CREATIVE FOCUS Inspired to see the world through a different lens by the greats. We find out from Jasper Tejano how it changed his creative focus. CREATIVE FOCUS August 3, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jasper Tejano INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE For those who appreciate the art of street photography, Jasper Tejano is a name they would be familiar with. This calm and collected photographer has managed to capture the attention of both local and international audiences, with his works being featured in various print and online publications. His journey into the world of street photography began out of a need to explore and grow creatively, leading him to discover the works of Magnum photographers who inspired him to start seeing the world through a different lens. Since then, Jasper has become renowned for his vibrant and expressive style of photography. He is able to capture powerful emotions and intense energy through his use of strong colours, light and multiple planes of focus. Even in his moments of rest, Jasper is never far from his camera, as he enjoys spending time with his wife and creative partner, with whom he can share his love of photography, or doting on his son giving the little tyke basics on photography. This interview takes a closer look at the life, works and motivations of Jasper Tejano; an incredible street photographer whose passion for his craft is evident in every frame. “When I see an interesting traffic of people and light pockets, I would go on a state of 'creative restlessness' (that’s how I describe it) and before I know it my camera is turned on and ready to shoot almost instinctively. I go to urban places where there is a busy flow of people traffic and decent lighting. When I find a good spot, I will exhaust that spot until I feel I have a good photograph.” IN CONVERSATION WITH JASPER TEJANO THE PICTORIAL LIST: Jasper, when did you start getting interested in photography? JASPER TEJANO: I started exploring photography when I was in my pre-teens. I used to borrow my mom's Minolta Pocket Autopak 450E and would use it to photograph school and family events. I was always the designated photographer during family events. However, photography took a backseat when I was in high school and college. It was actually my wife, who was then my girlfriend, who rekindled my interest in photography. My first serious camera was a Pentax Auto 110 which I borrowed from her. She was also the one who taught me the fundamentals of photography. When we got our first DSLRs, this was also the time when my wife discovered the joy of travelling. Since then we never stopped photographing our journeys together. When I became really serious in photography in 2008, I started experimenting on various lenses and researching on settings that can bring out the best in my photos. I started to appreciate the importance of light in creating drama in my images when I attended a workshop on portraiture and creative lighting. However, there was at some point between 2010 and 2011 that I felt that my photography was on a plateau and needed a 'creative jolt'. Most of my photographs were in the category of travel photography – which for me were too manicured, too clean and technical. Nothing wrong with that but I guess I was looking for something else. For a while I explored portraiture, still photography and even fashion photography but none of these were giving me fulfillment. I wanted something different something raw and edgy that somehow defies convention that could bring out my style. It was perfect timing that I started to get interested with the works of Magnum Photographers. The photographs of Henri Cartier Bresson, Alex Webb, David Alan Harvey and Harry Gruyaert blew me away. In 2012, I started seeing the world through a different lens. Street photography has become my genre of choice. TPL: Since you have begun your street photography journey since 2012, how would you describe the way you photograph now compared to then? And what are the characteristics that make a photographer a street photographer? JT: Before, I interpreted street photography as photojournalism (telling it as it is with objectivity) or documentary photography. In the recent years, my street photography has become really subjective. What matters to me now is how my subject interact with the scene considering light quality, how the colors would compliment my subject, how the other details would strengthen my subject and lastly, what fantasy would my finished frame reveal to me. Though I admire many street photographers who present their work in black and white, color street photography has its way of presenting life with much more realism and dynamism. Especially with my work on silhouettes, the blackness of my subjects will just drown in the different shades of gray. I need color to make my subjects emerge from the frame. As a street photographer, what will make me go out and hit the streets and capture moments is the thought that there will always be a new opportunity to experience 'magical moments'. You anticipate with excitement what you will be capturing. Sometimes, you will go home with nothing – not even a single image worth keeping; but there will also days that you have an SD card full of beautiful photographs. Having patience and diligence play an important role in your development as a street photographer. The reward of your patience and diligence is joy. Joy in street photography is when out of randomness in making multiple frames in a scene, I was able to capture a meaningful moment that has a story to tell. I know that, that moment will not happen again and I was very fortunate that I was there in the right place at the right time to witness and record that magical moment. Awareness of your surrounding is crucial as you will need to be comfortable in the scene that you are photographing, making sure that you stay focused and be less distracted when doing your studies. Street photography will always be a reflection of yourself. It reveals who you are, your imagination, your hopes and even your fears. By presenting your work to the world, you are also opening a window for people to see who you really are. Question is, are you ready to reveal yourself to your audience? That window will reveal to everyone that you are either authentic with your vision or a mere copy cat just trying to get 'likes' from photography communities. I learned that to define your vision, you need to build a solid body of work that your audience can say is your signature work. You can only achieve this if you are consistent with your outputs. Being serious about practicing street photography is studying the works of Magnum photographers, going out often and making lots of photographs by exhausting your street scene. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JT: When it comes to learning and appreciating photography, I would go straight to studying the photographic works of my favorite Magnum Photographers. My curiosity would always be about what made photographers like Alex Webb, David Alan Harvey and Harry Gruyaert stay in a particular street or public scene and decide to press the shutter button. What was it that they saw? What was in their minds? What emotion was prevailing during that moment? What personal battles do they need to set aside for them to focus on their work? So many questions to ask. I don’t have their published hard copy books but I do have their photographs indexed in my hard drive and several of their works are in my mobile as my 'quick inspiration recovery tool'. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? JT: At some point, you need to look for your equipment or gear that will work seamlessly in translating your creative vision. Of course budget is considered highly as I don’t really believe in the idea that expensive gear is the best gear when it comes to bringing to life your photography. Always go for what you can afford based on your budget but this purchase should be backed up by good research of the system and positive consumer and expert reviews. For me, photography is never about the gear and how massively it is endorsed, but about your creative vision and output. It’s all about making the most of whatever camera you are using. Photography is never about how cool or updated your gear is, but about your creative vision and the commitment and dedication that you put in your work to develop that vision. Lastly, it is also about being consistent with your outputs because from these will eventually emerge your style that will define your work and provide identity to your brand of photography. Street photography will always be a reflection of yourself. It reveals who you are, your imagination, your hopes and even your fears. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? JT: When I was a kid, I did a lot of sketching and painting of animals and sceneries. I was also into playing the acoustic guitar that led me to do performances back in my college years. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? JT: I’ll be launching a regular scheduled live broadcast via Facebook Live called Street Talk. This is a program with Street Photography in mind which will feature guest interviews, critique and feedback, portfolio review and insights sharing. TPL: “If I wasn't photographing what would I (like to) be... JT: I can only think of one wild thing and that is making my own house or trance music and playing it live in front of a packed crowd!” Jasper Tejano is an inspiring street photographer whose works have been recognized and featured by multiple publications. His journey to becoming a street photographer was an unexpected one, triggered by a creative plateau. Thanks to his passion and dedication, he has become a master of his craft and continues to capture the world around him. If you're interested in learning more about Jasper's work and collaborating for projects, you can connect with him directly. VIEW JASPER'S PORTFOLIO Jasper's 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.

