Christina Simons is an award winning international documentary photographer focused on human rights. Her work has been exhibited throughout Australia, the United States, England, Spain, Russia and Mexico. Part Icelandic and American, she resides in Australia as a true citizen of the world speaking multiple languages. Having worked in the visual arts industry for over twenty-five years she is a technical master of imagery. Her work traverses many interests including travel, lifestyle and portraiture and is represented in publications such as The New York Times and The Guardian UK as well as working with several NGOs such as Medicines Sans Frontiers and UNICEF. Her passion for human rights and civil liberties have led to series such as “The Haiti Project” on children in domestic servitude, Women’s health in the Philippines and Aboriginal Education in Australia; not to mention her solo-exhibition and multi-award winning series “Running to Nowhere” on Central American Refugees. Her curiosity of subcultures has produced projects such as award winning series "Derby Girls" and multi-award winning series "Lil Bullfighters" of Mexico. With a passion for justice and compulsion to observe Christina Simons provides key commentary into the unknown issues, places and aspects of this world. CHRISTINA SIMONS Christina Simons is an award winning international documentary photographer focused on human rights. Her work has been exhibited throughout Australia, the United States, England, Spain, Russia and Mexico. Part Icelandic and American, she resides in Australia as a true citizen of the world speaking multiple languages. Having worked in the visual arts industry for over twenty-five years she is a technical master of imagery. Her work traverses many interests including travel, lifestyle and portraiture and is represented in publications such as The New York Times and The Guardian UK as well as working with several NGOs such as Medicines Sans Frontiers and UNICEF. Her passion for human rights and civil liberties have led to series such as “The Haiti Project” on children in domestic servitude, Women’s health in the Philippines and Aboriginal Education in Australia; not to mention her solo-exhibition and multi-award winning series “Running to Nowhere” on Central American Refugees. Her curiosity of subcultures has produced projects such as award winning series "Derby Girls" and multi-award winning series "Lil Bullfighters" of Mexico. With a passion for justice and compulsion to observe Christina Simons provides key commentary into the unknown issues, places and aspects of this world. LOCATION Melbourne AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Nikon D800 WEBSITE http://www.christinasimons.com/ @CHRISTINASIMONS FEATURES // Running to Nowhere Beyond the Story

As a child, I was always intrigued by the camera that my father used to make pictures. I soon received my own, a Konica pop in 1982. Ever since I have been photographing wherever I go and always carry a camera with me. I try to be aware of my own experiences in life and connect them to my photography in several different projects. Atmosphere and emotions are the most important for me. FANJA HUBERS As a child, I was always intrigued by the camera that my father used to make pictures. I soon received my own, a Konica pop in 1982. Ever since I have been photographing wherever I go and always carry a camera with me. I try to be aware of my own experiences in life and connect them to my photography in several different projects. Atmosphere and emotions are the most important for me. LOCATION Utrecht THE NETHERLANDS CAMERA/S Fuji X100vi WEBSITE https://www.fanjahubers.nl @FANJAHUBERS FEATURES // A Voyage to Discovery

Photography can document a reality that depicts truths. But what if photography was embraced and utilized as an artistic medium, like paint, pencil or pen? Where the photographic image becomes an expressive brush stroke, a significant gesture of character, a simple clue in an abstraction, based in reality. This is the creative approach to photography that allows Monika to create the surreal images that ground and define her body of work. Her imagination writes the story, utilizing photography and innovative techniques Monika depicts and illustrates her thoughts and ideas, allowing her work to speak for itself. MONIKA JURGA Photography can document a reality that depicts truths. But what if photography was embraced and utilized as an artistic medium, like paint, pencil or pen? Where the photographic image becomes an expressive brush stroke, a significant gesture of character, a simple clue in an abstraction, based in reality. This is the creative approach to photography that allows Monika to create the surreal images that ground and define her body of work. Her imagination writes the story, utilizing photography and innovative techniques Monika depicts and illustrates her thoughts and ideas, allowing her work to speak for itself. LOCATION POLAND CAMERA/S mobile phone @MJUMJU_008 FEATURES // New Realities In Visual Poetry

