch, a shadow, or an empty road can suddenly become the beginning of a story in my mind. Sometimes I write down ideas, sometimes I simply carry them for weeks until they become clear. During the shoot I leave space for unexpected moments because they often become the most honest part of the work. Editing is not just technical for me. It is where I continue writing the story that began the moment I saw the image.” IN CONVERSATION WITH IRINA SEDLETSKAYA What do you feel your work reveals about you that words sometimes cannot express? My photographs reveal something that is difficult for me to explain in everyday language: I believe hope often exists where people expect only darkness. Many viewers describe my work as melancholic because I work primarily in black and white. But for me, black and white is not about sadness. It removes distraction and allows emotions, light, and silence to become more visible. My stories are often about resilience. They speak about people standing in uncertainty, facing change, or walking through darkness without giving up. Even when the light seems distant, it is still there. Sometimes we simply need to learn how to see it differently. Perhaps that is what my photographs reveal about me most clearly: I have always believed that hope does not disappear. It only asks us to look more deeply. How has living and working in Kazakhstan influenced what and how you photograph? Kazakhstan has given me space. Its endless landscapes, quiet horizons, changing seasons, and natural light have deeply influenced the way I compose my images. There is something about open spaces that allows emotions to breathe. At the same time, living here has taught me to notice small moments of beauty that might otherwise be overlooked. Simplicity has become an important part of my visual language. There is a strong sense of distance in your work, not only physical distance, but emotional distance. Is that something you consciously seek? How important is ambiguity to you? Yes, although not always consciously. Physical distance often becomes a way of expressing emotional distance. I like images that leave room for silence rather than explanation. Ambiguity is very important to me because I don’t want to tell viewers what they should feel. I hope they bring their own memories, questions, and experiences into the photograph. Can you talk about your approach to composition? Do you wait for the frame to reveal itself, or do you construct the image carefully before shooting? I usually prepare the atmosphere rather than the exact composition. I know the feeling I want to create, but I allow the frame to reveal itself naturally. Sometimes a small movement, a change in the wind, or a different gesture completely transforms the image.I believe the strongest photographs are often found somewhere between intention and chance. What advice would you give your younger creative self? Don’t compare your work to anyone else’s.Trust your own way of seeing, even if it doesn’t fit current trends. There will always be fashionable styles, but honesty lasts much longer than fashion. Most importantly, don’t wait for permission to call yourself an artist. How do you protect time and space for your creativity? Are you someone who plans carefully or follows instinct when creating? It isn’t always easy. Like many people, I balance work, family, and everyday responsibilities. Sometimes creativity has to exist in small moments rather than long uninterrupted hours. I’ve learned that inspiration doesn’t always require perfect conditions. Sometimes it appears during an ordinary walk, while driving, or simply watching the changing light. I follow an emotion until the landscape, the light, and the subject begin to speak the same language. Only then does the image feel complete. Who or what has inspired the way you think about photography, memory, and human stories? This could be artists, writers, films, places, or people from your own life. I don’t think I can point to one artist or photographer who shaped the way I see. My biggest influence has always been life itself. I started photographing because I wanted to preserve moments before they disappeared. Over time, I noticed that I began seeing stories everywhere in the sky, in the ground, in tree branches, in people passing by. A simple scene could become the beginning of a narrative in my mind. I photograph that feeling first, and later, during editing, I continue writing the story the image has already started to tell. Perhaps my greatest teacher has simply been learning to pay attention. If you could collaborate with anyone — past or present — who would it be and why? Rather than dreaming about collaborating with one particular person, I am interested in collaborating with stories that matter.I would love to work with artists, writers, filmmakers, or documentary photographers whose work gives voice to people who are often unheard, especially women and children. Whether the project is conceptual or documentary, what matters to me is honesty, empathy, and creating work that allows people to feel seen. For me, the purpose of collaboration is not prestige but the possibility of understanding another human experience. If your creative practice were a kind of journey, what stage are you currently in? I feel that I am at the beginning. Not because I have just started photographing, but because I have only recently found my own voice. For many years I was learning how to make photographs. Now I am learning how to say something meaningful through them. What would we find in your camera bag and is there one piece of equipment that is on your wish list? My camera bag is quite simple. I still work with a Canon 550D and a small selection of lenses. Alongside