CANDID OBSERVATIONS Street photography for Lasse Persson is an art of observation and a photographic statement about the human condition. CANDID OBSERVATIONS December 18, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Lasse Persson INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE When it comes to capturing beauty in the ordinary, few can rival the work of Swedish photographer Lasse Persson. With over four decades of experience as a press photographer, Lasse has developed a unique and powerful style of street photography that seeks to capture the extraordinary, humorous, and absurd moments in everyday life. His works are a moving testament to the human condition, inviting us to observe and appreciate the hidden beauty in the seemingly mundane. Join us as we explore the captivating art of street photography through the lens of Lasse Persson. “I started to work as a press photographer when I was 19 years old. I overcame my timidity which later has been an advantage for me in my street photography since I don’t have problems with approaching people. Street and press photography have a lot in common...they are both about observation, to have a keen eye and an interest in people to be able to tell a story in a single picture.” IN CONVERSATION WITH LASSE PERSSON THE PICTORIAL LIST: Lasse, please tell us about yourself. When did you become interested in photography? LASSE PERSSON: I was born in Malmö located in the southern part of Sweden but I have been living in Stockholm for quite many years now. I also lived in Los Angeles for some years back in the 1970s from where I worked as a freelance photographer for Swedish newspapers and magazines. Became interested in photography already at the age of 10. I received a camera as a gift from my uncle and soon after, I became a member of a photo club. Due to my young age, I got a mentor who taught me the basics of photography, how the camera works, the technology, and how to develop film and make prints in the darkroom. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to photograph? LP: I find my inspiration from traveling and watching people on the streets but also from other photographers. All streets wherever they are, inspires me. I especially I like the streets of Stockholm but also in many different Spanish cities were I love to walk the streets with the camera in my hand and with open eyes. TPL: What do you want to express through your photography? And what are some of the elements you always try to include in your photographs? LP: The human element is essential in my pictures. I want my pictures to reflect a curiosity about people and show people in everyday life which can be humorous, absurd, extraordinary and much more. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists that you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? LP: I have many favourite photographers like Elliott Erwitt, Henri Cartier-Bresson, W. Eugene Smith, Robert Doisneau, Peter Turnley, Peter Kool and many more. But the photographer who’s style inspired me the most when I was a young and avid photographer traveling around Europe in the 1960s was Tony Ray Jones. He made a fantastic book 'A day off' about the English people just before he died of cancer very young. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? LP: I have always and still am unimpressed by cameras and equipment. I have a camera that I am comfortable with that is light and that I can hold in one hand to be ready to snap. The camera I use is a Nikon D3500 with a zoom 18-105 mm, mostly I use it at 18 mm. This camera gives me a picture quality that I’m happy with…. but the most important tools are my eyes, not the camera. I love to walk the streets with the camera in my hand and with open eyes. TPL: Your photos show people in Spain, France, and your home country Sweden. Do you have a favourite place(s) to photograph in? LP: Yes, I like to travel and have done so all my life. Nowadays, my wife and I travel around in Southern Europe with our motorhome for about 6 months every year and have been doing so for quite a many years now. It gives me great opportunities in my street photography to get to new places and cities, which is very inspiring. I particularly like to shoot in Spanish cities such as Malaga, Murcia and Valencia. TPL: When you go out on the streets, do you have a concept in mind of what you want to photograph, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it a combination of both? LP: I let the images just 'come to me'. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? LP: To continue to shoot on the streets and to stay alive for five years more. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? LP: I am preparing for my first solo exhibition which I hope will taking place in a gallery in a gallery in Stockholm in August or September 2021. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… LP: Travel with our motorhome and much more." Through the lens of Lasse Persson, we can experience the beauty of everyday life, and gain a greater appreciation for some of the most extraordinary and humorous moments in our lives. His work speaks to the power of capturing the ordinary and invites us to take a closer look at the world around us. To explore more his captivating street photography, connect with Lasse Persson through the links below. VIEW LASSE'S PORTFOLIO Lasse's 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.

PICTORIAL STORY THE GOLDEN HOUR OF HAITI Inspired by the relationships she’s formed, Vanessa Cass has become gently woven into the fabric of life in Haiti — each connection adding depth to her journey and hers to theirs. November 5, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography VANESSA CASS story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Vanessa Cass is a single mother of two that has been living and working in Haiti for over twenty years, who has an outrageous passion for street photography. What brought Vanessa to Haiti, was an unfortunate set of circumstances. Vanessa was seven years old when she came to live in Haiti with her mother, older sister, and brother after her mother and father’s abusive marriage ended in a difficult divorce. Vanessa’s mother uprooted her three children and moved from Silver Spring, Maryland in the United States, to Haiti where her grandmother took them in. It has not always been easy assimilating into the culture, Vanessa was viewed as an outsider for many years, still feeling at times she is a square peg in a round hole, Vanessa has softened those corners and has found inspiration in the connections she has made, becoming a lovely thread in the colorful tapestry of Haiti. The Caribbean Island of Haiti has had a turbulent past, much like Vanessa’s. Originally inhabited by the Taino Kingdom, history changed on the then Island of Hispaniola when Christopher Columbus landed on its shores on December 6, 1492. Over the years of European exploration and exploitation, Spanish, French, African and American influences, it wasn't until 1804 that the Haitians took their independence back. Haiti has been plagued throughout history with natural disasters causing catastrophic destruction, combined with the political unrest creating many challenges for the people living there, poverty being one of the many effects they face. In spite of all of these harsh realities, Vanessa sees another country, one that enchants her and inspires Vanessa’s dramatic photographic style of work. Vanessa says, “Haiti is a country bursting with art, culture, music, food, a lot of faith, with a little bit of Voodoo.” A Jack of All Trades , Vanessa has found herself adapting to the changes in her country and it has actually given her the opportunity to explore many different career paths. She grew up in her family's antique business, and as an antique dealer she learned many things that helped to shape her future. Vanessa dabbles in painting, writing, curating, graphic design, and most recently opening a gourmet finishing salts and small batch hot sauce business. All of these passions bring Vanessa a great deal of pleasure. Vanessa told me “One day it dawned on me that I didn't have to limit myself to just doing one thing, art, photography, cooking, curating, writing, graphic design, I realized I could actually do everything all at the same time, and so I do!” Vanessa believes it helps to stay busy. So where did Vanessa find her passion for photography? Vanessa started studying art and was classically trained by the painter Roland Dorcely, who was himself trained by Pablo Picasso. Dorcely told Vanessa, “Painting is not your milieu, you do have talent but there is another part of the art world that is better for you, and everything you have learned with me will serve you when you find it.” Vanessa did find her art through photography. The inspiration for Vanessa’s work is reflected in her statement, “Faith is what gives the people of Haiti an incredible resilience to rise above and deal with a life that is difficult for anyone to understand that has not experienced life’s hardships. It shows in their impeccable starched and pressed clothes for church on Sunday mornings. It shows in the care they take in setting up their makeshift shops, shoeshine stands, and much more. This is the time of Golden Hour , when I like to walk the streets and observe. The shadows at this time of day are amazing and seem to have a life of their own. They tell a magical story that can't be heard but is felt. It shows you how strong, beautiful, and wild the people of Haiti are.” After looking at her mentor Roland Dorcely’s paintings, I saw a familiar quality in Vanessa’s work. The contrast in images, the hot bright light of the sun, and the deep darkness of the shadows, the faceless people are often reflected in Vanessa’s photographic work. Looking back on it she realizes the impact he had in her life. Vanessa’s first camera was from a friend and street photographer, and her first workshop was with Eric Kim. Once she had an eye for the street, there was no turning back. Historically Haitians really don't like to be photographed. Vanessa respects their beliefs and traditions and has developed her own style of shooting, stepping back to take in the larger view and to allow her subjects respectful space. Vanessa photographs her subjects in stride against textured walls of light and shadow. Vanessa admits, “Sometimes I get caught, get yelled at, but with a smile and a compliment, I usually get let off the hook, and they don't mind so much.” Vanessa’s photographs embrace the contrasts reflected in life on the street. The bright angelic white, not only familiar but comfortable with the darkness, not afraid of it, the darkness is as much a part of them as is the light. The mood changes in Haiti to reflect current events in the country. “When things are going well you can see it,” says Vanessa, “Everyone is smiling, there’s a pep in everyone’s step. When there is unrest or a catastrophe, the mood is very gloomy, but their resiliency is the strength that keeps the Haitians marching on”. Vanessa has lived, seen and photographed many things in the streets of Haiti. Being a single mother raising two children in Haiti has had its difficulties. Her family has witnessed horror, and tragedy, but they have found their own strength and resiliency from the people that have become their home and community. © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass Haiti has made Vanessa tough, wise, empathetic, yet at the same time strong, and determined to fight for change. Photography and the Haitian people have been a constant source of inspiration for Vanessa and is why she is proud to call Haiti her home. This is not an ending to Vanessa’s story, there are many chapters to come. Vanessa is currently getting her degree in art history with a concentration in postmodern photography and will continue to share her art and unique style as an inspirational woman artist and photographer. view Vanessa's portfolio Read an interview with Vanessa >>> 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 >>> 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. 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.