PICTORIAL STORY FIRE AND FORGE In the crater’s depths, where blue fire flickers and sulfur coats the air, Alexandros Zilos documents the stark reality of mining and its haunting beauty. August 16, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography ALEXANDROS ZILOS story ALEXANDROS ZILOS introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In the captivating yet harsh landscape of Mount Ijen in East Java, Indonesia, the lives of sulfur miners reveal a narrative of resilience and determination. Alexandros Zilos, a documentary photographer, videographer, and video editor based in Athens, Greece, engages with this juxtaposition of beauty and hardship. With a camera in hand, Alexandros captures the interaction between man and nature, documenting the spirit of those who labor amidst toxic fumes and treacherous paths. After completing his academic studies in Conservation Biology in Plymouth, United Kingdom, Alexandros began an extensive journey across three continents. Traveling by bicycle, he immersed himself in diverse natural environments and cultures, gaining a deep understanding of the lives and struggles of the people he encountered. Alexandros’s work focuses on environmental issues, human rights, and regional cultural realities. Through his project Sulfur Miners and Tourism at Mount Ijen , Alexandros’s photographs depict the fascinating coexistence of tourism and labor in this volcanic region. Tourism has increased at Mount Ijen, drawing visitors to its sulfur mining operations and landscapes. This increase in visitors affects local communities and the environment, causing potential environmental degradation and disruptions in mining activities. The presence of tourists also influences local economic and cultural dynamics, as communities adjust to the demands and opportunities created by tourism. Alexandros 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. Mount Ijen is a stratovolcano located in East Java, Indonesia. Daily, hordes of tourists ascend its steep slopes to witness the captivating blue flames emanating from sulfur deposits. It is one of the few remaining active sulfur mines in the world. While its surreal landscapes have fascinated scientists and adventurers for over two centuries, in recent years, the miners themselves have emerged as a contentious tourist draw. In the heart of this volcanic wonder, I observed a world where beauty and hardship intersect. Using my camera, I documented the daily struggles of the sulfur miners, their bodies bent under heavy burdens and their spirits tested by the harsh elements. Manually loading sulfur into their baskets, the miners laboriously carry their hefty loads on foot. Among clouds of toxic sulfur dioxide that cause immediate discomfort to their throats and eyes, the miners work tirelessly without adequate protection, with only a few possessing gas masks. As I followed Dharma and his fellow miners on their ascent, I noted the scale of their labor. Carrying baskets and driven by determination, they navigated steep paths and dense jungles, their bodies covered in sweat and grime. Formerly a seasoned miner, Dharma transitioned from working in the crater to becoming a tourism operator, demonstrating the enduring human spirit. He spent years learning English to leave behind the life of a miner and focus on tourism. He recounted to me his three-year stint, making the arduous journey two or three times a day. The mark on his shoulder shows the burdensome baskets used to transport sulfur. Dharma explained that most miners prefer working at night to avoid the daytime heat. Despite their resilience, the miners remain at the mercy of forces beyond their control. Operated by a distant Chinese company, the mine lacks permanent staff and offers low wages and little in the way of protection or support. Miners decide their daily ascents up the 2769-meter volcano. On average, a miner can carry between 60 to 90 kilograms of sulfur at once, with some of the strongest shouldering over 100 kilograms. The miners utilize primitive baskets connected by a yoke. The journey entails carrying the load up to 300 meters along a steep mountain path to the crater's edge. Then, they trek an additional three kilometers through the jungle to the collection point at Pos Paltuding. Each miner earns approximately $5 per trip, typically managing just two trips a day. And yet, it remains one of the highest-paid occupations in the region, a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by those who call Mount Ijen home. © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos © Alexandros Zilos In concluding this exploration of Mount Ijen, between the environment's beauty and the miners’ arduous labor. Alexandros Zilos’s photographs provides a profound look into the resilience and determination that define the daily lives of these workers. With his background in Conservation Biology and extensive travels, Alexandros brings a unique perspective to his work. His images are more than visual records; they are powerful narratives. These narratives provoke thoughtful discussion on socio-economic dynamics and the preservation of cultural heritage. They prompt us to consider the human and environmental costs of the beauty we often take for granted. They challenge us to think critically about the untold stories and the lives that unfold far from the spotlight. In the end, the sulfur miners of Mount Ijen have left a strong impression on our awareness. Alexandros ensures their stories are seen and heard, a testament to the human spirit and the role of storytelling in bringing attention to less visible aspects of our world. view Alexandros Zilos' portfolio 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 >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. 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.