batteries and memory cards, there is often one unexpected object, my son’s toy car. He has been one of my most frequent models, so somehow his little car always finds its way into my bag. I don’t really dream about a particular camera. For a long time, I never imagined my work would reach people beyond my own circle, especially in a time when polished images often receive the most attention. What matters most to me is not the equipment but whether an image can carry an honest emotion. If the right camera comes one day, I will be grateful, but it has never been the reason I create. What would you like to understand more deeply through photography over the next few years? I want to better understand how memory shapes identity. I’m interested in childhood, human resilience, and the invisible emotions that connect people across different cultures. I hope my future work asks deeper questions while remaining quiet enough for viewers to find their own answers. When you are not photographing, what do you do for pleasure, rest, or to return to yourself? I spend time with my son, take care of my garden, and simply observe nature. Some of my best ideas appear when I stop trying to create and allow myself to slow down. Walking, watching the sky, listening to the wind, or working with plants often brings me back to myself. I believe creativity grows from paying attention to ordinary life. PORTFOLIO 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.

SEEING A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND A poet at heart, Nahid Sultana translates what she sees in her world into a kind of visual poetry that is adored. SEEING A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND May 18, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Nahid Sultana INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Nahid Sultana is a photographer based in Bahrain, though she was born in Bangladesh and has travelled the world with her family - and later with her camera. Always with a creative streak, photography came to her out of a need to capture the places she sees and the emotions she feels and witnesses in others. While her favourite genre of photography is landscape, she is also adept at capturing street scenes and has an interest in expanding into long-term documentary photography. A poet at heart, she translates what she sees in the world into a kind of visual poetry that we adore. To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. - William Blake “I am not in control of how the poem is perceived but I believe it is how I can express what I see through photography. As I travel, I document my journey through my photos. Every experience. The place, the people, the emotions.” IN CONVERSATION WITH NAHID SULTANA THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Nahid, please tell us about yourself. Have you always lived in Bahrain? NAHID SULTANA: I spent the earliest and probably most fundamental period of my life in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We grew up in a society where boundaries didn’t exist. In fact, I don’t even think it was a concept. Most days, after school, I would play outdoors with my neighbourhood friends and we wouldn’t come back in until the sun slept. My fondest memories will always consist of spending our pocket money on ice cream and listening to the channel ‘World Music’ on my father’s radio. As I reflect on these memories, I realise a part of me was always creative. I always loved panting. As I got older I found that I could be most creative with watercolour. The idea of having to put precision and thought before starting each piece had resonated with me. I moved to Australia in the late nineties and continued to live in Sydney for a decade where I put most of my attention on my career development. Buying a good camera had always been a want but I never found the opportunity due to the whirlwind of events I had stacked, one on top of another. For the past 15 years I have been living in Bahrain with my family. It has felt like my home away from home. However, I do still call Australia a home, the very home where I began my solo journey. The place that taught me independence and content with my surroundings no matter the situation. I have been asked multiple times throughout my life where I am from and it has always been a difficult question to answer. My replies have continued to shift and change like the tides of the oceans. For every place I have experienced emotion whether it be the happy, the sad or the ugly. I have developed a deep connection with them and each place shaped me and made me the woman I am today. TPL: From your photos we know you like to travel - is that how you got into photography? Or what was it that sparked your initial interest? NS: To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. - William Blake I am not in control of how the poem is perceived but I believe it is how I can express what I see through photography. As I travel, I document my journey through my photos. Every experience. The place, the people, the emotions. I would find that many times I returned from a holiday with no pictures of myself but a lady by the window in a coffee shop. My passion for photography began to take off soon after my son was born in early 2000. Between the career that I was developing and the other responsibilities, time was not my best friend and so, like most people, I pushed my hobby to the side and focused on my life around me. Eventually, in 2011, I bought my first DSLR, a NIKON D90. I was ecstatic! Through my friends, I met a few like-minded photography enthusiasts. That is when my love for photography truly bloomed. Due to an unforeseen situation, I had to again put my photography