OBSERVING LIFE UNFOLDING For Pepijn Thijsse, photography gives him the chance to capture what he is thinking and seeing. OBSERVING LIFE UNFOLDING June 15, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Pepijn Thijsse INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Pepijn Thijsse is a traveler who, born in The Netherlands and having grown up in the sunshine city of Brisbane, Australia, has now ventured overseas on a one-year mid-career break to focus on his passion for photography and exploration. But more than that, he has set out to capture the world he sees and the human condition he experiences through street photography, an undertaking that gives him insight into different cultures and societies in all their diverse forms. His is a story of curiosity, creativity, and a never-ending mission to observe and document the world around him. Join us as we explore Pepijn’s story and find out what inspires his unique style of photography. “From quite a young age I developed an interest in photography, while my parents took me and my sister (11 and 9 years old) travelling around the world for a year in the late 1980s. I really was an explorer back then and wanted to capture what I saw but at that age in those days, getting a camera wasn't as easy as now. When I was 17, I bought a used Canon film camera with macro filters and was blown away by the insect world I found in the backyard (I still love macro). I took the camera on some solo trips in my early 20s and became obsessed with capturing 'cultural life' in foreign countries. I’m also fascinated by this ridiculously diverse planet we live on, which means I like too many types of photography, from insect macro to sweeping landscapes and of course, my favourite, street photography.” IN CONVERSATION WITH PEPIJN THIJSSE THE PICTORIAL LIST: Pepijn, where do you find your inspiration to photograph? PEPIJN THIJSSE: Bit cliche but the world itself in all its bizarre and spectacularly diverse aspects is my inspiration. This is the reason I struggle to settle on one style of photography and end up dabbling in many - macro, landscape, nature, street, abstract, love them all. TPL: Do you have a quote or saying that resonates with you the most? PT: That's a good question and I can't think of a quote off the top off my head so had to do some digging...all I came up with is Monty Python's tune of "always look on the bright side of life" - this is because I inevitably tend to drift toward the negative (perhaps reflected in my photography) and I must always remind myself to step back and take a balanced view. TPL: Where is your favourite place(s) to photograph? PT: Anywhere I haven't been before, especially if it's culturally distinct from what I'm used to or seen before. That immediately gives me energy, motivation, and joy. I guess it takes me back to that 'exploratory' side I had as a kid; obviously something that remains to this day and hopefully until my last. Favourite places so far - the older suburbs of Istanbul, Egypt, Italy and Ukraine. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? PT: Very difficult question because if I'm honest I can barely name any of the 'great' photographers (a disgrace I know) except one that I like a lot, Fan Ho. In terms of artists, Rembrandt's use of light is amazing, those paintings seen in the flesh really do beggar belief - true mastery. I was heavily inspired by a bunch of mostly amateur street/documentary photographers I discovered on Flickr around 2015. After searching, I know one is Sohail Karmani (think he's a professional). More recently, Instagram is so full of talent it's almost overwhelming - I need to ignore it sometimes so I can focus! TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? PT: It has since it's covered quite a span of years and genres but when I think about it, fundamentally it remains quite similar in terms of the scenes I look for and the process. However, now I go out with particular images in mind or spend quite some time at a scene, previously it was far more random. Always look on the bright side of life - Monty Python. I inevitably tend to drift toward the negative (perhaps reflected in my photography) and I must always remind myself to step back and take a balanced view. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? PT: Depends on what your vision is but generally I would say no equipment barely matters...to an extent haha. I think it does play a role in my street photography because I like to shoot in very low light and sometimes with a very shallow depth of field. Here equipment does start to make a difference especially if you (like me) review your photos over-critically on a large screen. I cannot do what I do with a smartphone, I can recall just a few keepers from my phone. For someone just starting out, grab the camera and kit zoom lens you can easily afford and that 'feels right' in the hand (size, ergonomics) and spend a while shooting with that until you find the focal length you seem to prefer. Then maybe buy a prime lens, I'm a big fan of primes as they really help hone your compositional skills, a critical element of any good photo. Any camera made in the last 10 years is highly capable and likely beyond the technical requirements for street. And watch YouTube tutorials, in moderation! TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a photographer? What’s your tips or advice for someone in your genre? PT: I think patience and commitment is central. Taking great photos (the output), like anything, requires a level of effort (input), a process of learning as well as a lot of trial and error. I think it's proportional, if you really commit and put in the miles you will see results. Understanding of gear plays a far, far smaller role. My advice is to try allocate a minimum amount of time per week to go out and shoot, irrespective of weather etc. In fact my experience is that it's the times I thought weren't worth going out for (e.g. raining) that yielded the best results. Maybe each time choose a theme like "get a close up of someone in a window" so you can concentrate. And spend some (lesser) time learning from others through YouTube etc, there is so much useful material out there it's ridiculous. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? PT: I have because my mum is an artist (painter) and so growing up art was always in the family. I think other forms of art are definitely worth looking at in terms of what they might offer your photography, particularly in the use colour and composition. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? PT: Unfortunately there isn't a grand plan or indeed much structure to my photography so no projects as such, other than the broadest ongoing project of capturing life in all it's bizarre forms as I see it. TPL: "If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... PT: Mountain biking most likely." Pepijn Thijsse’s journey through photography is grounded in observation, curiosity, and a desire to connect with the world on his own terms. Whether navigating unfamiliar streets or pausing to examine the quiet details of daily life, his work resists categorisation, reflecting a fluid engagement with both subject and setting. Though he doesn’t follow a strict path or defined project, there is a coherence in his practice—one shaped by years of exploration and a consistent drive to document the world as it unfolds. In conversation, as in his photography, Pepijn is thoughtful, self-aware, and refreshingly unpretentious. His images speak to a fascination with the ordinary and the unexpected alike—a visual journal of a life spent looking. VIEW PEPIJN'S PORTFOLIO View Pepijn's 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.

PICTORIAL STORY CRACKS TO MEND “Do we ever leave childhood homes? Never: they always remain inside us. Even when they no longer exist.” - Ferzan Özpetek August 9, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography IDA DI PASQUALE story IDA DI PASQUALE introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Photography is more than just a way to capture a moment; it’s an art form that can tell a story. As a lover of photography and the visual arts, Ida Di Pasquale uses her camera to tell a story that goes beyond the physical world. Through her work, she attempts to capture emotion and mood, rather than relying on rational thought. From her analogue beginnings to her more recent experiments with film soup and cyanotype, Ida has explored a wide range of photographic techniques. She’s drawn inspiration from renowned photographers, seeking to convey emotion in her own work. Yet, her most personal project is one that comes from the heart. Titled Cracks to Mend , it tells the story of Ida's birth house in Faiano, a small village in Abruzzo, Italy. After two devastating earthquakes and numerous tremors, the home was left in rubble. Through her photographs, Ida was able to capture the memories that remained. Thus, Ida Di Pasquale has created a beautiful story of resilience amidst tragedy. Join us as we explore her captivating journey through photography and explore the emotions that are conveyed through her work. L'Aquila Earthquake, Italy. 6 April 2009. My father's house is badly damaged. We are in Faiano, a small village on the slopes of the Gran Sasso. About 24 families live here at the time of the earthquake. Evacuation order. Despite the ban, we only manage to enter the house for a moment. Quickly I take a few photos, concentrating on the details, the objects...they recall facts, people and situations, and times that I would like to stop forever...so as not to forget... Amatrice Earthquake, Italy, 2016. Another earthquake, in nearby Amatrice. Further tremors devastate our small town, now practically abandoned. Red zone. Absolute ban on entering the village. This is followed in 2018 by the demolition of most of the houses in the village, including mine. The tailors' house, my father Federico's and my grandfather Nicola's. We enter again, but only for a moment...like thieves in their own house we take away a few small mementos and a few more photographs... Now only rubble remains to be carried away. Only memories and cracks, cracks in the heart. ... Enough An object A glance A flower in need of care A door ajar The screaming sea A crack in the wall The sun going down Memories assail And we meet Again © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale © Ida Di Pasquale Ida Di Pasquale’s work is a powerful reminder of how photography can be used to tell stories that go beyond the physical. Through her art, she is able to explore the overwhelming emotions that come with tragedy and loss, while also conveying resilience and hope. It is a reminder of the strength that comes from remembering and cherishing the memories of the past. Ida’s work is captivating and heart-wrenching, and we recommend that you view more of it. By doing so, you will gain an insight into the emotional journey of someone who has experienced significant loss but continues to find hope and strength in the stories of her family. view Ida's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> Facebook >>> 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 >>> 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. 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.