As a self-taught street photographer, leaning towards social documentary and storytelling, I believe the camera is an instrument of self-expression and a way to question the world. My interest in photography started in 2019, when I came across the work and writings of Henri Cartier-Bresson. His humanist vision and poetic geometry resonated with my professional architecture background and lead me into other old masters like André Kertész and Robert Frank. I photograph to detach myself from the objective reality of the world. My photographs are black and white, but not the ideas I portray. They are metaphors of themes that haunt me when the camera is down: displacement, alienation, solitude, but also the whimsical, bizarre and unexpected moments of ordinary life. ANDRÉ LOBÃO As a self-taught street photographer, leaning towards social documentary and storytelling, I believe the camera is an instrument of self-expression and a way to question the world. My interest in photography started in 2019, when I came across the work and writings of Henri Cartier-Bresson. His humanist vision and poetic geometry resonated with my professional architecture background and lead me into other old masters like André Kertész and Robert Frank. I photograph to detach myself from the objective reality of the world. My photographs are black and white, but not the ideas I portray. They are metaphors of themes that haunt me when the camera is down: displacement, alienation, solitude, but also the whimsical, bizarre and unexpected moments of ordinary life. LOCATION London UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Olympus E-M10 Mark II WEBSITE http://www.andrelobao.com/ @ANDREFLOBAO FEATURES // The Unpredictable

I take photographs every day. I also paint, sing and dance. I like to walk around without an agenda and catch whatever piques my eye. I’ve always been into art but additionally have loved fashion, popular culture, languages, music and dancing since I was a child. I was born in London into a Persian Jewish family. My mother was an Israeli ballet dancer, from whom I inherited a love of dance and music. I even imagined becoming a fashion designer and spent my free time drawing and designing clothes. I’ve used a camera most of my life; my father had bought me a Kodak Brownie 127 when I was kid. At home we placed a lot of value on family photographs and home movies. As a teenager loved going to art galleries on my own; it felt like an adventure and an entry into a fascinating world and an escape from suburbia which I considered frustrating and boring. I studied art history with Italian and French languages at Sussex University. It was during my year abroad in Venice that I started developing my own photos in a darkroom. My camera at that time was an Olympus OM1. I was also painting on canvas, mainly abstract expressionist still life and self portraits, but increasingly felt that the future for me was in photography and not fine art painting. On my return to England I also worked as an artist’s model which gave me an understanding of what it’s like to be on the other side of the artist’s eye or lens. In the late 80s I did a degree in Photography and Visual Culture at the University of Westminster, studying Semiotics and the writings of Saussure, Roland Barthes, John Berger and Susan Sontag as well as the work of photographers such as Jo Spence whose project Beyond the Family Album really resonated with me. I later went on to teach interdisciplinary courses in Art History, European Studies, Visual Culture and Film studies for many years which also involved curating film programmes for an independent cinema, before deciding to focus on my own creativity and Blog. Now, in my mid 60s, I feel blessed to be able to live a creative life. MISH AMINOFF I take photographs every day. I also paint, sing and dance. I like to walk around without an agenda and catch whatever piques my eye. I’ve always been into art but additionally have loved fashion, popular culture, languages, music and dancing since I was a child. I was born in London into a Persian Jewish family. My mother was an Israeli ballet dancer, from whom I inherited a love of dance and music. I even imagined becoming a fashion designer and spent my free time drawing and designing clothes. I’ve used a camera most of my life; my father had bought me a Kodak Brownie 127 when I was kid. At home we placed a lot of value on family photographs and home movies. As a teenager loved going to art galleries on my own; it felt like an adventure and an entry into a fascinating world and an escape from suburbia which I considered frustrating and boring. I studied art history with Italian and French languages at Sussex University. It was during my year abroad in Venice that I started developing my own photos in a darkroom. My camera at that time was an Olympus OM1. I was also painting on canvas, mainly abstract expressionist still life and self portraits, but