PICTORIAL STORY CHOOSING TO CHALLENGE #IWD #CHOOSETOCHALLENGE 8th March, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY Photography by Suzanne Phoenix Story by Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link As we mark the annual celebration of International Women's Day, there is a resounding call to honor the remarkable social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women around the world. Now in its 109th year, this special day is more than just a milestone, but an opportunity to recognise the incredible progress made by women globally in their fight for gender parity. Every year since 2012 Australian photographer Suzanne Phoenix has curated an International Women's Day photography portrait series - What Does International Women's Day Mean to Me? Suzanne has created an impressive collection of over 100 portraits, featuring inspiring, courageous, shy and outspoken cis and trans women, non-binary people, and others from all walks of life - both from her home city of Melbourne and the Yarra Valley, where she resides. This series includes many well-known artists, activists, authors, musicians, performers, photographers, comedians and fashion designers, as well as boxers, human rights workers, and massage therapists. It is a visual snapshot of the fierce, funny, and extraordinary individuals who have inspired her world. Through this project, Suzanne has sought to respond to the inequality, discrimination, sexism, misogyny and gendered violence that exists in Australia. Photography has provided her with a rhythm to life, a way of pausing and exploring her creative side without judgment, and an opportunity to grow as a person. In this 10th year of the project, Suzanne is celebrating with a self-publication of the portraits and the responses from individuals about the importance of International Women’s Day, as well as documentation of project events and poster paste-ups. Unfortunately, due to Covid restrictions it has not been possible for Suzanne to create new portraits. Lenz Ma, 2020 - Guitarist/vocalist in Spawn, Landscape Architect © Suzanne Phoenix Ra Nikolaidis, 2019 - Makeup Artist, Artist, Dancer, Professional Weirdo © Suzanne Phoenix Jewel De Gelder, 2020 - bass guitarist in Spawn. © Suzanne Phoenix Mary Mihelakos, 2019 - Melbourne Music Enthusiast, Music Victoria Hall of Fame © Suzanne Phoenix Kylie Auldist, 2018 - singer © Suzanne Phoenix Amy Taylor, 2019 - singer in Amyl and the Sniffers and Victorian Musician of The Year 2020 © Suzanne Phoenix Phoebe Taylor, 2019 - part of punk band Bitch Diesel © Suzanne Phoenix Lexi Lovedack, 2018 - guitarist in Lazertits © Suzanne Phoenix Erica Dunn, 2019 - musician in Tropical F**k Storm, MOD CON and Palm Springs © Suzanne Phoenix Keven 007, 2020 - musician in Glitoris © Suzanne Phoenix Helen Marcou AM, 2018 - owner Bakehouse Studios and music advocate © Suzanne Phoenix Christina Aubry, 2020 - artist © Suzanne Phoenix Angela Savage, 2018 - Award-winning author, craftivist and CEO of Public Libraries © Suzanne Phoenix Alice Skye, 2019 - singer and songwriter - Wergaia/Wemba Wemba artist © Suzanne Phoenix Amy-ann Broomhall (Bam-Bam), 2018 - a firebrand performer and community organiser, turned psychology major and dog mother © Suzanne Phoenix Andrew Glitoris, 2020 - musician in Glitoris Band © Suzanne Phoenix Jessi Leigh, 2020 - model, makeup artist © Suzanne Phoenix The self-publication will be available as a printed magazine or book, or a digital download through Suzanne's website and 10% of the profits will be donated to Djirra , an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation providing practical support to Aboriginal people who are currently experiencing family violence or have in the past. Thank you, Suzanne, for giving us this opportunity to share your important work about this very important day for all women. Header Image: Kristy Harris, 2019 - World Championship bronze medallist boxer view Suzanne's portfolio Buy Suzanne's books >>> Read "ISOLATION PORTRAITS" by Suzanne >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> Important sources - International Women's Day Website Donate to Djirra The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

THE ART OF ANALOGUE In a digital era, Paul Cooklin's devotion to analogue photography elevates his work to timeless artistry, where light and chemistry intertwine, creating mesmerising, evocative images that honour the craft's rich heritage. THE ART OF ANALOGUE July 12, 2024 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Paul Cooklin INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In the contemporary landscape of photography, where the emergence of artificial intelligence is reshaping our perception of imagery and digital platforms are revolutionising the art of visual storytelling, United Kingdom fine art photographer, Paul Cooklin stands as a testament to tradition. Eschewing the allure of modern conveniences, Paul continues to uphold the fundamental principles of photography — capturing light through an aperture, preserving it in layers of silver halide crystals exposed through a gelatinous layer that is fixed and hardened through processing, to achieve enduring imagery. The tactile experience of processing film or prints in a darkroom is like no other. What’s not to love about a darkroom, along with the dramatic red light, smell of the chemicals, the sound of running water, together with the allure of all the toys you get to play with, like enlargers, easels, timers, thermometers, trays, tongs, can make for a profound experience and one that formed many photographers’ critical and creative thoughts about how to create photography throughout history. It is an art form that has found a breath of life recently with many community darkrooms opening, giving photographers an opportunity to keep analogue alive and carry it into the future. Paul started his journey as a digital photographer, working multilayered abstracted digital images to conceptualise and define his frames. Often exploration and experimentation lead to new discoveries and create new paths of critically seeing and thinking. Paul found the distinct tonal qualities and grain of the silver hardened crystals inherent in analog film hard to reproduce in digital photography. Soon Paul began exploring old methods to provide a new platform for his visual storytelling. He found mastering silver gelatin printing to be key in how he dictates the narratives of the stories he tells, creating a subversive atmosphere for the viewer to become saturated in the experience. For Paul the extensive and rich history expanding over two centuries, now moving into its third, combined with the infinitive artistic potential it inspires, will continue to entice process driven visual storytellers back into the darkroom. In an essay about black and white photography, Paul has embraced the removal of colour focusing on the basic elements in photographs he feels can get lost in the saturation of colour. He explores light, shadow, scale, space, texture, and pure geometry in its simplest form without any distraction. This