PICTORIAL STORY SHOP BACK IN TIME Amid the buzz of London’s Classic Car Boot Sale, Ibi Gowon captures the faces and style that define the event — candid portraits that reflect the spirit, flair, and personality of a community brought together by a love of all things vintage. April 27, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography IBI GOWON story IBI GOWON SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Are you a lover of vintage fashion and collectables? Do you thrill at the sight of a classic automobile? If so, then you owe it to yourself to experience the Classic Car Boot Sale. Located in London, this bi-annual event is the premier destination for vintage and pre-loved fashion and memorabilia. Founded by Wayne and Gerardine Hemingway, the iconic creators of the London fashion label Red or Dead and Hemingway Design , the Classic Car Boot Sale offers carefully selected vintage fashion, accessories, homewares, vinyl records and collectables from some of London’s best traders – all sold from the boots of head-turning vintage vehicles. Whether you’re looking for unique fashion pieces or one-of-a-kind collectables, the Classic Car Boot Sale will never disappoint. Prepare to be dazzled by the selection of cars, fashion and memorabilia – and find something you never knew you needed! I stumbled across the Classic Car Boot Sale one summer's day in 2018 when going off to do a food shop in King’s Cross. I noticed some fabulously dressed people and heard some jamming funk music being played, so I went to have a look. Needless to say, I dashed back home and returned with my camera! It was a cornucopia of style spanning from the 1920s to the 1980s, and with the finest DJs spinning the tunes to beats that you just had to move your feet to! Still relatively shy at photographing people, I initially lurked behind clothing rails to get some shots. My first and one of my favourites being this super elegant lady in a black hat wearing a Dogtooth Chanel-esque jacket. By the 2019 Classic Car Boot Sale I had progressed to a Sony A7iii and a Fuji X100f and was a lot more confident in my photography style and approaching people! People at the event recognised me so the ice had already been broken. So, since that accidental moment in 2018, I have been photographing this event ever since. Twice a year King’s Cross Granary Square becomes a Mecca for the style conscious. Be it 1940s, 50s, 60’s or 70’s there will be plenty of bargains there for you. When you are not gushing over the vintage fashions and memorabilia, you can feast your eyes on a cornucopia of VW Camper Vans and other beautiful vintage and classic cars. My daughter has her eye on a dark grey 1960s Mercedes 280SL Cabriolet, and Owen Thompson’s Green 1960s Mercedes sedan! If cars aren’t your thing, then there are plenty of bikes and vintage dressed bikers too. From 1930s and 1940s motorcycles to 1950s Harley Davidsons; From 1960s Triumphs to 1970s Ducatis. Plus, for lovers of Mod style and Quadrophenia, there’s a plethora of Lambretta and Vespa Scooters, including Jimmy’s one that was actually in the film “Quadrophenia”! The highlight of the scooter show is the formation drive past! When you’re not browsing the vintage finds, you can enjoy craft beer, cocktails and street food, all served from vintage vans. Plus, the festival DJs play a vinyl-only selection that will take you on a journey from the roaring ‘20s to the golden-era ‘80s…and there’s plenty of dancing by the red vintage Routemaster Bar Bus...! And if that is not enough for you, you can indulge in a bit of celebrity spotting. Yes, that’s right! Regular visitors include Jason Momoa, Martin Freeman, Jonathan Ross, Kevin Roland (of Dexy’s Midnight Runners) and Suggs from Madness to name a few. This is not your run of the mill car boot sale, no chipped crockery and moth-eaten old clothes, but a vintage shopping extravaganza, turning King’s Cross into a hangout for the best dressed vintage crew in town. Not only that, but it is also a great day out with the opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones! And for us street photographers...well let me just say...it's like a child let loose in a lolly shop. Now I am off to finish editing the photos from the weekend... © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon © Ibi Gowon For Ibi Gowon, The Classic Car Boot Sale is far more than a vintage market — it’s a vibrant celebration of culture and community. What began as a chance encounter in 2018 has since become a personal tradition and an ongoing visual journal. Each event delivers a riot of photographic possibilities: a dazzling fusion of retro style, timeless automobiles, and magnetic personalities. A seasoned street photographer who works in international development, Ibi brings a sharp eye and a deep curiosity to every shot, capturing not just what people wear, but who they are. His camera documents the individuality and the electric pulse of the event. The Classic Car Boot Sale is where his everyday work intersects with his creative passion. For Ibi, it’s not just about remembering the past — it’s about celebrating it in the present. view Ibi's portfolio 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 >>> 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. 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.

DAILY Italian visual artist Giorgio Gerardi wanted to represent everyday objects and decontextualise them, giving them their own assumed identity. DAILY April 1, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Giorgio Gerardi INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Life can be a little like autopilot at times. We get so used to the same objects being around us that it almost becomes background noise. There's no denying that it can be easy to feel like we're missing out on the little details that make life special. Italian visual artist Giorgio Gerardi was determined to change this. He wanted to take notice of the banality in his surroundings and to bring it into focus. What he ended up creating is something truly remarkable. Giorgio was born in Mestre, not far from Venice, and eventually moved with his family to Favaro Veneto. A lover of art, he set out on a personal journey using a camera as his guide. With a fascination for clouds, leaves, earth, sand, and everyday objects, Giorgio began his project 'Daily'. Through this project he wanted to decontextualise these everyday objects and give them an individual identity and a new creative life. Weaving together shapes and colours in an unexpected way, Giorgio has created something visually stunning - something that will transport you away from the autopilot of daily life and into a world of creativity and beauty. Keep reading to find out more about Giorgio's journey and the fascinating results of his 'Daily' project. “Every day we repeatedly use objects that we constantly have under our eyes. How many times do we open the refrigerator? How many times do we take the water bottle? On a daily basis, we are always surrounded by the same things; we are so used to their presence that we no longer notice them, we no longer see them; even if our eyes rest on them, we do not notice them and it is as if we do not see them.” IN CONVERSATION WITH GIORGIO GERARDI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Giorgio please tell us about yourself. GIORGIO GERARDI: I was born in Mestre in 1953, few kilometers away from Venice, and I lived there for many years, until I recently moved to Favaro Veneto with my whole family. When I was younger, I tried to enter the professional world of photography, which has always been one of my biggest passions, but the journey would have been too long and I wanted to be independent straight away and have a family. I have worked most of my life in the credit sector, and I had to limit the amount of time for cultivating my interests, given that my spare time was mostly dedicated to my wife and raising my kids. A couple of years ago I retired and I am now finally able to fully devote myself to what I did when I was 20/27 years old, taking back the old projects of mine. TPL: How did you get involved in photography? What is it that is so special to you? GG: When I was a child, I received a camera as a present, which to me at the beginning represented a way to close reality within a frame. Around the age of twenty I started my own research; I was struck by the avant-garde of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, and by the research of photographers such as Man Ray, László Moholy-Nagy, Ugo Mulas, Franco Fontana, Luigi Ghirri. Moreover, I was interested in the artistic currents of Minimalism and Conceptualism. All of these experiences interested me mostly because they focused on the analysis of the photographic medium, its language and on the search for new forms of expression, new compared to the tradition. As typical in the spirit of the avant-garde, they were much closer to a discourse relative to the analysis of the visual instrument rather than to the staging of reality, to its representation, as the history of photography had instead accustomed us. It is not for nothing that Man Ray was part of Dadaism and Surrealism, and László Moholy-Nagy of the Bauhaus. TPL: What is the story behind your project DAILY? What inspired it and when did it begin? What do you want the viewer to experience and take away with them? GG: The project was created precisely to stage everyday objects; I photographed ordinary items, an unmade bed, the inside of a refrigerator, a dishwasher, trying to highlight certain details by extracting them from their context, to make them almost take on a life of their own, their own identity. I drew heavily from the Hyperrealist current, born after Pop Art in the second half of the past century, and in which detail assumes great importance. But I was also influenced by the concept of "ready made", where an object of common use is isolated from its context to be perceived as a work of art, in Duchamp's style. I wanted and I want the viewer who looks at these images to be able to “see” the represented subject, to perceive it in a different way than how he experiences it every day. I hope I have succeeded, at least in part. TPL: Can you explain your post-processing work to get to your final image. When do you know you have finished an image? GG: In the DAILY project, the important thing for me was trying to obtain images that were as neutral and aseptic as possible, which would highlight the details of the photographed subjects. In working these series, I pushed the contrast to the maximum by playing on curves and colors. I finish my work when I feel satisfied with what I have done, when the image has shapes and colors that satisfy me and in these series I was interested in highlighting details of everyday objects, as well as trying to treat them with a technique that came as close as possible to the style of Hyperrealism. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? GG: In regards to photography, I believe that in a previous answer I already gave a broad idea of the artists who interests me, and these are Man Ray, László Moholy-Nagy, Ugo Mulas, Franco Fontana, and Luigi Ghirri. But the beauty of art of course is not limited to what we see, but it also extends to what we can hear and listen to. I do love music and I would say that among my favorite musicians there are Philip Glass and Terry Riley. I may even add that their music influenced my artistic formation; repetition is a constant in their works, repetition alternating with continuous and slight diversities, which make repetition itself mutate, change, while remaining "repetition". I wanted and I want the viewer who looks at these images to be able to “see” the represented subject, to perceive it in a different way than how he experiences it every day. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? GG: I would spend a day with the Italian photographer Franco Fontana, to talk and not to take pictures, so that he could tell me about his experience and how he lived the photographic medium and the images he managed to take. I've always liked the way he portrays the landscape, which is both classic and abstract and minimal at the same time. I think that his images, taken from the Seventies, marked an important step in the history of photography. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? GG: I don't use any particular equipment; I have a Canon Eos 550D with a focal length of 18-55 mm, with which I take 90% of the images, and I also use my Xiaomi Mi T9 mobile phone. The main part of my work is focused in post-production, and therefore in the use of digital graphics programs, especially Photoshop and Gimp. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? GG: My main goal is to make my work known to an ever-growing audience, and slowly I manage to get published more and more often in magazines and on web pages. I hope to be able to continue on this path for other five years from now and even more. I also hope to be able to reach the world of galleries and interior designing, so that I could hang some of my images in private and public spaces. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? GG: Lately I've been working on the 'Details' project; one of the first series was 'Fireplace'. In these last series it is hard to even recognise the original subject, as the detail takes a life of its own. What interests me is not a mere representation of the real object; I want the result to be a set of shapes and colors that I like. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... GG: I like to take long walks, I like to read, especially art history books; I also love listening to music as you might have guessed from a previous answer of mine. Giorgio uses his camera for his own personal research. 'Daily' is an inspiring example of how creativity can help us to escape the autopilot of daily life and unlock a world of beauty. To view more of Giorgio's photography use the links below. VIEW GIORGIO'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.

TOPOGRAPHICAL VISTAS It is that angle of light or that unusual juxtaposition that elevates Gabriel Sollberger's topography into something truly beautiful. TOPOGRAPHICAL VISTAS March 22, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Gabriel Sollberger INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE The world around us is filled with beauty, but often times it is hard to recognize this beauty in the everyday – that is until you meet Gabriel Sollberger. A photographer with an insatiable passion for light, Gabriel has dedicated his life to seeking out and capturing the extraordinary moments of the seemingly mundane. His profound eye has allowed him to reveal the hidden splendor within the often overlooked vistas of this world – elevating them to something truly remarkable and worth protecting. Whether it’s a special angle, an unexpected juxtaposition, or a sense of solitude in an empty man-made landscape, Gabriel is committed to finding and immortalizing these special moments. His work has been described as captivating and awe-inspiring, and those who have seen it understand why some have said that he is ‘addicted to light’. To those unfamiliar with his work, Gabriel’s photographs may seem just like any other – banal, even. Yet, when viewed through the lens that Gabriel has crafted, these same photographs become something much more – a portal into a world of beauty and wonder that we may not have seen before. Join us as we delve into the work of Gabriel Sollberger and explore the extraordinary moments of the seemingly mundane that he is so passionate about capturing. “I think inspiration – for me – comes from different directions. It can be a truly beautiful, remote landscape, but it can also be a detail, unusual light in an otherwise familiar situation or a special constellation of trivial things or objects.” IN CONVERSATION WITH GABRIEL SOLLBERGER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Gabriel, do you remember when you first became interested in photography? GABRIEL SOLLBERGER: My father used to take pictures of us kids when I was little. He had a (I assume, I can’t remember the model) decent camera and I still remember how fascinated I was by the fact that I could just turn the lens and things would move closer. I then got a compact film camera from my parents and happily snapped away, taking pictures of everything. I totally enjoyed being able to capture a moment and revisit it when I got the photos back. As much as I would like to say that this interest in photography persisted, I did not follow it up and it was only a couple years later when I picked up a camera again and have kept shooting ever since. TPL: Do you have a different style of photographing today than when you first started? GS: Definitely and I hope that it is still changing. It took me a long time to get an idea of what it is I’m actually looking for when I go out to shoot and I don’t think that this journey is over yet. TPL: Where is your favourite place(s) to photograph? GS: Definitely outside. Usually an area with little to no people, but with a clear human-made element. This is my comfort zone, but I try to leave this zone from time to time and force myself to do new things. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us? GS: There are many, but to name just a few, I am very inspired by the new topographic movement ( Robert Adams, Bernd and Hilla Becher, others), Fan Ho, William Eggleston, Sebastiao Salgado or Nan Goldin. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? GS: It depends. I’d love to say that gear doesn’t matter and in a lot of situations this is true. Still I love the dynamic range of newer cameras for landscape photography, especially since I like to go out with not too much additional equipment. I’m not so much the person who changes filters after every shot. If I had to give any advice, it would be “use a prime lens”. Not because I think that the image quality is always so much better compared to zoom lenses, it’s simply because when I used a 35mm lens for the first time, I learned so much about where I have to stand to compose my photo. Not being able to zoom really improved my images in a very short time. We are proof that the heart is a risky fuel to burn. - from song: Ohia TPL: Were you involved or still involved in any other artistic fields before photography? GS: I play the piano and was always involved in different musical projects. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? GS: I am working on a intermediate to long term project about my home town and region. I live quite far from there now and every time I go back I try to get some shots, aiming to document it from an outsider’s perspective. TPL: "If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... GS: I have quite demanding day job, which fortunately also involves a lot of creativity. Still, photography is my safe haven and I enjoy every minute of it." Gabriel's photography is able to take topography to a new level and create something beautiful. His keen eye for the perfect angle of light and his skillful use of juxtaposition make Gabriel's work stand out. If you appreciate his art and would like to see more of his work, please follow him on Instagram. VIEW GABRIEL'S PORTFOLIO Gabriel's 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.