on hiatus for many years. In recent years, I bought a FUJI XT4 and resumed my passion. Though Bahrain isn’t the most picture perfect country geographically, I make the most of what the island has to offer. TPL: Talk to us about your life in Bahrain. Are there like-minded photographers you meet up with or do you rather go out alone? NS: Bahrain is an extremely small island country situated in the Persian Gulf. It consists of 50 natural islands and 33 man-made ones. Bahraini people are amazingly friendly, welcoming and are known in the gulf to have a laid-back lifestyle. You name what you need and it’s a 10-minute drive away. The longest time it takes to cross the island is 40 minutes! From the day I arrived in this country to the day I may leave; I will love this semi-city lifestyle and the hospitality from people with golden hearts. Due to the harsh weather during summer, I don’t go out shooting unless it’s worth it. However, from November till March, the weather is beautiful and if you are lucky, you get to experience sunrises that make the water seem as if it were dipped in gold and sunsets that look like the world was set ablaze. There are quite a few photography enthusiasts in Bahrain. I have friends who I tend to go out and shoot with since the experience is much more entertaining when they are there. We share our knowledge and ideas as we take long walks through the narrow alleyways of Manama or Muharraq! Street vendors and locals in old Manama don’t particularly like seeing large amounts of people with cameras walking around the city so I tend to stick to smaller groups. TPL: You seem quite interested in landscape and architecture photography. What is it that you find especially interesting about that? NS: My Fuji XT4 is so unique in nature and very different to my previous Nikon that I actually had to learn the technical part of the camera before I could go out and shoot! The first thing I shot with my camera was a landscape and because this was during the peak of Covid-19. We were homebound for an excruciatingly long amount of time so it gave me the chance to break down and learn everything I needed for my camera. The rate at which I was shooting landscape and cityscape in Bahrain was rapidly increasing and I slowly fell in love with it. When finding a location to shoot; walking around and scouting frames, setting up the camera while listening to my favourite songs calms me. I find a connection between me and the ambiance and that helps me take my pictures. That’s why landscape is my favourite genre of photography. TPL: You also have some conceptual pictures - such as your series of a man with a hat against different backdrops. How did you come about this idea? NS: If I am going to be honest, I was never a big fan of conceptual photography. That is until I came across an incredibly talented photographer Humberto Salo Dominguez. His unique style and artistic shots of a person with an umbrella or a walking stick fascinated me. In fact, it inspired me to start my own series ‘Man with a Hat’ that consisted of backgrounds all around Bahrain. Through the process of editing and planning this series I came to appreciate conceptual and artistic photography. Hopefully I will come up with more conceptual shots in the future. TPL: In general regarding your photography, where do you find your inspiration to create? 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. NS: When I look back at my past, I have always considered myself a creative person whether it be when I used to paint, decorate my house by creating a theme. I believe I have always had a creative and open mind that I wasn’t consciously aware of. I have always loved poetry, music or even a good book. I consistently looked for an escape in art during some of the roughest times of my life… I truly think my creativity stems from love and acceptance of myself, it comes from within. For every place I have experienced emotion whether it be the happy, the sad or the ugly. I have developed a deep connection with them and each place shaped me and made me the woman I am today. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists and photographers? NS: I was introduced to a couple of famous landscape and street photographers over the past two years. I cannot say I was influenced by them to start photography but I appreciate their photos and I try to analyse and understand them. A couple of the photographers I look up to are: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Fan Ho, Vivian Maier, Ansel Adams, Michael Kenna, Takeshi Mizukoshi, Hiroshi Hamaya, Sean Tucker, Bryan Peterson and Elizabeth Gadd. TPL: Where has been your favorite place to photograph? NS: In my lifetime, I have travelled quite a lot. Unfortunately, I did not always have my camera with me. Most times it was a family vacation and having a camera as well as 2 young children did not work out. Having said that, I had a life changing experience in Masai Mara, Kenya. The national reserve is a whole other plane of beauty, the rugged land, the breathtaking sunrises as well as sunsets. The way the animals thrive in nature, their very existence being what makes the Earth so unique. Masai Mara is God’s canvas, everything perfect in its own way. TPL: What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? Is there any particular equipment you need or wish you had to help you achieve your photographic vision? NS: At this moment, I use a Fuji XT4 with a Fuji 16-55 lens. In my opinion, it is quite versatile for both landscape and street photography. I don’t have a favourite focal length as I believe each frame needs to be treated differently. I recently purchased a TT artisan 35mm f1.4 manual lens and I am pleased with its outcome. Since photography is simply a hobby, I feel that whatever accessory I have is sufficient for me. Nonetheless, I hope to buy a medium format film camera later on. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? What direction do you think you will take your photography? NS: Honestly, I don’t really have a fixed goal. I love photography and the endless possibilities you can achieve with it. I love the idea that you can capture anything you want with the click of a button. Hopefully, I will be able to cultivate my own unique style in due time. I wish for it to be a style that makes people understand what I am trying to portray. I hope that it can move people the way photography once moved me and led me on this everlasting journey. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? NS: Currently, I do not have a singular project that I am focusing on. However, I am planning to start working my way into documentary photography. I hope to one day document a series based on one single topic over a period of time. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… NS: I like to bake with my children. The process of it is extremely therapeutic to me. The idea of piecing together parts of what could be a perfect dish somewhat relaxes me. Another thing I love is reading poetry. Though I may not have the skills to write them, I go through them thoroughly trying to understand the emotions the writer evokes." PORTFOLIO 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 Polish-born documentary photographer based between Barcelona and the United Kingdom. My work explores identity, culture, and the human presence within everyday spaces. Over the past decade, I have travelled to more than forty countries, building a body of work that reflects both the uniqueness of communities and the quiet similarities that connect them. Working in an observational, unposed style, I let moments unfold naturally, guided by empathy and curiosity. I am particularly interested in how surroundings shape identity and how visual storytelling can create moments of connection across cultures. I am currently developing a series on the daily lives of people in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. KAT PUCHOWSKA I am a Polish-born documentary photographer based between Barcelona and the United Kingdom. My work explores identity, culture, and the human presence within everyday spaces. Over the past decade, I have travelled to more than forty countries, building a body of work that reflects both the uniqueness of communities and the quiet similarities that connect them. Working in an observational, unposed style, I let moments unfold naturally, guided by empathy and curiosity. I am particularly interested in how surroundings shape identity and how visual storytelling can create moments of connection across cultures. I am currently developing a series on the daily lives of people in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. LOCATION Barcelona SPAIN CAMERA/S Nikon D750 WEBSITE https://katpuchowska.com/ @KATPUCHOWSKA FEATURES // Threads of Moroccan Life

TALES OF A CITY With a passion for exploring the world through his camera lens, Seigar brings a unique perspective to his art, infused with reflections, colors, and icons. TALES OF A CITY December 13, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Seigar INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Meet Seigar, a multifaceted artist based in Tenerife, Spain, who has a passion for exploring the world through his camera lens. With a background in philology and teaching, Seigar brings a unique perspective to his art, infusing it with his fascination for reflections, saturated colors, and icons. But it's not just the visuals that draw him in; Seigar is also deeply interested in pop culture and conceptual art, using his camera to tell stories and capture moments in a new and thought-provoking way. Seigar's journey as an artist began with travel and street photography, but it has evolved into something much more. He sees himself as a pop visual artist, constantly inspired by his travels and the people he meets along the way. He strives to go beyond simple postcards and instead create a continuous narrative that reflects his experiences and encounters. His camera has become his tool for documenting the world and exploring his obsessions and curiosities. While Seigar is primarily self-taught, he has also pursued formal education in advanced photography, cinema, and television. He has dabbled in various forms of art, including collage, video, and writing, always pushing himself to learn and experiment. He has exhibited his work in both national and international settings, and his art has been featured in publications around the world. Seigar's work has also caught the attention of publications like Dodho Magazine, and VICE Spain, where he has contributed his passion for supporting art and artists through text. Recently, Seigar has been exploring the world of video art, using his unique perspective to shed light on important societal issues, from individual freedoms to diversity and equality. His latest passion is documenting social issues related to identity, constantly searching for what makes people who they are. But amidst all of this, Seigar never forgets to embrace the present and seize the day, a message he shares through his captivating travel photo narrative series. In 2005, Seigar began a long-term project documenting the United Kingdom, a place that holds a special place in his heart both personally and professionally. Through his pop-inspired lens, he aims to capture the essence of British identity and share his connection to the culture. During his recent visit to the UK, Seigar revisited