allows him to achieve a depth and clarity in his photography, which he finds special to this medium. Paul plays with contrast to establish emotional connections in his visual stories creating drama and impact, or like a dense fog, he allows for the subtlety of the greyscale to create the nuance. For Paul he tells his visual stories not only through his camera, but much of the narrative is formed in properties and values of analogue film, and the printing processes that nurture and further the narrative creating a powerful statement and connection and understanding of the story. With a diverse body of work spanning various photographic genres, Paul’s portfolio is as eclectic as it is captivating. His images have graced the pages of prestigious publications such as TIME Magazine and Italian Vogue and have been featured on television. Additionally, he has participated in numerous global exhibitions, further solidifying his imprint on the world of analogue photography. We have the privilege of gaining insight into the mind of an artist whose work transcends the boundaries of time and medium. From his early days as a digital artist to his current mastery of analogue photography, Paul Cooklin's journey is a testament to his unwavering passion for the craft. Join us as we uncover the inspiration, technique, and vision behind his captivating images. “Creating digital art was a cathartic and creative experience in that I could literally create anything I wanted from a blank page of pixels. I was self-taught in Photoshop but quickly learnt the basics for what I wanted to create. However, I burnt out quite quickly having had 5 disk publications licensed to then Brand X Pictures (now owned by Getty Images). From this point I began experimenting with the Bronica camera I was gifted by my father and enjoyed the new challenges this gave me.” IN CONVERSATION WITH PAUL COOKLIN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Can you describe a particular moment or experience that sparked your passion for photography? PAUL COOKLIN: I was given a Bronica ETRS medium format film camera by my father who was an amateur photographer when he was younger. By ‘amateur’, I only mean it wasn’t his profession - he was a very good darkroom printer. I bought some film and began experimenting. The first few snaps I got back were not of good quality in any way, but they had a look about them which I really liked. This was really the moment I was hooked on photography, solely analogue film photography. TPL: What do you find most rewarding about working with analogue film and traditional printing methods? Can you describe the feeling you get when you see your images in silver gelatin print for the first time? PAUL: I like the tonal qualities of silver gelatin prints - to my eyes they just have an intrinsic magic about them. Digital photography can look ‘too clean and sharp’. TPL: What role do you think analogue photography plays in today's predominantly digital world? PAUL: There’s room for both. Digital capture is highly suited to commercial photography as the camera can be tethered to a laptop for an instant visual of the shot, perhaps in a similar way a Polaroid was used. I think a lot of fine art photographers still use analogue mediums for their work as it has a different look. The overall process is entirely different. I see all the different ways to capture an image and the choices in a similar way to perhaps an artist who has the option to use oil, acrylic or water colour along with a variety of brushes, pallet knives, canvas substrates etc. Each will give a different look and feel depending on what the artist wishes to express. TPL: Do you have a favorite camera or piece of equipment that you prefer to work with? PAUL: I'm a big fan of Leica. I've owned the M6 and M7. The M6 was stolen in France, and I sold the M7 for poverty reasons. I now use a second world war Leica II (Barnack) with an equally old 50mm lens and a Leica R4 with a 28-70mm lens. I've recently sold everything else. I may well buy a Hasselbald 500cm at some point and/or another M6 or M7 as they’re simply lovely tools to use. I like the tonal qualities of silver gelatin prints - to my eyes they just have an intrinsic magic about them. TPL: Your work has been featured in prestigious publications such as TIME Magazine and Italian Vogue. How did you feel when you first saw your work in print? PAUL: It’s a nice feeling to see my work online and in print. TPL: Are there any photographers or artists who you admire? If so, who are they and how have they inspired you? PAUL: Henri Cartier-Bresson is my favorite photographer of the 20th century. His ability to capture ‘the decisive moment’ was masterful and is well documented. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? PAUL: Henri Cartier-Bresson for the reasons above. TPL: What have been some of your favorite places you find inspiration to explore through your photography, and what draws you there? PAUL: I very much enjoy the French countryside. That said, we try to visit at least one city in Europe each year. To date, all have had something to offer. TPL: How do you stay inspired and motivated in your artistic practice? PAUL: It can be quite frustrating sometimes staying focused but I find that travel is very good for inspiration and helps blow away the cobwebs. TPL: What are your hopes and aspirations for the future of your photography career? PAUL: To travel and sell more prints of the places and cultures I've visited. In an era dominated by pixels and instant gratification, Paul Cooklin’s dedication to analogue photography is a breath of fresh air. His transition from digital to analogue reveals a deep commitment to craft and tradition. The tactile, hands-on darkroom experience, combined with the unique aesthetic of silver gelatin prints, forges a profound, almost spiritual connection to his art. Paul's work transcends mere imagery, evolving into narratives rich with texture and emotion. His meticulous process and mastery of light and shadow elevate his photography to a masterful storytelling medium. Amidst the prevalence of digital techniques, Paul's unwavering preference for analogue underscores the distinctive qualities of traditional methods, imbuing his creations with nostalgia and authenticity. From the serene beauty of the French countryside to the vibrant pulse of European cityscapes, his images possess a timeless allure that captivates and mesmerises. Paul Cooklin’s journey celebrates the enduring power of analogue photography, a testament to the magic that emerges when light, chemistry, and vision converge. His work not only preserves the rich heritage of traditional photography but also redefines it for future generations, ensuring the art of film photography remains vibrant and relevant in this digital age. VIEW PAUL'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth. FUTURE HACKNEY Don Travis and Wayne Crichlow are the photographers and community advocates behind Future Hackney, merging photographic activism and social engagement to amplify inner-city marginalized communities' voices.