PICTORIAL STORY INFORMAL REALITIES June 26, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Claudia Orsetti Introduction by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Claudia Orsetti is a globetrotting Italian photographer who has lived and worked in several countries. An architect by training, she has always loved taking pictures. For Claudia photography is the way she can show other people how she sees things. It is also a way of getting to know herself, as her focus shifts over time. She is interested in imprecise moments without expectations, the reality where you think there is nothing more to see. In 2017, Claudia traveled to India and visited two of Mumbai's slum areas. The experience left her deeply impressed. This is her story. In 2017, I had the chance to spend a couple of weeks in India with a group of photographers, travelling through the country. On my way from North to South, I made a very short stop in Mumbai. But somehow that chaotic and fast-growing maddening metropolis fascinated me deeply, even in the little time I spent there. It is a common saying that Mumbai is a beautiful city, but a terrible place. Whether that is true or not...it is definitely a place of extremes. Stray dogs and exotic birds, the largest tropical forest in an urban area, some of the most luxurious and expensive developments in the whole of Asia, and yet 60% of the population live in slums or shanty towns. These contradictions are probably what makes Mumbai so interesting, and definitely what made me curious, especially about the life in the slums, about which I knew little. The idea I had in my mind (and probably most people, due to portrayals in the media and movies) was simple: a dangerous area, consisting of an infinite amount of cramped shacks, with no sanitary system and destitute people. But as Nigerian storyteller Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said, "a single story can be dangerous: it creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story." So I visited two of those areas: the Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, a huge open-air laundromat where the washers, known as dhobis, work in the open to clean clothes and linens from Mumbai's hotels and hospitals; and Dharavi, one of Asia's largest slums and one of the most densely populated areas in the world. I was hoping to find another story to tell. And I did. MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE At first sight, both Dharavi and the Dhobi Ghat look like a messy stack of tin roofs, squeezed between railways and rising towers, but once you get in, the maze of narrow alleys reveals a totally different and unexpected life. There is, on the one hand, the squalor: both areas have their challenges — they lack a proper water supply, sewage, regular urban infrastructure of any sort; they have limited access to toilets, activities and educational programs (although Dharavi has one of the best-educated slums populations). On the other hand, as soon as you go beyond your very first impressions and forget about the smells and the flies, you start discovering that Dharavi has become a fully functioning circular economy, with over 5000 businesses and 15,000 single-room factories, many of which focus on sorting waste and recycling, with an estimated turnover of 1 billion dollars. Harvard Business School used it as a case study. We were shown around by a young man. The 13th Compound is at the heart of Dharavi's recycling industry, where an estimated 80% of Mumbai’s plastic waste is delivered by an informal network of waste pickers, sorted, melted and transformed into reusable chips. Needless to say, the working environment is extremely hazardous and unsafe, toxic sludge flows down alleyways and child labour is widespread. This is a parallel economy, an informal one that compliments and sometimes substitutes for the formal one. In the words of Eswar Prasad, a leading Indian economist, “Economic opportunity in India still lies, to a large extent, in urban areas. The problem is that the government hasn’t provided easy channels to be employed in the formal sector. So the informal sector is where the activity lies.” So, although Dharavi may not be considered visually beautiful, and can be seen as a symbol of raw inequality that embodies the failure of the government, to accommodate the millions of rural migrants searching for an opportunity in Mumbai. It is also a hub of creativity and a vibrant society with a very strong sense of community. One should obviously not romanticise life in a slum, but it is useful to remember that people come to Dharavi voluntarily because Dharavi represents an opportunity for them. It was once known as a very dangerous place, but nowadays the police say the crime rate is low, lower than in many other areas of Mumbai, and although there appears to be misery all around to a foreign eye, people here do not speak about being poor, they speak proudly of their work and about getting ahead. There is an interlaced system of layers of poverty, work, politics, and hope, in Dharavi, and when exposed those layers reveal something far more complicated and organic than the superficial aspect of a slum. It is a society within a society. They say it is a mini-India. THE GIANT LAUNDROMAT Dhobi Ghat is different, although it can similarly be thought of as a city within a city, occupying 60,000 square metres near Mahalaxmi train station. I found myself within a maze of rows and rows of wash pens, hanging clothes, ladders and walls of corrugated metal, which create a labyrinth of light and shadows, pervaded by an intense smell of soap. This giant laundry facility was created in the late 19th century, when the British colonialists built approximately 730 washing pens and flogging stones and allotted them to dhobis (washer men) to wash their uniforms in the open air. Today it turns over approximately 15 million dollars per year, and it is estimated that half a million pieces of clothing are washed here, every day. The Mumbai Municipal Corporation officially owns the land and charges the dhobis something like $5 a month for renting the washing pens and for their maintenance. Everybody has their own set of clients. The majority are hospitals, gyms, restaurants and hotels, but there are also a good number of laundry businesses in town which are subcontracting their work to the Ghat, and many private households who have their dhobi bag picked up by a dhobi man up in the morning for laundering. Like in Dharavi, there are different layers within the Ghat, which are physically split in sections: the ground level is flogging stones and hand work, where the clothes are soaked then thrashed repeatedly on the stone before being boiled and hung out to dry. Some workers spend most of their day knee-deep in the water. But when you go up a floor, you can see the big washing machines. The top floor is the drying area, and it is amazing to see all the ladders everywhere interconnecting the levels. The Ghat is in fact a huge three-dimensional maze. From the top of some of these shacks I could see the towers of drying clothes against the high-rises of the skyline of Mumbai, that was quite something...walking around the Ghat really made me feel as if I were moving in a parallel reality, a village with its own rules and its own life. It can be a very lucrative business and the beauty of it is that most dhobis don’t compete because there is enough work for everybody. Nonetheless it is not an easy life. A typical day starts at 4 am, when they bring the clothes from everywhere around Mumbai and start soaking them in water. The first break is for breakfast, around 8:30 am, a communal moment when everybody gets together and shares food. Around 11 am they have to start drying the clothes because the sun becomes harsher as the day progresses, and they can then rest while the clothes are drying. Around 3 or 4 pm the launderers start the business of ironing, folding, and delivering the clean laundry back to its owner. The more they work, the more they earn, so it is not unheard of for the dhobis to work up to 20 hours a day. They pass down their business from generation to generation, and the area is also home to between 200 and 500 families who reside in the adjacent shacks. Although the houses are no larger than a room, most of them are kept clean and decent. The dhobis are proud of their work and their family heritage, but they are also very conscious that their children need education and might want to pursue another road in life. The majority of the children do go to school. When I spoke with them they told me of big dreams, being an engineer or moving abroad to study. The shacks are considered hazardous, and recently the government decided to demolish some of them, evicting a number of families. The land prices in the Ghat are very high, as it is in a prominent area of Mumbai, so developers have long been making plans for its redevelopment. The same holds for Dharavi: several development plans have been discussed, and it now seems now that they are close to awarding the tender contract for a project to start. © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti © Claudia Orsetti I agree that governments should be able to upgrade the living and working conditions to a basic acceptable level, but they should be equally careful not to get rid of the existing micro-societies and economies in these places. They are hugely important in India, and they contribute essentially to a formal system that is not fully equipped to cope with the country's needs. There is another angle to these informal societies, which are far more complex and dignified than people generally imagine. They are providing work and giving people some hope. This is another story that I want to add to the generic stereotype of the slum. view Claudia's portfolio Read an interview with Claudia >>> 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 >>> 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. 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.