familiar urban locations, capturing his signature fetishes like shop windows, plastic people, food, and abandoned objects. But he was also drawn to the vibrant street art that adorns the city walls, using reflections, repetition, and saturated colors to capture its energy and essence. The result is a collection of photos that radiate a bright and shining light, reflecting Seigar's joy and love for life. Join us as we delve into Seigar's unique world of pop visual art, exploring his latest series. Through his direct and thought-provoking images, Seigar invites us to see the world through his eyes and experience the beauty and complexity of everyday life. “‘Tales of a City’ started as a way to portray the British identity, and then, it has become an invitation to live our lives fully and free. It is also a reflection of my ideas and views about the world. I want people to see these photos as my reading of British culture, a heritage that I feel linked emotionally and personally for a million reasons, and as a way to state the world is a beautiful place we should enjoy. This series is a part of my long-term travel and street photographic narrative about the UK, primarily captured in London, a project I initiated in 2005.” MEET SEIGAR: The Curious Visual Artist Exploring Pop Culture Through His Camera THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Seigar, thank you for the opportunity to discover more insight into your process of creating your visual stories. Welcome to the Pictorial List! Please tell us a little about yourself, where are you from, and where are you based now? What were some significant choices you made along the way to land on your home base? Seigar: I feel my hometown is La Palma Island, in the Canary Islands, which is called La Isla Bonita. La Palma is a peaceful, probably the most beautiful island I have ever been to, and the one I have felt more at ease. However, I decided to live in Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz, probably because it’s quite similar to living in La Palma. In Tenerife, we can enjoy the sun the whole year around, good temperatures, the sea, the mountains, villages, traditions, local cuisine, and museums, it offers everything you expect from a paradise. That is how I see Tenerife, a paradise. Though I have visited 53 countries, and I love traveling, I wouldn’t change my residence. I think I can enjoy a quality life that can’t be beaten. I’ve always been interested in the visual arts since I was a child you could find me having a look at magazines and encyclopedias at home, attracted by the paintings of Dalí, and Frida Kahlo, but also quite fascinated by the lives and looks of celebrities and especially musicians, such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince. I would also be sketching women’s clothing designs in my notebooks and writing stories. This creativity has led me to what I am today. I consider myself, a teacher because I love my job, but also a visual artist, because I have found ways to express myself through different forms. Writing is essential for me because it helps me to complete the concept. Conceptual art is the prism I use to create. I usually join visual art with text, the statement lets me complement the art product. TPL: Tell us about your background in philology and teaching. How has it contributed to the way you see through the lens? What first drew you to photography, explain the importance of photography in helping develop your narrative in your visual stories. Seigar: I am very satisfied with the training I received at the University of La Laguna. I debated between linguistics and literature until I ended up dazzled by the methodology and everything it offered me. Being a pragmatic person, I decided that this was the most functional path to specialize in. When I finished my degree in Philology, I dedicated a school year to combining the Doctorate and the Pedagogical Qualification Course. I put into practice what I learned in private classes for children and adolescents. I also worked in academies until I obtained the Diploma of Advanced Studies. I passed the first exams I could take to become a Secondary School teacher. And since then, I have been teaching in secondary schools. I think that the University of La Laguna places us very well academically in the labor market; then, making your way depends on many external factors. My transition from student to worker was quite natural. I work as a high school teacher. I combine this profession with creating visual arts, writing, and collaborating with multiple magazines. Working as a teacher allows me to use the knowledge acquired in methodology and continue learning new strategies daily. There is an essential human factor in everything I do, and especially in a common point that education, arts, and writing unite: communication. I feel that all the tasks I dedicate my time to have that same element. I am interested in the ability to express and understand messages through interaction. I am pro clear and direct expressive speech, and I believe the main reason for communication is to transmit messages. In the classroom, I teach my students to interact with each other through language and other codes. In photography, I try to make the focus of my images clear and make sure people understand what I want them to see. I even wait for their responses in a dialogue, like I did in my series entitled Visual Interaction. When I write, I become personal. I like to research the topic without forgetting my reading. Concerning my infatuation with photography, I have always been a very visual person. Since I was a child, I remember drawing female dresses; I still draw them or buy music and film magazines, and I still