I am Delhi based street and fine arts photographer. I am the only person in my family who is into photography and art . I love to connect to the human behaviour by using my skills and composition. ABHAY PATEL I am Delhi based street and fine arts photographer. I am the only person in my family who is into photography and art . I love to connect to the human behaviour by using my skills and composition. LOCATION Delhi INDIA CAMERA/S Nikon D5600 @_PRIN_PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // Widows' Holi

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

PICTORIAL STORY INTO AFRICA For almost three decades, Jelisa Peterson has focused her work on the people, the cultures and environments she has witnessed and experienced while living in and visiting African communities. October 21, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography JELISA PETERSON story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link One might wonder how a twenty-something woman born in Ogden, Utah, would find her way to the African continent. Jelisa Peterson’s journey began in high school when she dreamt about doing volunteer work in Africa. Jelisa’s work began to take on a more concrete form when as a junior in college studying Anthropology and Women’ Studies, she began looking for opportunities to work with women and children in places she’d seen in National Geographic and heard about from her grandmother who had spent time traveling in Tanzania and Kenya. Upon graduating university in 1993, Jelisa found an opportunity to work as a volunteer intern in Harare, Zimbabwe. Her new job took her all over the country, to villages, small towns, as well as larger cities as Information Officer for the largest indigenous women’s organization in Zimbabwe, Jekesa Pfungwa (which translated from the Shona means “ open your mind ”). This idea became crucial to her life and work. During her first month, Jelisa began working in a small village in central Zimbabwe. Her responsibility was to write grant proposals in support of famine relief for a severely drought ridden area. As she wrote in her journal on the first evening in the village, she found that she was struggling to find the right words to describe the vivid scenes she had witnessed. While thinking about this, Jelisa realized that making photos would not only be better to show people at home, but it could give her a better way to describe the dire circumstances of the people with whom she was tasked with helping. She has held a camera in her hands since childhood, but it was creating portraits of women and children for Jekesa Pfungwa where she started to build her visual storytelling skills. Her respect and love for her new communities gave her this inspiration. “While photographing Zimbabweans’ daily life for grant proposals, my passion for photography intensified dramatically. It was through capturing the beauty of the women of Zimbabwe, I began to see photography as a way to connect and communicate with people. When I returned home to attend my sister’s wedding after nine months there, so many of my friends and family were taken back with my images. I remember being surprised but soon after very inspired by their appreciation. I began to dream about ideas for my life which previously wouldn’t wouldn’t have occurred to me. I was excited to return to Zimbabwe to concentrate more on my work. Portraits of people weren’t going to be just for Jekesa Pfungwa but a way for me to work to open many more minds about Africans. I became devoted to my new dream.” 2023 will mark 30 years of making documentary photographs in African countries and elsewhere, primarily in a developing country context. It has become Jelisa’s lifelong passion. Most important to her is providing a visual language to inform and nurture different ideas than what is the western media. By sharing more positive, sensitive and faithful images as widely as possible to counter such discriminatory and racist ideas, she works to dispel long held myths and untruths. Jelisa’s first photography exhibition was a solo one in 1994 at her alma mater, the University of Utah. The response was so positive that she was determined to return to Africa to continue making images to document her experiences and connections with African people. The title of her most recent solo exhibition this past month at A. Smith Gallery speaks proudly and definitively of the many people she has connected with over the years, Light Out of Africa . “I am filled with pride to know I had the tenacity and determination to never give up on my dreams,” says Jelisa. Jelisa’s path of exploration through Eastern and Southern Africa would develop organically over time. In 1996, Jelisa backpacked solo across the African continent. Beginning in Egypt, she traveled by bus, minibus, lorry, ferry, tuk tuks and in the backs of large trucks in the company of chickens. She traveled like this through Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe staying for two years, Swaziland, Lesotho and lastly to Mozambique for four years. In doing so, Jelisa embraced and lived the travel dreams of her grandfather — her first mentor in photography — thereby making both their dreams come true. Throughout her career as a photographer, Jelisa has traveled the world, adding Rwanda, Namibia, and South Africa for five years in Africa as well as Argentina for two years, Bolivia, Brazil, Belize, Guatemala and Mexico in the Americas with aims of gaining and spreading cultural understanding and appreciation. For almost three decades, Jelisa has focused her work on the people, especially children, the cultures and environments she has witnessed and experienced while living in and visiting these communities while absorbing more of their cultures. Learning from the people she has grown to love and trust, Jelisa is a master at creating images by uniting her viewers with her photographic subjects resulting in resonant images that are true examples of love and inspiration. Jelisa shares her mission with us in her own words: “So many of the images of Africans we see in first world settings are based on negative stereotypes of people devastated by poverty, disease and war; showing people who come from a place that is dangerous and insecure. This results in a very distorted vision of an entire continent of people with diverse lives and circumstances. I believe that these characterizations tend to limit our understanding of the very humanity of African people. With my work from Mozambique, I want to resist these one-dimensional characterizations to express what I see and have experienced over the years. It is the Mozambicans themselves who are my inspiration to create photography to be shared as widely as I am able. There is nothing more motivating to me than starting my day before the sun rises to walk, to meet and talk with people, interacting with them in their natural environments carrying out their daily activities. What is always remarkable to me as the day passes is not the invalidating distortions of actual lives but the curiosity, beauty and easy generosity of the people. My desire as an artist is to challenge the viewer to be more conscious of what they see and conclude when they consume images of Africans, like Mozambicans. My images advance a more positive and sensitive vision of people who are worthy of more insightful representation.” She is grateful to them for giving her so much love and purpose in life. 'Jelisa Holding Infant' © Jelisa Peterson 'Brushing My Teeth' © Jelisa Peterson 'Fraternal Twin Sisters' © Jelisa Peterson 'Sidekicks' © Jelisa Peterson 'Strength in Profile' © Jelisa Peterson 'Wanna Chat' © Jelisa Peterson 'Sisters-in-law' © Jelisa Peterson 'Homemade Shades' © Jelisa Peterson 'In Her Eyes' © Jelisa Peterson 'A Cause For Excitement' © Jelisa Peterson 'Girl Gaze' © Jelisa Peterson 'A Fisherman Is Watching' © Jelisa Peterson 'Quicksand' © Jelisa Peterson 'Smooth Sailing' © Jelisa Peterson 'Little Helper' © Jelisa Peterson 'Look Out!' © Jelisa Peterson 'Shadow Mate' © Jelisa Peterson 'Mother of Eight' © Jelisa Peterson 'Just Around The Corner' © Jelisa Peterson 'Blushed' © Jelisa Peterson 'Digging For Dinner' © Jelisa Peterson 'Belinha' © Jelisa Peterson 'Beach Bag' © Jelisa Peterson 'Faruk' © Jelisa Peterson 'Afternoon Shadows' © Jelisa Peterson 'Wonder' © Jelisa Peterson 'Stand Tall' © Jelisa Peterson 'Gathering Wisdon' © Jelisa Peterson 'Haunting' © Jelisa Peterson 'Dishwater Hands' © Jelisa Peterson 'Constant Companions' © Jelisa Peterson We would like to give Jelisa a shout-out for her achievements in the field of photography this year. Jelisa has exhibited in close to 40 exhibitions in 2022. It was a great honor for her to be invited to exhibit at A. Smith Gallery, in Johnson City, Texas. There her images of Mozambican life were included in the Lights Out of Africa exhibition. In October Jelisa will be presenting one of her images at Jadite Gallery, in Manhattan as part of the Your Best Shot 10th Anniversary call for entry, jurored by Elizabeth Avedon. Jelisa has also received the honors of first place at The Cultural Center of Cape Cod, and the Marin Society of Artists. Also Jelisa’s images will be part of the exhibitions Photo Rodeo at Si Gallery in Austin, Texas