PICTORIAL STORY ZAINAB THE SUPER FARMER Kenyan photographer Anwar Sadat profiles Zainab, a smallholder farmer whose life was transformed through support from the One Acre Fund. With new knowledge and tools, Zainab boosted her harvests, earned recognition, and built a better future for her family. Discover how one farmer’s story reflects the growing impact of agricultural education across Kenya. August 6, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography ANWAR SADAT story ANWAR SADAT introduction KARIN SVADLENAK SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Kenyan photographer Anwar Sadat is passionate about documenting the hard-working people in his neighborhood and in his country. Often, he makes and effort to visit particular projects and highlights the accomplishments of initiatives to improve people's lives. For this story, he visited the farmer Zainab, who participated in a project by the One Acre Fund and had won several awards for her efforts. Anwar tells the story of super farmer Zainab, who was able to improve her standard of living quite a lot because of the farming education programs she participated in. We salute Zainab and all hard-working people like her! Earlier in 2020 between August and September and this year 2021 in May, I visited Zainab Onjwang to do a story on her and about One Acre Fund, a nonprofit organization that supplies smallholder farmers in East Africa with asset-based financing and agriculture training services to reduce hunger and poverty. Zainab is 78 years old and has been a member of One Acre Fund for 10 years. The fund has been providing her maize seeds, vegetables, tree seedling and fertilizer at a fee that she pays back over a period of six months. Throughout the farming cycle, all the farmers registered as members of the One Acre Fund receive training and support on cultivation, planting, pruning, harvesting, proper storage, and economic aspects. Nine years ago, Zainab was awarded the certificate of a "super farmer" and a "fully trained and certified farmer". Zainab is the mother of eight grown-up sons and daughters and a grandmother to no fewer than 20 grandchildren. She has never stepped into a classroom; hence she cannot read or write. She can, however, speak three languages (two vernacular and one national language). She has been taught the English alphabet, numbers and simple calculations by her grandchildren, whom she has been living with since her husband died in 1994. When her husband died, Zainab's life became hard and complicated. Some of her children were still under her care. Living in a village, there are not many jobs to be had aside from farming. Most of the land is cultivated, and if they are not very well organized, some families tend to suffer from hunger before the harvesting season. Zainab admitted to having experienced some hardships after the loss of her husband. But in 2010, she learned about the One Acre Fund, an organization that helps farmers grow their way out of hunger and build a lasting pathway to prosperity. They trained her in a language she could understand. Without writing or reading skills, she was able to memorize all that she could manage. After some time, she graduated as a trained farmer with a certificate. At a fee that every farmer registered under this fund must pay within a period of 6 months, she can get help and professional guidance during her planting, pruning and harvesting seasons, and also advice on proper storage. In accordance with the regulations and guidelines of the fund, she was always required to store half of her harvest for at least six months and make use of the remainder for consumption or to make money from it, if possible. Maize production was the main focus because ugali a product of maize flour is the staple food in Kenya. As she had been promised when joining One Acre Fund, her produce output increased, and her standard of living increased from the level of mere survival. She became able to harvest enough maize to last her for a full year, for her own consumption and for sale, making money out of it without struggling. At her age, she has taken up a series of other projects that she has been running successfully. This includes tree planting and fish farming. Her main purpose for joining the tree planting project is to help and maintain the ecosystem. The funders of the project give advice on trees to plant and proper ways of caring for them. These trees are later used for making charcoal or sold to people who might be interested in firewood produced without environmental degradation. One project that Zainab is very proud of and actively involved in is fish farming. When it was first introduced, it proved difficult and expensive. Zainab took a free training course, again depending on her power to memorize and practice what she was taught to qualify as a fish farmer. The project was demanding and not many people could keep up. After digging the ponds and introducing the first fishlings farmers were responsible for the maintenance of their own fishponds and for feeding the fish for a period of at least 6 months before the fish could be harvested. Food fed to the fish could be bought from shops but considering that not many villagers can afford to buy it, farmers were taught how to make their own food for the fish, a process that proved very difficult and demanding for many farmers. As a result, after the first harvest of the fish most of them abandoned their ponds and only three farmers, including Zainab, stuck with it. Although it is recommended to harvest the fish every 6 months, Zainab would prefer to harvest her fish only once a year when the fish are fully mature. During harvesting, she could harvest up to 400 large fish and 200 relatively smaller fish that she sold on the market. Primarily, in as much as she makes a profit in her maize farming project, this fish farming project is where she makes most of her money because even after fishing, she could never remove all the fish from her pond, even if she wanted to. They keep on reproducing, and her biggest task is to keep her pond clean and feed the fish until maturity. © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat If optimism were to be defined as a person, then she would best fit the description. Despite all her setbacks, troubles, and illiteracy, Zainab never gave up. She believes that education is good. As a matter of fact, at her age, she loves the idea of reading very much. She always wishes that she had had an opportunity to go to school when she was young. Maybe she could have done more for herself and her family. Nevertheless, she is a proud mother and grandmother who is helping her daughters take care of her grandchildren. view Anwar's portfolio Read an interview with Anwar >>> Read Anwar's story "RESILIENCE" >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. 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.

BREAKS FROM REALITY The magic only dreams are made of become the reality for viewers as they engage in the poetic imagery of Mariëtte Aernoudts. BREAKS FROM REALITY May 20, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Mariëtte Aernoudts INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Mariëtte Aernoudts is an artist living and creating art in a small village in Raamsdonksveer, about an hour drive south of Amsterdam. Mariëtte is an autodidact photographer and image maker creating images visually depicting her own poetic world of fairytales. The magic only dreams are made of, become the reality the viewers are immersed in, when they engage the visual stories Mariëtte creates through her photography and poetic imagery. Mariëtte would always photograph her own children, and this led to her interests in photoshop. She enjoyed making photographic montages, expanding her abilities to create these fantastical worlds where her fairytales would soon play out. Mariëtte began engaging children in her neighborhoods and in the streets to practice and experiment with this new idea of portraiture as a montage. She started working conceptually, creating a narrative for each image, often alienating her subjects creating solitary environments. Mariëtte tells us, “I am always looking for new and innovative ways to add reflections of my own feelings and emotions to my photos and aim to take the viewer just a little step beyond the ordinary.” This inner reflection adds depth and soul to her poetic fairytales. Mariëtte was given some good advice once that has become an important thread in her work and has become part of the way Mariëtte approaches and creates her work. They told Mariëtte to only make series that are close to her, hold meaning for her. In her series of work titled OBSTACLES is a photographic autobiography that tells the visual story of living with anxiety through a series of images. Mariëtte wanted to express the consequences of anxiety in many ways. “Shall I, or Shall I Not, also known as Obstacles, was made to break through the taboo around living with anxiety. Millions of people have to deal with this, it is always hidden and in my opinion not accepted and is viewed as a sign of weakness.” Mariëtte depicts her subjects in conflict with the struggles they face, but also in the light, not darkness, exposing the realities not hiding them. Mariëtte's trilogy of poetic images in her tryptic THE JOURNEY, conveys the whimsical story about a young girl being very curious in life. The young girl starts in the morning and her return is in the evening. “What did she experience?!? That’s totally up to the viewer to interpret,” says Mariëtte. Mariëtte brings us along for the journey allowing us to participate in the adventure. One of Mariëtte’s favorite things in photography to explore is caching motion. The freedom of the movement elicits feelings of spirit of adventure and childlike joy in the playful acts of having fun. Mariëtte loves working with colors to express the fun depicted through these playful images saturated with a palette of hues expressive of the emotions and spirited wiles of youth. Mariëtte has been a member of an ambitious, small photography club for the past seven years. The goal of the club is to help each other achieve a higher level of knowledge to accomplish their photographic goals. Mariëtte is challenging herself with social themes in a variety of series. She is not trying to tell her story with documentary images, but instead she creates her fairytales through symbolism and visual poetry. Mariëtte says this new work is very relaxing and has found it to be a good way to get more connectivity to nature. I had the absolute pleasure to interview Mariëtte and this is what she shared with us at The Pictorial List to inspire you all with. “I always want to express emotions in my photography or at least try to make people curious about the story in the photo. Often the viewer can make their own story by ‘reading’ the scene.