collect them. I keep a lot of that creative side from my childhood. Traveling opened the doors to the world of photography for me. I remember that every time I came back from each trip, I would show the photos to my friends, and they were the ones who saw “something”. Far from bringing stereotypical images or postcards of the places I visited, I always captured repeated details from every trip. My fetishes in photography were defined automatically, intuitively, and without much planning: stolen portraits, shop windows, food, messages, garbage, and abandoned objects. TPL: We all face challenges and obstacles we could not have foreseen, what are some of yours, and how did you overcome them? What advice would you share? Seigar: In my life, I have struggled to achieve some of my objectives in the past, and now I can comprehend that I probably failed in getting obsessed with obtaining what I wanted. These days, I see it from a different view, it’s important to be passionate about your goals, but we have to be careful about the lines between passion and obsession. I would advise people to wish for what they want, but not to overthink or make an extra effort that could harm them. You need to wish, and then work for it with balance. And I would also recommend to choose carefully what they want to get. It’s important to be sure that our goal is our real goal, and that is going to bring good things in life. Careful with the things you are wishing for, ask yourself, is it going to be good for you? When I look back, I think I have chosen good goals in my life, and I’m proud of that, however, I think I sometimes failed in the process because I worked too hard to get them. I would do it with more balance if I could go back. That is something I would change. I can understand now that we can achieve our goals with equilibrium. And what is more important, I advise people to understand that our main goal is to take care of ourselves, eat, move, and rest the best we know, and also to keep on educating ourselves, our main work is self-care. I have realized that is our main job. The real job we all have is to take responsibility for ourselves. As an artist, there are some obstacles I can see these days, these are globalization, censorship, and the cancellation culture. I think globalization has brought blurred lines to the world of the arts. It seems the saturation of images and the use of social networks tend to unify visions or spread the sense of what is on and what is not. The main challenge is being faithful and loyal to yourself as a creator, trying not to depend on trends or accept the limits imposed by what you are supposed to be doing. I like the concept of the local and individual self; I like the idea of being me and keeping my identity as a creator. I think that is the most challenging task for creators nowadays. If you start doing what everybody is doing to be bigger, you may need to stop, think, reflect on that, and make a different decision. The world needs what you can give as an individual; the world does not need every person to show the same content with the same way of presenting it. When I see these videos about how you should be sharing your art, how to get new followers, and all that, I think that is not the right way. I think keeping your way is the key. I do not want to be a copy or a version of any other artist. Who wants 100 artists telling the same story, and in the same way? No one. And concerning censorship and all that, I think artists need to be brave, fight, and do it! Think about artists like Madonna, who has fought against so many taboos and is still there fighting against the rules and conventions. Artists need to stand up, be brave, and just go for it. If we all do it, the system won’t be able to keep up with this nonsense. I believe individual freedoms must be kept, and they are in our hands. For instance, if any social network censors a type of image or a type of expression and this one doesn’t damage anyone, it’s a matter of us all united to stop it; we are the ones who should decide. I think it’s a matter of time for people to realize that we are the ones who decide. No one authorizes me to create; I authorize myself to do whatever I want. It’s not out; it’s just me. My authority to be free and independent is inside of me; I don’t need to wait for anyone or anything for approval or permission to do what I want to do. I feel I am powerful, and I believe we are all powerful beings that just have to act and do. Throughout art history, many voices have rebelled against the rules, and they changed the path by doing that. I think it is time for contemporary artists to do things and break the rules. Actions are more important than words. There is no point in sharing a message asking for freedom; just be free. Let me tell you this with a metaphor. The metaphor is clear; it’s like a bird inside a cage with the doors completely open. That is how I feel about censorship. I also feel the same about many other situations society is facing these days: the same pattern, a bird that can fly and doesn’t. Why? I think common sense must be above any rule in the system. We can't obey a system when it goes against common sense or individual freedoms, and we cannot wait for its authorization to take care of us and do the best we can for ourselves. You just have to follow your instincts instead of blindly following “what you are supposed to do." Let’s be free and stop begging for our freedom. TPL: In your long-term project, ‘Tales of a City’ What do you want the viewer to experience from your work, what is their takeaway from their visual experience? Seigar: ‘Tales of a City’ started as a way to portray the British identity, and then, it has become an invitation