until 20th November, 2022; Parallax at Gormley Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland until 18th November 2022; 2nd Place Award at the 8th International Juried Phone-ography Competition at the Foto Foto Gallery in New York until November 12th, 2022; Focus: A Biennial Celebration of Photography at Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick, Maryland, November 5th to 27th, 2022; and upcoming in 2023, a solo exhibition at the Firehouse Gallery in Del Rio, Texas, April 5th-30th. And also, the recent purchase of Jelisa’s awarded photograph, from the Alexandria Museum of Art in Louisiana for their permanent collection. This is awarded after the exhibition by museum staff and the collections committee. Congratulations Jelisa! Well done! Jelisa’s photography has been featured in galleries all over the United States, and her images have been published in magazines and journals. Now Jelisa is a published member of The Pictorial List, Welcome Jelisa! We take this time to thank you for your dedication to the communities you embrace and for sharing your intimate and inspirational journey with us. For more inspiration and exhibition information please visit Jelisa's portfolio page with links to her website and Instagram. view Jelisa's portfolio Light Out of Africa | Jelisa Peterson - A Smith Gallery Seeing Beyond: An Online Photography & Digital Art Exhibition Tenth Anniversary 2022 | nyc4pa Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

I am a documentary photographer and visual artist based in New York City, though my roots trace back to Elbasan, Albania. addresses political, social, and cultural realities on issues such as migration and inequality, as well as our disconnection to the natural world and environmental degradation. Through vibrant colors and serene imagery, my photographs are often in dichotomy with the subject matter at hand. Drawing inspiration from the social practice field and the feminist art movement, she seeks to join the dialogue of Drawing from the social practice field and feminist art movement, I’m driven by the belief that how art can be a force of change and challenge dominant narratives around how we see the world and each other. With a foundation in political science and a deep understanding of geopolitics, I’ve dedicated years to studying political movements, revolutions, and global inequality. This perspective is integral to my artistic vision and practice. MEI SEVA I am a documentary photographer and visual artist based in New York City, though my roots trace back to Elbasan, Albania. addresses political, social, and cultural realities on issues such as migration and inequality, as well as our disconnection to the natural world and environmental degradation. Through vibrant colors and serene imagery, my photographs are often in dichotomy with the subject matter at hand. Drawing inspiration from the social practice field and the feminist art movement, she seeks to join the dialogue of Drawing from the social practice field and feminist art movement, I’m driven by the belief that how art can be a force of change and challenge dominant narratives around how we see the world and each other. With a foundation in political science and a deep understanding of geopolitics, I’ve dedicated years to studying political movements, revolutions, and global inequality. This perspective is integral to my artistic vision and practice. LOCATION New York UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Pentax K1000 with Kodak Porta 400 film WEBSITE https://meiseva.com/ @MEI__SEVA FEATURES // The Red Poppy and the Sun

PICTORIAL STORY ISLAND You are invited into an introspective journey that mirrors Enzo Crispino’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. January 19, 2025 PICTORIAL STORY photography ENZO CRISPINO story ENZO CRISPINO introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Enzo Crispino’s latest photographic series, Nêsos , invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. Drawing from the Greek term for island , the project serves as both a personal metaphor and a visual exploration of isolation, self-reflection, and the human condition. Enzo, a self-taught photographer recognized for his works housed in collections such as the Italian War History Museum, the Reggio Emilia Civic Museum, and the Ros Photo State Museum channels his meditative perspective into visceral and intimate compositions. This series is strongly shaped by Enzo’s broader artistic and literary journey. During the global pandemic, when his connection to photography waned, Enzo turned to poetry, composing verses that gave form to his emotions. His poems became a means of expression during a period of creative stillness. One of these poems, titled Nêsos , now frames the narrative arc of this photo essay, blending visual storytelling with the written word. Enzo’s photographs, suffused with chiaroscuro and grounded in quiet reflection, unfold as a meditation on solitude and the fragmented self. Each image highlights ordinary objects and spaces imbued with symbolic weight — windows into the intangible world of memory, loss, and self-examination. Through this project, Enzo Crispino not only reestablishes his connection to photography but also transforms it into a compelling dialogue of light, shadow, and the human experience. Nêsos (from the Greek language: island) It is evening I close behind me the front door of the house An island in the lost sea that devoured Atlantis Silence stands as a barrier protects me from the cacophony and from my melancholies that find peace in these dark lights I contemplate the shadows guards that veil affections traces and findings In each of them parts of me... ~ Enzo Crispino For a long time, I no longer felt the wonderful input of hearing a new idea for a photographic project. For almost two years I no longer picked up the camera, I felt I had nothing more to communicate, all I saw around me were fences and the delightful sound of the shutter no longer lit up my eyes. During this persistent phase of disenchantment with photography, in which I still live, amidst countless questions that I asked myself and still ask myself, I realized this project that I had had in my head for years, but which only came to life last May. The introduction to this project is this poem of mine with the same title that I wrote while editing the photographs in post-production. It was not my original intention to write poetry, I had never thought about it and it was not in my ambition to try my hand at writing. It was unintentionally on a Saturday morning, during the pandemic, that I wrote my first poem entitled Arid Eyes on a small Post-it note, a few lines dedicated precisely to the situation of isolation in which we were forced to live and where our gaze day after day began to become more and more arid. Writing verses here was salvific for me, and since then I have written 18 and some of them, including the first Arid Eyes , have received various prizes in national literary competitions. Through poetry I had accidentally found another possibility to externalize a feeling of mine, which had been blocked during my phase of moving away from photographic production, towards which I had long felt a sense of estrangement. © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino © Enzo Crispino In Nêsos , Enzo Crispino creates a space for reflection and self-discovery, offering a powerful look into his personal journey of reconnection with photography. The series is not only a return to the medium but also an exploration of themes like isolation, memory, and the passage of time. Through his thoughtful use of light and shadow, Enzo elevates everyday moments into profound, contemplative images that ask the viewer to pause and reflect. What makes Nêsos truly compelling is its seamless integration of visual and literary expression. Enzo’s unexpected shift to writing during the pandemic allowed him to explore emotions that had previously felt blocked. This collaboration of forms gives the project a depth and intimacy that wouldn’t have been possible with photography alone — words and images, light and dark, silence and sound. Enzo Crispino demonstrates the power of art to evolve. Through this series, he reminds us that even in isolation, there’s room for growth and creativity. It’s a reminder of the ways art can reconnect us with ourselves and with others, even in the quietest of moments. view Enzo Crispino's portfolio Interview with Enzo >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