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MARIËTTE AERNOUDTS THE PICTORIAL LIST: Mariëtte please tell us about yourself. How does where you are from influence your work and when did your journey into photography begin? MARIËTTE AERNOUDTS: I was born in a little village in the south of the Netherlands. We had enough possibilities to play outside and used our imagination with the available situation without toys. In our village we had no cultural life, no cinema, no museum and at home we never discussed the subjects. Photography was not in my life at all. But I loved books, and had many adventures in the stories. Nowadays I live in a village in the middle of the country and spend my days mainly with photography in different ways: reading about it, experimenting, watching photos on the internet and I post sometimes, and also I work on commission. My journey began by using my husband's analog camera. Mainly photographed our children, on birthdays, during holidays and special occasions. I wanted to make memories for the future as I don’t have any photo of myself as a child. TPL: What was the first camera you ever held in your hand, brought to eye, and released a shutter on? What is the camera you use now? Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? MA: The first camera I held was an analog Yashica, don’t recall the type. I shot with an auto. Nowadays I have a Canon 5D Mark III and a Fuji TX3 which I always take along. I always shoot with my own camera settings and photography is always a challenge now to make the desired result as I see/feel things. TPL: You create these worlds of fantasy and illusion, with poetic notes of authenticity. You often work with children as your subject. Tell us why you choose your subjects, and how they personally have influenced your work. MA: I think I use the subjects because they bring me into a nicer world, softer and it is a little escape from reality. Children are so open and behave so naturally, I love their sincere expressions. 'Obstacles 1 - Pulling Your Life Together' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Obstacles 2 - Shall I' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'The Journey I' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'The Journey II' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'The Journey III' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Colours - Red' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Colours - Yellow' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Colours - Orange' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Colours - Green' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Colours - Blue' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Cloudy Days' © Mariëtte Aernoudts TPL: Nature and the environment play important roles in your work, often seeing humanity mimic nature, or your environments mimic humanity, there is a strong connection. Tell us about these connections, and how they set the stage for your portraits. MA: Most of the time my models are selected based on their expressive faces and attitude. They are children or adults who make me feel their mood. For the portraits they don’t need a scene or setting because their expression moves me so much that this tells the whole story. TPL: In your series ‘Obstacles’ you address the challenges one faces when they are challenged with Anxiety Disorder, tell us the passion that drives this study. MA: In fact I myself have been managing my anxiety disorder since I was ten. It made my life a daily struggle and not many people knew about it. I lived to survive each day as good and ‘normal’ as possible but my anxiety became a hindrance in many ways. It was lonely because I thought I was the only one but through the years, talking about it, I met more and more people with the same problem. This is an underestimated problem and hard to understand. Therefore I wanted to break the taboo and shame by ‘showing’ it with my photos to achieve more understanding. I am always looking for new and innovative ways to add reflections of my own feelings and emotions to my photos and aim to take the viewer just a little step beyond the ordinary. TPL: Do you feel your work has therapeutic or healing qualities? Do you try to portray hope and possibilities through your studies and work? MA: I hope so! For me my work is a way to relax, have fun making it and sometimes it makes me very happy. It would be awesome when viewers feel the same. I always want to express emotions in my photography or at least try to make people curious about the story in the photo. Often the viewer can make an own story by ‘reading’ the scene. TPL: You directly engage your subjects whether in eye contact or through body language, it is honest, and genuine. Tell us the importance of this. MA: It is very important to read body language because this tells emotions of a person and all my models are always authentic and natural. I always work with them one on one, with the presence of one parent. Try to make contact as close to themselves and my emotions as possible. Before we start we have a long chat to get acquainted. Eyes are the soul of every person. TPL: In your series of single images, light plays an inherent role in the way you illuminate and define your subject. Talk about your quality of light and what it represents in these works of art. How long has Portraiture been a subject you have studied through photography? MA: My most used light is available light. Just a slight change of position of the head or body can make such a big difference. What I love to use is backlight to make materials like clothing or textures a bit transparent. It makes me wonder everytime when I reach this result. Light is a fantastic tool to work and play with. Sometimes the light enters a room or in plants in a way I really love and then want to catch it immediately before it will change. Actually, since I had my children, about 36 years. It all started then. The last 13 years I have spent more and more time on it. Then I started courses and workshops. The things I want to learn I look up on the internet and experiment just as long as I know how to do them. Once it took me a year to learn an act in Photoshop! 'Stairway to Heaven' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Worried' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Escaping' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Little Mona Lisa' © Mariëtte Aernoudts 'Autumn Thoughts' © Mariëtte Aernoudts TPL: Do you have any favorite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? MA: I love the light Rembrandt used in his paintings and the colors of the Italian painter Rafaël. The photo portraits of Stephan Vanfleteren impress me very much, the way he captures the emotion of people is stunning. Sally Mann inspires me by her uninhibited child photography. My favorite Dutch photographers are Danielle van Zadelhoff, Carla Kogelman and Anton Corbijn. TPL: Are there any other photographic projects you are working on, or have planned in the near future? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? MA: At the moment I am working on a project with mother and child. The way to imagine the story differs sometimes but work is in progress. In five years I hope to be healthy enough to keep on doing what I am doing now. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… MA: To take walks (not too far) together with my husband, have fun with my grandchildren and start to attend more art classes.” Mariëtte’s photography speaks to the fantastical worlds she has created or captured in the eyes of her subjects, and often times portrayed in the body language of their gestures. Mariëtte creates her spaces with details that add intrigue to her subjects, capturing your curiosity, captivating you to, smile with them, dance and sing with them, laugh and play with them, think with them, and maybe even cry with them. When Mariëtte chooses deep dark spaces to place her subjects in, the eyes become the intrigue, asking you to look deeper, to sink into their soul. VIEW MARIËTTE'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'm a teacher and I'm living in Nice. I am interested in photography as a whole and have a varied approach, even if I turned particularly to street photography. The graphic composition, very constructed, sometimes bordering on abstraction, is part of what I seek and is found in all of my work, with the exception of a few very different series. Shadows, lines and abstract forms, materials have a language that speaks to me. I use the environment, most often urban, as a setting in front of which I try to compose stories, integrating small details. The human whose presence is not necessarily direct - it can be a silhouette, a shadow, a material - is lost, anonymous in the geometry drawn by the cities, the material or the color, both mutually influencing each other. Photography is an integral part of my life. "Eclipse": From an aesthetic point of view, the approach seeks the abstraction and geometry that shadow and colour can create in the city. Most of the photographs in this series were taken in Nice where the light is often bright, intense. In the narrow alleys of the old town, she draws bright canyons. Colorful facades and deep shadows combine to give birth to a geometric composition, sculpted by light. In front of this colorful and contrasting décor, sometimes on the edge of abstraction, I watch the fleeting shadows of passers-by who will emerge from the darkness to escape immediately. From a symbolic point of view, the series questions the transition from light to shade and the impact it engenders on the individual. Passers-by are nothing more than silhouettes, Chinese shadows: in the shadows they lose their identity, their peculiarities, their singularity. In the shadows, they become anonymous, they come out of the light of the city. FANNY GENOUX I'm a teacher and I'm living in Nice. I am interested in photography as a whole and have a varied approach, even if I turned particularly to street photography. The graphic composition, very constructed, sometimes bordering on abstraction, is part of what I seek and is found in all of my work, with the exception of a few very different series. Shadows, lines and abstract forms, materials have a language that speaks to me. I use the environment, most often urban, as a setting in front of which I try to compose stories, integrating small details. The human whose presence is not necessarily direct - it can be a silhouette, a shadow, a material - is lost, anonymous in the geometry drawn by the cities, the material or the color, both mutually influencing each other. Photography is an integral part of my life. "Eclipse": From an aesthetic point of view, the approach seeks the abstraction and geometry that shadow and colour can create in the city. Most of the photographs in this series were taken in Nice where the light is often bright, intense. In the narrow alleys of the old town, she draws bright canyons. Colorful facades and deep shadows combine to give birth to a geometric composition, sculpted by light. In front of this colorful and contrasting décor, sometimes on the edge of abstraction, I watch the fleeting shadows of passers-by who will emerge from the darkness to escape immediately. From a symbolic point of view, the series questions the transition from light to shade and the impact it engenders on the individual. Passers-by are nothing more than silhouettes, Chinese shadows: in the shadows they lose their identity, their peculiarities, their singularity. In the shadows, they become anonymous, they come out of the light of the city. LOCATION FRANCE CAMERA/S Canon EOS 5D WEBSITE http://www.fannygenoux.com @FANNY.GENOUX FEATURES // Off Season Eclipse