to live our lives fully and free. It is also a reflection of my ideas and views about the world. I want people to see these photos as my reading of British culture, a heritage that I feel linked emotionally and personally for a million reasons, and as a way to state the world is a beautiful place we should enjoy. This series is a part of my long-term travel and street photographic narrative about the UK, primarily captured in London, a project I initiated in 2005. During the process, I have intended to capture moments of charm as a friendly reminder that we should view the world through our prism. Life and magic are omnipresent; we only need to open our eyes. In recent years, I've consciously distanced my ego from my heart, focusing on immersing myself in the creative process. My priorities have shifted to living, self-care, and relishing life. These new tales reflect this sweet phase in my life, and I am committed to making it last for a long, long time. I will no longer enumerate these series separately; I've realized these tales belong to the same project: Tales of a City. In my quest to identify British identity, I found my voice. TPL: You love to travel. You also live in one of the most picturesque locations in the world. Do you find your inspiration to create on or within the streets of Tenerife? Outside of home and London where has been your most favorite or interesting ‘tale’? And what city is next on your Wishlist to add to your series? Seigar: In Tenerife, I have done street photography in the villages and towns during my walks. I love exploring my island, too. I have done some landscape photography, though I have never felt completely reflected in this type of photography. I prefer other types of photography that let me show ideas, such as social or documentary. I have met people and told their lives through photography and text. Collaboration makes art richer and more complex; something simple can become something big with the right connections. I have worked with creative people who have added layers to my photography and video art. They have conveyed the ideas I wanted to express. I have worked several times with a young drag queen called Candy Porcelain, who has elevated my concepts through her art channel. I have also worked on the theme of new masculinities with young men. I have also worked on a project entitled 1, 2, 3 No Hashtags to deal with diversity, equality, body positivity, ageism, and other topics. I have done projects with trans people to talk about them as individuals and to tell their personal stories. I have worked with all different kinds of people to tell them who they are and their identities. Every life has some interest for me. I have shown the living moments of a boxer, a group of voguing dancers, belly dancers, drag queens, beauty pageant contests, theatre plays, ballet and contemporary dancing shows, fashion content creators, music festivals, and a digital and design illustrator. As I said, I like meeting people and showing what they want to say to the world. I have also recreated My Plastic People with a real model. I have done all these works in Tenerife; we have many creative souls on the island. I have found great inspiration in Europe, and I have been traveling all around doing my tales there. I found excitement in photographing Eastern Europe because of its different rural and urban scenery. However, I have also opened the doors to new narratives. From my recent works, I’m especially fond of my photo narratives from Cuba and Morocco. I think what I found there is so different from Europe that it has made my gallery have some new twists, intricacies, and storylines. These two countries unlocked new possibilities for my work. Last summer, I spent two months in Asia, but I haven’t had time yet to work on that material. I can tell it was an incredible experience that moved me. I can’t wait to see what I did there. Finally, my next destinations are Finland, Canada, and Liechtenstein. This is going to be at Christmas, in the winter, so this context would add some meaningful layers to my photography. TPL: Tell us about the many years of contribution to the arts, writing about art, and interviewing artists. What is your takeaway from the work you do? How have you grown as an artist, visually and intellectually? Seigar: Art and writing allow me to stay awake, grow, innovate, investigate, and learn. I can communicate and interact with other people and creators through these two channels. These are the two ways I have to express everything I have inside—two means of expression that I need to complete my life. I am a social person who enjoys the contact with people. Teaching has been my vocation since I was a child. I knew I wanted to be a teacher very early. My job keeps me in contact with lots of people and souls daily. And this routine is inspiring and makes me grow. Arts helps me to share my thoughts and the things I believe in. It’s the code to free my soul. TPL: Do you have any favorite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? If you could work alongside someone, who would you like to rub elbows with and learn from? Seigar: My main art references come from pop music: Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince. They have been the three icons I have admired the most in my life, and they still have a big influence on me, and who I am today. In cinema, I love Pedro Almodóvar, Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Aldrich, Lars von Trier and Tarantino. In painting, I adore Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí and Andy Warhol. All these people share very personal but radical views about what art is. They all show a unique universe that is glued in my brain