PICTORIAL STORY A WORLD WITHIN REACH The spirit of resilience and warmth comes to life through Cuban moments Pedro Vidal captures, where memory and emotion quietly unfold. April 5, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography PEDRO VIDAL story PEDRO VIDAL introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Pedro Vidal was born in Brazil and is now based in Barcelona, Spain. He is known for his portraiture and documentary photography. Growing up, Pedro was always connected to art. But it wasn't until his journey into photography later in his life, that he truly found a way to express his creativity and connect with the world around him. For him, photography is a way to capture the splendor of life, a gateway to places and experiences that would have otherwise been out of reach. With a degree in International Relations, Pedro had a valuable foundation. However, his true passion for photography drove him to pursue a postgraduate degree in the field. His work has been published and exhibited in publications such as El Periódico and National Geographic Brazil, as well as at the Photogenic Festival. Pedro's latest project focuses on a society that has found what is most human about us: our sense of community. As Pedro sees it, despite facing material limitations and challenges, the Cuban people have managed to create a welcoming and supportive society, showing us a better way to live and coexist. Pedro's photographs capture the warmth and affection that are the foundation of this society. The project had a strong impact on Pedro, not just in terms of how things looked, but also how they felt. He firmly believes that the true essence of photography lies in its ability to capture memories. Through this project, he feels he has just scratched the surface of what photography is capable of. This is Pedro's tribute to Cuba and its people, a testament to their strength, resilience, and humanity. With his camera, he captures a society that continues to inspire and amaze. A World Within Reach is both a visual and emotional journey, showcasing the true beauty and strength of Cuba. “Seeking solidarity not as an end but as a means to ensure that our America fulfills its universal mission.” - José Martí. We live in the biggest crisis of inequality in our existence. In an extremely individualistic society, where our social functions are tied to consumption and our values to the accumulation of wealth. Many of us feel lonely most of the time. There is a widespread pandemic of mental illnesses. Bombarded by entertainment and services, we are always connected, perpetuating the maintenance of this giant wheel that promises everything and delivers nothing. We settle for inhumanity and existential emptiness. Suppressed by those who have an interest in showing that there is no alternative, Cuba is prevented from participating in the international system. Living under an economic blockade that leaves them with very little to survive on, they thrive beyond survival, showing us that, despite everything, a better world is possible. We all know about the exemplary levels of education, health, security, housing, etc., that Cuba provides for its people. But it's not this general sense of humanity that I come to explore with these photographs; it's its everyday aspect. A few years ago, a French photographer, already at an old age, died, and his death made a huge impact on me. He was walking down a busy street in Paris when he stumbled, fell, and remained there, on the ground, for 10 hours until his death. He died from the intense cold, lying on the ground in a public space for 10 hours, helpless, without anyone offering a hand. Murdered by indifference, as a journalist friend sadly noted. Cuba demonstrates that the construction of an affectionate society occurs regardless of its material or productive development. The reproduction of our affections is intricately linked to helplessness. A helpless society breeds hostility and distrust among its individuals, manifested in our attitudes, choices, and political positions. The Cuban people made a choice and developed a society where it is possible to thrive through a different path: through our affections. Affection is not just warmth, compassion, or simple love. It is a social element, concerning our subjectivity, our perception to the environment, and our social interaction. Affection, from Freud to Lacan, is not just an individual feeling but something shaped by the social and political relations of our time, determining how we see ourselves within a society. The disposition of affections as a common good reproduces a welcoming society, where a support network is a natural condition of human relations. Unfortunately, this is a rare condition in the world we live in. A daily life that would be unsustainable in any neoliberal society thrives in Cuba through this sense of humanity that stands out in everything. Children and the elderly are supported under the watchful and caring eyes of the entire community. Spaces, museums, theaters, squares, or streets generate coexistence; the sensation is of collective belonging. Trust surpasses the notion of individual security. The atmosphere is of solidarity and challenges the logic of competition, an environment where shared responsibility and mutual support are fundamental values. Beyond the stereotype applied to them as societies that are “happy with so little,” Cuba stands strong as a nation. With an extremely high level of culture and intellectuality, a vivid political awareness, which is noticeable “at the pie de calle” (on the street level). Their achievements in the fields of arts, sciences, sports, and other human expressions are enviable and put into perspective what we want as a society. Despite contradictions, incessant attacks, and enormous material challenges, Cuba firmly sustains itself in what it tirelessly sought to preserve and build: a profound sense of humanity. Cuba's transformation transcends material barriers by redefining fundamental structures and nurturing a sense of unity, a proposal to build a fairer and more welcoming society. Despite everything and everyone, against everything and everyone, Cuba is like a beacon of hope, an inspiration amid contemporary challenges. The possibility of a better world is already manifesting in reality. A better world is possible. © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal © Pedro Vidal Pedro Vidal's journey into photography has allowed him to not only express his creativity but also connect with communities and capture the essence of life. We are grateful to Pedro for sharing this tribute to Cuba and its people, reminding us of the beauty and strength found within humanity. In a world consumed by individualism and materialism, Cuba serves as a beacon of hope and an inspiration for a better world, reminding us that true progress and success lie in our ability to care for and support one another. view Pedro's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

I am a documentary and fine art photographer, currently based in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The principal motivation behind my pictures is a focus on humanist issues combined with strong visual storytelling. ADESH GAUR I am a documentary and fine art photographer, currently based in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The principal motivation behind my pictures is a focus on humanist issues combined with strong visual storytelling. LOCATION Uttar Pradesh INDIA CAMERA/S Canon 700D @ADESHGAUR99 FEATURES // New Normal

PICTORIAL STORY GHOSTS OF THE ANDES December 11, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Federico Quintana Introduction by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Photojournalist Federico Quintana focuses on editorial, wildlife, documentary and human-interest work. Now working on personal projects, Federico travelled to the Bolivian Andes, documenting the lives of people from salt and tin miners to remote indigenous tribes. In this fascinating story for The Pictorial List, Federico tells us about his time getting to know the culture of the elusive and mysterious Chipaya people, who live high up on the Bolivian salt plains. In the year 2000, I was working in Northern Argentina’s Salta and Jujuy provinces, covering a story on one of the highest railways in the world, “El Tren de las Nubes” a unique railroad system, covering the three frontiers of Chile, Bolivia and Argentina, which are all at an altitude between 4000 and 6000 metres on the Andean plateau. On the Argentinian frontier to Bolivia in the Jujuy region lies the first of the three greatest salt flats in the Andes, “Salinas Grandes”. I became very interested in this mysterious train that travels in this high altitude region, serving mostly indigenous people across these frontiers. I wondered at the time about how difficult the conditions of life could be in this area, as there is almost no natural drinking water available, crops are out of the question, and very few animals other than Llamas, Vicuñas and Guanacos can muster the altitude and climatic conditions, which can go from extreme heat and burning sun during the day to well below freezing conditions at night. It was here that while I was investigating, I heard rumours of a very particular indigenous tribe that lived in the middle of one of the largest and least known salt flats in the Andes. Coipasa, has a 70 km circumference and is second only to the much better known “Uyuni”, considered to be the largest in the world with its 100 km circumference at over 4000 metres altitude. These salt flats were created by the very quick rise (in a geological time frame) of the Andes, the second highest range in the world after the Himalayas. As the mountains were formed by the tectonic plate friction on the pacific side of the south American continent, these enormous salt water lakes rose to the clouds, and later simply evaporated, leaving a cape of salt several meters deep as the Andes rose. I started researching the possibility of reaching this remote tribe, but little information was available and no guide would dare venture in the Coipasa salt flats, as it was uncharted territory surrounded by the river Lauca, which often cannot be crossed. Bolivia is an ethnically very unique country in South America. Its population is ninety percent indigenous and directly descended from the great Inca empire, which extended across all the Andean regions. There are two main blood lines in the country, the Quechua and the Aymara, descended from Lake Titicaca and from Machu Picchu. In fact, Spanish is only the third language in Bolivia. The Chipaya are, however, a unique tribe in many ways. Most interestingly they don’t belong to either of the other groups and speak a unique language only known to them. The Chipaya say they descend from the Uros or Uru, a pre-Inca people of which most traces have been lost. What is known about the Uru is that they lived in conical shaped homes called “Chulpas”, made of earth and Lama remains, and were customarily not burying their dead, but leaving them sitting or lying in there Chulpa with no door and the possibility to be visited and offered coca leaves and alcohol by passers-by. The Uros were apparently chased away and decimated by the Incas, so they took refuge in the most inaccessible place they could think of to maintain their people and culture alive. The Coipasa salt flat, which was still flooded, had these requirements. The Chipaya call themselves “Qnas Soñi” or people of the water for this reason, and say they were here before the sun was born. To this day the Chipaya do not get along with the other tribes of ethnic Aymara or Quechua descendance and keep to themselves. I made a first attempt in 2001 to reach this elusive tribe. I had hired a guide from a geology mineral and mining company that had a lot of experience exploring the region for big international mining firms. The Andes are extremely rich in precious minerals, such as silver, carbon, copper, tin, selenium (nowadays fundamental for batteries) and even uranium. Even my guide though, had never seen a Chipaya and had only heard about them. We spent two weeks circumnavigating Coipasa in a desperate effort to reach the centre of the salt flats, but all attempts had failed, and extraordinary rains had rendered travelling with our vehicle extremely dangerous. The salt can form a thin layer, kind of like ice, and hide some very deep holes with water running underneath. They are called “Ojos del Salar” (eyes of the salt flat). If the vehicle should fall into one it would become unrecoverable. The rivers around were also too high to cross. So I returned home with my hands in my pocket and a curiosity level that was now worse than ever, and I decided to plan a second attempt in a drier season. On the second attempt to visit the Chipaya three month later, we finally managed, but still, it took us two weeks of trial and error to reach the centre of the salt flat, and once there, we weren’t exactly sure that we would manage to leave so easily. The main village, a few huts, two dirt roads, one north to south and one east to west seemed abandoned, only an occasional silhouette would appear in the distance but would quickly disappear after noticing our presence. We eventually encountered an elderly man who, despite a great language barrier (he spoke almost no Spanish, Aymara or Quechua), managed to explain that the village only served for school and village meetings once a month and that the Chipaya were going about their business scattered around the salt flats. After setting up camp near a crossing point on the Lauca river, we began to see a little traffic, and little by little the Chipaya started developing a little curiosity towards us. At first I would spend days walking great distances on the salt looking for distant Chulpas, but when I would reach the location I would find nothing. On occasion I would find scattered bones and skulls in their interior, mixed with fruits, cigarettes, empty bottles of sugar cane alcohol, and so forth. Silhouettes in the distance would still disappear very quickly after noticing me. It was only my persistence of not leaving that eventually led to an encounter. At dawn outside my frosty tent I heard a woman speaking to Manuel in very bad Spanish. This woman came just to find out what was our business in her territory. We had a lot of coca leaves with us — “ Pacha mama ” ( Mother Earth ). Across the Andes coca leaves are of incredible economic and spiritual importance, as they establish a connection to the spiritual world and are a means of exchange and monetary form, in addition to being a hunger and fatigue suppressant and to help with altitude sickness considerably. So after showing our good intentions, this woman slowly, day by day, introduced me to the Chipaya way of life and eventually introduced me to her family as well as the very special braids and clothing adopted by the tribe. Their way of life is still a mystery today, as the entire form of subsistence of the Chipaya is still unclear. The salt flat ground cannot grow any crops, and drinking water is just not available, except for the salty murky river waters that surround the flats. The Chipaya, like most Andean people, can walk incredible distances at high altitude and across very rough terrains, the women can easily walk 30 kilometres a day with a child on their backs, and I would see them disappear into nothingness ever so often. Very few animals also lived in the flats, mostly Lamas but it was also a mystery to me how they survive. A group of the strongest men in the community worked by mining the salt in unbearable conditions. The one and only vehicle in the village served that purpose and was a 1960’s old diesel truck. The miners would set up the truck in the wet season when the salt was softer, and spend a full day loading the truck in an eight man effort. At the end of the day, two of the men would set out for a 20 hour drive to sell the full truck’s load for the equivalent of 50 US Dollars, only to drive back and start over. But many men were missing, and I came to find out that several worked in abandoned tin mines further east and decided to follow up on that upon my return. I spent several more days with my acquainted Chipaya woman who little by little introduced me to her family and introduced me to community members in the village during a school-day. She had two little girls and one teenage boy who spent his days hunting for ducks or flamingos. As the flocks would fly over their Chulpa, he would cast out a “boleadora” consisting of three strings attached in the centre with three stones at the extremities. By rotating it fast enough he would send it flying as strongly as he could, hoping to intercept the flock of birds, eventually being successful for dinner. The woman's husband was at the mines. Miners in Bolivia have a history and tradition that dates back to colonial times when the Spaniards enslaved and forced indigenous populations to extract gold and silver for them and made Spain one of the richest and most powerful nations in the world. After their departure and the depletion of all their mines, thousands of kilometres of uncharted underground pathways were left abandoned, and Bolivian indigenous people claimed their ownership, threatening a great rebellion should there be any attempt to expropriate the mines. Because the indigenous population percentage is so high the government allows this, as indigenous rebellions would be stronger than governmental control. Miners in Bolivia hold some form of syndicate with its own rules and it is a great honour to become a miner. Nonetheless, being a miner, especially in tin mines, is not without a very high cost. Miners need to be chosen and accepted by other miners to start with. They come in very young, around the age of 15 or so but seldom make it very far beyond their thirties. The work in the mines consists of exploring uncharted galleries, without maps of any source and without any geological knowledge. It is about trial and error, but with dynamite sticks and rudimentary pump drills. The altitude is almost always around 6000 meters, and the underground exploration can go down sometimes to 500 meters. Tin gas is extremely toxic, causing profound emphysema and eventually killing the miners from lung disease. Furthermore, the passages and corridors are full of vertical ventilation shafts where a false step might send a man three levels down, and the use of dynamite in this environment leads to terrible accidents more often than not. Miners are strong in Bolivia, they can overthrow a government if they wish. Their lives are short, but they live proudly and are highly spiritual in their beliefs. Religion in these regions of the world is often Pagan, as there tends to be a mixture of the ancient ways and the Catholicism that was forced upon the population. What generally remains is a mixture of the two. A working day in the mines always starts with a reunion on the outside. The miners gather and discuss their daily plan as they equip themselves with the necessary tools. Among those, there is a substantial quantity