and my heart. I’m sure if you scan me, you can find their musical and visual imagery in my soul. They all share a strong and passionate vision of art. That's what I'm looking for with my visual art. I can say that my favorite photographer is Martin Parr, I think he knows how to perfectly combine the image and the content with a very pop style. I also greatly admire the documentary nature of his work. Regarding the form, I stick with photographers like Man Ray, Diane Arbus, and Cindy Sherman, and paying attention to the content I would name Vivian Maier, Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen, Thomas Tom Wood, and Paul Graham. Almost all of them work in street, social, or documentary photography. Concerning the latest photography, I feel Lua Ribeira stands out; her sense of photography is fresh and original. I had the chance to write an article about her for The Cultural Magazine and it was fascinating to learn about her work. I’m also into the controversial Greek photographer Kostis Fokas, and the new realists Panos + Mary. Recently, I have had a crush on Greek photographers and the way they document reality, I would say Greek Photography these days has become a new expression of magic realism, and I’m also heading in that direction. I like to think that I’m sharing common views with them. I think right now, my sensibility is close to the works of contemporary Greek photographers, and also Eastern European countries, so that would be my first option for a collaboration. When we talk about admiration and influences, I would like to mention two special people who are everything to me in life, my mum who passed away but is still present in my everyday, and my sister who is my life. They are the real ones. Love you. TPL: Is it impossible for you not to be constantly on the lookout for a moment to be captured? Seigar: I think the key is discipline and perseverance. I consider myself an organized and planning person. I stay ahead of deadlines, I try to keep my work up to date, and the experience I gain with each project helps me not make the same mistakes. I am very observant and an analyst, I usually reflect on work processes and learn from them to be able to go faster the next time. It is part of my personality to be pragmatic and not waste time. I like to give myself fully to projects and grow. As you said, it is impossible for me not to be constantly on the lookout for a moment to be captured, I think that sentence defines the way I understand art and creation. Thanks for your deep dive into my work and soul. I can tell you love what you are doing too, and that is something wonderful. Thank you. 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? Seigar: I would like to find time to work on my last trips, as I do not stop moving, and I will never stop moving, it is not that easy to select and work on the materials that I am creating. However, my priority is living, so it will be done whenever I have the right time to do it. I accept it, and I’m fine with that. I would say that my main goal in photography would be to keep on selecting and working on my travel and street photo narratives. Telling my moves through my trips, as a testimonial diary. I have some ideas for video art too, connecting the tradition of this form with my view to understand it. I see video art as a way to experiment and channel concepts. And I also want to keep on exploring college to deal with current issues, collages help me to express my views on things that concern me. And finally, I would love one day to start doing installations, it attracts me. TPL: If you could explore another area of photography or art, what would that be? Why, what is it that you would be inspired to learn? Seigar: I want to start doing installations. The use of new materials and forms to create interest me. I already have some ideas that include toys, plastic people, or some furniture. I like the experimental aspect of an installation and its connection to the senses. The focus could be the idea of playing with toys, or the ready-made pieces. If I do something, I suppose it will be colorful, pop, and weird. When I visit a museum, I always find the installations quite intriguing and captivating. They commonly move me to feel things and to think, they usually surprise me. TPL: Your zest for life and your mantra to seize each day, how do you balance work and life? Seigar: I try to dedicate time for myself, that means taking care of myself and giving myself some love. I feel the more I care for myself, the more I can care for others. The more I help myself, the more I can help others. I try to be balanced and to listen to myself. To care about the words, I talk about me because we become what we say we are. It’s important to care about how we define ourselves. I listen to myself and my body to know and decide what is the best thing for every single moment. If you need to eat, to move, and to rest, that is how I understand my everyday life. And if I want to express myself, I also count on the art expression. I guess the moments I have felt at ease with myself, I have been able to be nicer and more generous with the people around me. The more you love yourself, the more you can give love. TPL: When you're not creating your visual stories, what do you do for leisure? Seigar: When I’m not creating, I hike, exercise, and eat out. I listen to music; I spend hours listening to music and reading music reviews. I love reading books about pop culture, and music magazines. I have coffee with my best friends. I meet and travel with my loved sister. And finally, I also go out and travel with my partner, and we enjoy life together. Thanks for the love. 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.