of coca leaves and sugar cane alcohol in small plastic nylon pouches. The miners will later descend to their areas in small groups and gather in small cave-like rooms deep inside the mine. A process of drinking and praying to Pacha mama then begins and lasts for hours before the miners will start their exploration in wild physical conditions. They will ask mother earth to be forgiving, they know they are in the territory of demons and are afraid. They say that the Virgin Mary guards them outside, but inside they need to be friends with the demons “ Tíos ”. In fact, there are several statues throughout the mine, about life-size, completely painted in red with green blazing eyes and very obvious phallic conditions. Miners will enter these demon dens and offer them alcohol, coca leaves and lit cigarettes in order to be permitted to work in their turf with no harm to their person. The population size of the Chipaya was never very clear, as the community and tribe is never all together, but an estimate is of around 2000 people. The tribe had a lot of problems at the time from a lack of resources, mainly drinking water, and the government not acknowledging their existence. © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana © Federico Quintana Although this reportage is not very recent, I am quite sure the conditions of the Chipaya and miners across Bolivia remain the same to this day. view Federico's portfolio Read an interview with Federico >>> 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 >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

PICTORIAL STORY THE LUMBER YARD Back in her hometown in Alabama, Leigh Ann Edmonds joins her family’s lumber yard, not just to work but to observe and document. Through this project, she reflects on heritage, hard work, and the strength of the community that raised her. December 22, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography LEIGH ANN EDMONDS story LEIGH ANN EDMONDS introduction KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link We are often in search of what will make us happy in life. We go to faraway places, see and try many new and different things, meeting interesting people along the way. All of these experiences help us determine who we are, and where we feel we have a place of belonging. We often make meaningful connections in life that not only surprise us but allow us to grow and understand things in ways we never expected. Leigh Ann Edmonds is a woman with many talents pulling her in interesting directions both personally and professionally. Leigh Ann is a successful photographer running her own photography business and getting paid for the kind of photography she was finding little inspiration in. Leigh Ann was frustrated with that type of work and decided to close her photography business and concentrate more on her documentary work, and to go back home to her roots to work in her family's business, a lumber yard in northern Jefferson County, in the state of Alabama. For Leigh Ann, coming home was more rewarding than she ever thought possible. Reconnecting with her family and personally working with the people in her community on a day-to-day basis, has given Leigh Ann valuable insight and a genuine understanding of the integral role her family business plays in the building of a stronger and better community. Leigh Ann has made lasting meaningful relationships with her family and rewarding inspiring connections to her community. These photographs depict Shaw Building Supply, and the family and workers that are building a better place for the people of Jefferson County and surrounding communities to live and work in. When I decided to join the family business back in 2015, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. For so long, I had not shown an interest with the small family building supply and my knowledge base and skills had been solely in photography for the past fifteen years. My focus was more on the outside world, travels, chasing what life had to offer and always thinking about life outside of my hometown. I went to school for photography, my first job out of university was in photography, I even started my own photography business back in 2006 where I was a freelance photographer for family portraits and weddings. But all this seemed to have changed overtime as my love of photography faded. My business grew and with that came more demands. My creativity diminished as bookings increased and I felt that I had become a generic portrait photographer, photographing individuals dressed in their Sunday best, smiling pretty for their photographs. I felt that my images lacked depth and purpose, and I easily grew bored of this redundancy...so I wanted out. Leaving a successful photography practice to work at the lumber yard seemed to many individuals a step back with my career. But it was the complete opposite. And therefore, I feel life has more purpose now than it did when I was only a photographer. It all started well before I was ever born when my grandfather moved to Birmingham in the 60s from a small sharecropping town in Pickens County, Alabama. Work was hard to find in the countryside if you wanted to do more than farm. He found work at Hays Aircraft over by the Birmingham airport but was eventually laid off. During this time, my grandfather used this as an opportunity to create a new path for him and all of his family for generations to come. The family business, Shaw Building Supply, started back in 1974. My grandfather and his two young sons (my dad and uncle) saw a need for this industry up in the northern Jefferson County of Alabama. The city of Mount Olive was growing as many families were moving out of the city and into the neighboring communities. They all had experience with construction and after much thought, they felt the time was right to plant roots in this small town just 12 miles north of the city of Birmingham. So, he and all the family moved out of the city and into a small, quaint community that has now been home to the Shaw family for over four generations now and counting. My grandfather passed away when I was just 11 years old, leaving the company to my dad and with the recent passing of my grandmother just a month ago, I found myself reflecting on their life and legacy that they left behind for their children and their children’s children. And this is when I found that what I am involved in now has much deeper meaning than all the years of me having my own photography company. This family business has given the family a bond of working together, reliance on another and has helped keep us close within the community. Without it, it’s crazy to think how scattered about all our family would probably be. The lumber yard has saved me in so many ways, not only has it provided a good life for me and all of the family it also helped to keep me working during the lockdown of 2020 with the outbreak of COVID-19. This job was essential whereas if I had only been a photographer, I would have not been able to keep work. Over the years I have noticed the value in small businesses within a community. It provides not only a service to the locals but also a place for employment who may not always want to commute to the larger cities. In a way, I feel it not only helps bring my family together but the community together as well. The lumber yard has a lot of character that makes it different than the bigger box stores such as Home Depot and Lowes. The small business has years of charm to it with the old nail bins to the mounted largemouth bass hanging on the wall of my dad’s office and a small coffee station where several of the regulars gather around in the mornings to discuss local happenings and petty gossip. Over the years I have taken note that it is more than just a business but also a gathering place for locals who enjoy their morning cup of coffee that the big box chain stores will never have. There is personality here and I feel that is what is lacking in the big department stores. The lumberyard is my favorite location to shoot with the business. This is where I find most inspiration with the local lumberyard dog, named Tramp, to the sounds of forklifts carrying heavy loads of treated pine lumber. The work is hard and over time, I began to take notice how important it is for people to still work with their hands, outside in the extreme heat and humidity through the cold, rainy and wet winter months. The men in the lumberyard stood out to me in many ways as there were both older and younger generations of workers, not scared of manual labor. I didn’t know many of their names when I started working at the company and felt guilty for not having been more involved. I didn’t want to be known as the owner’s daughter who hid away in the office. I wanted to get out and speak with them, let them know that I truly appreciated and noticed their hard work and efforts. When I first started bringing my camera to work, the employees seemed to run from me and avoid wanting to have their picture taken. It wasn’t until one of the employees saw an image, I had printed that they realized these were not the posed formal photos that they were used to seeing. So, I feel after that, they didn’t run from me anymore. I didn’t know what I wanted to capture but I did feel inspired through the hard work of the employees, and I found myself wanting to document the lumberyard more often. My favorite time to photograph the employees was first thing in the morning when they would be loading trucks and getting ready for the workday. This was the least busy time, and it allowed me to capture the workers in their element without distractions of customers. I didn’t fully start to focus on the lumberyard series until 2020 when I started to focus on doing some of my own photography projects for me. I had been burnt out of photography for such a long time that I did not have a desire to pick up my camera without it feeling like work. This time, it felt more like I was shooting for a purpose again. Not those pretty, dressed up, perfect smiling family photos I had become accustomed to in years' past. This was real life, nothing pretentious and planned. Photographing the lumberyard not only helped inspire me with my photography again but it also allowed me to have a better understanding of the employees and the work that is involved as well as connect me to my family and community that I had been removed from for many years. I also feel that it is a way for others to hopefully find some insight into manual labor and the importance of it. My job at the family business is in their flooring department. It is a good balance for me as I feel that working in a different industry other than photography has given me more job skills to work with. Working in the flooring department still allows me to book photography sessions, but it also allows me to not feel the need to book every inquire I have. I feel working in this environment has allowed me to find balance with my creativity, with my family and with my work and community. There are many individuals who I deal with daily that may not ever know that I’m a photographer and then there are many individuals who only know me as a photographer. It’s kind of fun having the ability to wear two hats. © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds Yard manager, Jason Dupree, takes a quick smoke break before starting his work day. © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds Long-standing employee, Steve Dyess, hired back in 1988 drives the delivery trucks to job sites. © Leigh Ann Edmonds New hire, Jerry Crane, a forklift operator and driver in the process of unloading treated pine lumber. © Leigh Ann Edmonds A local neighborhood dog, Tramp, visits the Building Supply 7 a.m. sharp to greet the workers. © Leigh Ann Edmonds Tramp greeting forklift operator, Tristan, first thing in the morning. © Leigh Ann Edmonds The fire barrel helps keep the back lumber yard employees warm in the winter months. © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds © Leigh Ann Edmonds Leigh Ann Edmonds has demonstrated the power of a return to one's roots and the positive impact it can have on both the family and the community. Her story is one of hard work, dedication, and the importance of community. As Leigh Ann has shown, there is much to be gained by forging meaningful relationships with the people and businesses in our local communities, and it is up to each of us to take the initiative and get involved. Let us all strive to build strong and vibrant communities by taking part in local initiatives, supporting small businesses, and striving to make a positive change. view Leigh Ann's portfolio Read an interview with Leigh Ann >>> Read the story "TURNING NEGATIVES INTO POSITIVES" >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.

PICTORIAL STORY PEOPLE OF THE LAND By bringing the lens closer to the people who live the earth and respect it deeply, Paolo Ricca immerses himself in the memory of the weekends spent on a small piece of land owned by his grandfather. April 13, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography PAOLO RICCA story PAOLO RICCA introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Paolo Ricca’s photography stands out for its ability to capture the poetry of everyday life and tell stories with a documentary and artistic value. Paolo embarks on a journey to discover a territory that is close to his heart - the forgotten, rural landscapes of life. He captures the profound beauty and wisdom of people who live off the land, a reminder of his own childhood spent in his grandfather’s countryside. Through his photographs, Paolo strives to communicate the spirit of humility and determination that is rooted in the land, an ode to a value that needs respect and appreciation. His images portray a unique and vivid portrait of urban and peripheral life, without any filters or artificial light. He captures the subtle nuances of human emotion, from the fatigue and tears to the joy and satisfaction of a job well done. By using natural light and primary colors, Paolo’s art reflects an honest portrayal of life as it is, a celebration of its beauty and courage. White streets, covered with stones and gravel, shabby, rusty and half-open gates, right there, alongside the most chaotic arteries of the capital, seem to announce an unexpected guest. The infinite perspective of the orchards, the splendor of the newly turned clods in the fields, the clock that slows down and the time that suddenly seems to turn back. So, in the midst of the frenetic paths of globalization, start my journey through the unexpected and extraordinary discovery of a territory that is always present and close, a precious past that has never left me after all. By bringing the lens closer to the people who live the earth and respect it deeply, I immerse myself in the memory of the weekends spent in contact with it when, on a small piece of land owned by my grandfather, I lived intense and lively moments of my childhood. Today, like yesterday, in the hardness of the fields I find marked faces and small wrinkles, passion and sacrifices full of light. Indelible moments spent in contact with the earth, the anecdotes told by my grandparents and what then seemed to me like an incomprehensible melancholy at the end of each weekend. The bitter cold, the sun that burns, the humidity that sticks to clothes and penetrates inside, to the bone. The back is always bent, a bow and then another, once again, a dance that does not allow interruptions or complaints. Gestures and customs of distant days, yet so close to my tomorrow. Today I relive stories of humility and determination, wisdom in my hands and a great respect for the land, a value that deserves respect, which at times disappoints and gives tears of fatigue, but which then always returns to smile to give immense satisfaction. The sweat of the earth, all my work revolves around admiration for this metaphor. No filter, only natural light and the poetry of primary colors, to frame the close-up portrait of a peripheral and urban fabric that is increasingly current and intense, sometimes even rough, but for this reason even more authentic. Men and women, the human being, guardian of an inestimable value, the dignity of the soul that resists and does not bend to the easy in the face of the rhythm of the seasons, the confirmation of a today that will surely know how to cultivate the roots of its future. © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca © Paolo Ricca Paolo Ricca’s photography is an invaluable reminder of the beauty and value of everyday life. From his work, we can see the drive and determination that comes from the land, and the resilience and joy of the people who live off it. Through his photographs, we are reminded of the beauty and strength of humanity, and the importance of respecting and appreciating the land that sustains us. Paolo’s work speaks to our hearts and gives us a powerful glimpse into the lives of others. view Paolo's portfolio Read an interview with Paolo >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance. FIRE AND FORGE Alexandros Zilos delves deep into the harsh reality of sulfur mining, while also capturing the allure of the blue fire phenomenon created by sulfur deposits in the crater. IN-VISIBLE PAIN Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle Coordes brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. CELEBRATION OF LIFE Ahsanul Haque Fahim's photography captures Holi in Bangladesh, celebrating life with vibrant colors and reflecting human emotions, diversity, and interconnectedness in Dhaka's streets. KOALA COUNTRY Sean Paris invites viewers on a transformative journey, challenging our perceptions and fostering a new appreciation for rural Australia through mesmerizing infrared photography. MOMMIE Arlene Gottfried’s poignant exploration of motherhood in “Mommie” is not just a collection of photographs but a profound tribute to the enduring bonds of family and the universal experiences of love, loss, and resilience. BIFRÖST Amidst the breathtaking scenery of Norway, Romain Coudrier discovered the allure of rare light and subtle shades, immortalizing each moment in striking black and white with every click of his camera shutter. MUD Dedipya Basak's documentary project explores the struggle of an 800 year old lake against the impacts of global warming, revealing its continued relevance and urgent story in today’s changing climate.