increasingly felt that the future for me was in photography and not fine art painting. On my return to England I also worked as an artist’s model which gave me an understanding of what it’s like to be on the other side of the artist’s eye or lens. In the late 80s I did a degree in Photography and Visual Culture at the University of Westminster, studying Semiotics and the writings of Saussure, Roland Barthes, John Berger and Susan Sontag as well as the work of photographers such as Jo Spence whose project Beyond the Family Album really resonated with me. I later went on to teach interdisciplinary courses in Art History, European Studies, Visual Culture and Film studies for many years which also involved curating film programmes for an independent cinema, before deciding to focus on my own creativity and Blog. Now, in my mid 60s, I feel blessed to be able to live a creative life. LOCATION London UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Leica d-lux 7, Fujifilm xt4 WEBSITE https://www.mishaminoff.com/ @MISHAMINOFF FEATURES // End Of An Era

SHORT MOMENTS Photographing on the streets of Turkey, Asli Gonen documents those ordinary simple moments that make her feel happy within herself. SHORT MOMENTS March 23, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Asli Gonen INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Asli Gonen was always drawn to art, and when the digital age dawned she noticed a new way to express her creativity - photography. She signed up for various photography websites, eagerly learning about the art of street photography, and soon she decided to take the plunge and purchase a camera of her own. Now, when Asli is out and about her small hometown in Central Anatolia, Turkey, she captures those fleeting moments of beauty that often go unnoticed in our hurried, everyday lives. Asli Gonen is a photographer who knows how to appreciate the little things, and her photographs tell stories of joy and contentment. “I like to be on the street all the time, day and night, summer and winter, and be prepared for surprises. In fact, I like to come home tired, sometimes empty-handed, not knowing what to expect. In order not to miss a moment, I always carry my machine in my bag, meanwhile I can say that I have gained a lot of arm muscle. Here, too, I wanted to show those brief moments that caught my attention in the streets I encountered at various times.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ASLI GONEN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Asli, how did you become interested in photography? ASLI GONEN: It started when I discovered a photography site on the Internet. I subscribed to the site first and just watched for a long time. Then I bought a small compact machine saying why not. TPL: How have the streets and culture you capture influence your photography? How have your captures changed the way you see Turkey? AG: Actually, I can say that I am a bit unlucky because I live in a small city, but still, Eskişehir is a city that offers me ample opportunities due to the high population of young people. It is also a chance for me to have to travel sometimes due to my job. I can also document different lives and cultures. As a result, the streets are always interesting wherever we are. TPL: What are some tips or advice you would give yourself if you started photography all over again? AG: If I had my current mind, I would definitely take a picture of a moment without thinking, I would come back later, I would not say that I will take it later, because the same place, the same light, in short, the current conditions may not be in place, I made this mistake a lot in the beginning. TPL: Do you ever get burnt out creatively? Explain how you keep the creative energy flowing. AG: Of course, sometimes I feel like I'm in a vicious circle, repeating myself and losing my motivation. But every time I take my machine in my hand and go out to the street, I feel happy as if I have just started, that is enough for me. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists? AG: Photographers such as Ara Güler, Trent Parke, Lee Friedlander, Vivian Maier, Saul Leiter, Elliott Erwitt have been my inspiration. When I go out, I just go wherever the light takes me. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? AG: Definitely would be Saul Leiter. Because as Saul Leiter said, “I happen to believe in the beauty of simple things. I believe that the most uninteresting thing can be very interesting.” By adopting this saying as my philosophy, I try to discover those short moments and beauties in our daily rush. TPL: When you are out shooting - how much of it is instinctual versus planned? AG: When I go out, I just go wherever the light takes me. 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? AG: I am using Fujifilm X-M1. Since it is a mirrorless camera, I can shoot lighter and without disturbing people. My lens is 16-50 mm, it does my job very comfortably. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? AG: Photography for me is a way of expressing myself and a hobby I love. I don't have big plans and ambitions in this regard, to be honest, but who wouldn't want a photo book, or an exhibition. TPL: You are the founding member of @womeninstreetturkey. Tell us about the collective and why you started the project. What do you want the collective to achieve? AG: We, the five members who are from different walks of life and from different cities with different backgrounds, established the @womeninstreetturkey. We think women should be more visible in our country and we personally try to be examples of women individuals who can exist in different fields of life. We try to promote examples of talented women street photographers from Turkey and the world. In fact, we have all been involved with photography for many years, but with the birth of contemporary street photography and its spread in Turkey, the increasing interest has affected us as well, but the number of women taking street photos in this sense is quite low in Turkey. We brought this idea to life in early 2021. We decided to set up @womeninstreetturkey. Although we live in different cities of Turkey, we plan to come together after the disappearance of the pandemic and organize photography trips and even workshops. Currently, our hands are tied, but we continue to photograph the places, streets and people we live in whenever we can. Even in the days of curfew, we try to create various opportunities for ourselves by using light, shadow and reflection even in our homes... Photography is always with us, wherever we are... TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… AG: I like to spend time with my family and cook." VIEW ASLI'S PORTFOLIO Instagram >>> Women In Street Turkey Collective read more interviews >>> THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. 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.

FINDING THE MAGIC OF ISTANBUL Street photographer Emir Sevim finds the magic that makes Istanbul such a brilliant city with a rhythm and beat that rocks his world. FINDING THE MAGIC OF ISTANBUL January 28, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Emir Sevim INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Istanbul is a place like no other, and it is through the eyes of its people that we see its beauty. One of those people is Emir Sevim, an Istanbul native and street photographer whose passion for his city shines through his work. Emir was born and raised in Istanbul, and it was during his university studies that he realized his love for photography. After taking a class in photography, he found himself inspired to explore the streets of Istanbul, and to capture its beauty in ways that only a local could see. Through his lens, he has been able to find the unique details and comparisons that come together to create the magic of Istanbul. In his six years as a street photographer, Emir has developed a unique style of photography that is infused with the energy and rhythm of his city. He captures the essence of Istanbul, creating images full of vibrancy and movement. As any native to a city knows, there is something special about being born in a place – something that cannot be captured by a casual observer. It is in this spirit that Emir captures his city, finding beauty and purpose in its inhabitants and its streets. Emir finds the magic that makes Istanbul such a brilliant city with a rhythm and beat that rocks Emir’s World. His images are a testament to its beauty and its brilliance, a reminder of the unique beat that rocks its streets. “Street photography is my passion. When I go out and take photos, I forget all my other troubles and surrender myself to the flow of the street, to the spirit of the street. Every photograph I take carries pieces of what I watch, read, people's feelings, movements, the rhythm, texture and spirit of the street. I am very lucky to live in Istanbul and take street photos. I hadn't noticed that Istanbul is such a magical city before I took my first photo. When I started to taking pictures, it was while I was getting lost in the streets, I realised how perfect this city really is.” IN CONVERSATION WITH EMIR SEVIM THE PICTORIAL LIST: Emir please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? EMIR SEVIM: I was born, grew up and live in Istanbul. My interest in photography started during my university years. While I was studying Sinem-TV department in 2011, we had a photography class. I took a camera and started taking photos. It was 5-6 years ago that I started taking street photography. TPL: When you are out photographing - how much of it is instinctual versus planned? ES: I don't make any plans while taking photos. In my understanding of street photography, photography should be natural. When I take a photo, I capture that moment and enjoy it. TPL: What are some tips or advice you would give yourself if you started street photography all over again? ES: I would have liked to have started my photography by taking street photos earlier on. I'm not too late, but sooner would be have been nice. Frankly, I wouldn't give any advice because I'm constantly taking photos and working hard on this. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists and photographers? ES: Lee Friedlander, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alex Webb, Vivian Maier, Nikos Economopoulos, Josef Koudelka, Raymond Depardon, Bruce Davidson, Joel Meyerowitz. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? ES: I would choose Alex Webb. Because he has an amazing street photography book about my favorite photographer and the city I live in, Istanbul. It would be perfect to take photos with him on the streets of Istanbul. When I take a photo, I capture that moment and enjoy it. 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? ES: I love the equipment I use. Small, practical and fast. It makes my job on the street a lot easier and gives very good results. I don't think you need huge equipment. It is the photographer who takes the photo, not the camera. My equipment is the Fujifilm XT30 18mm f2. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? ES: As a photographer, of course, my goals are to produce something permanent. Making exhibitions, publishing books. I think the best thing a photographer can do is make a photo book. I am working every day to achieve these goals in the coming years. TPL: Are there any other special projects you are currently working on or thinking about that you would like to let everyone know about? ES: There are several photo series I am currently working on. Those who are curious can see them on my website. I have an idea to make an exhibition or a book about these series in the future. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… ES: I like spending time with my family, traveling, watching movies, reading books." VIEW EMIR'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. 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.

PICTORIAL STORY QUARANTINE CHRONICLE DOCUMENTING DUMAGUETE CITY DURING THE PANDEMIC August 21, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography by Hersley Ven Casero Story by Danielle T. Ureta Spontak SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link A photographer. A painter. An artist. All of these personas encompass Hersley Ven Casero. But in the midst of this year’s pandemic, a new identity sprang forth from the corners of this creative’s mind: a documentarist. In the Philippines, drastic measures were taken to keep its citizens as safe as possible during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Hersley’s hometown, Dumaguete City, people were restricted to their residences, with only one provider allowed out to retrieve supplies twice a week. Masks were enforced everywhere. Medical professionals bravely rose to meet the crisis head on, some in vibrant green suits and others in silver – all were and continue to be fiercely heroic. Garbage trucks were transformed into rice delivery trucks for the poor, zipping along the national highway equipped with huge “Do Not Delay” signs on the front. Flights, boats, even the iconic Filipino “pedicabs” (a motorcycle with an attached sidecar), were forbidden in fear of spreading COVID-19. Countless friends and families were either cut off from loved ones on adjacent islands or stuck in Dumaguete themselves. The juxtaposition of a tropical paradise and self-isolation became painfully sharp. And Hersley, plagued by anxiety and an acute sense of sensitivity, discovered a strange barrier against producing painted or drawn artwork. For this artist, it is crucial to be in the right state of mind to create, because authenticity is his destination and the journey there is one, he deeply appreciates. So, Hersley took to his photos. “Right now, I’m a documentarist. I’m a recorder of moments. I’m interested in documenting the effect of the pandemic on my city through photography. I volunteered,” Hersley says. Hersley was granted permission by the city’s task force, and his images flooded out like a dam unleashed when he had his camera in hand. Click. Click. Click. Each snapshot a drop added to the ocean of a quarantine chronicle. In every captured picture, depictions of how life had changed overnight in a city famous for its gentleness scratched at the soul. Hersley observed immediately how uneasy, bewildered, and frustrated people were when they briefly stepped out into the streets. Otherwise, it was quiet – too quiet. Too disturbing. Evinced in several pictures of this documentary, one can witness how everything has been sheathed in cold plastic. Smooth, safe, and yet, it has inflicted such disconnection amongst the people it has been trying to protect. No more handshakes. No more hugs. Despite mandatory social distancing, the artist managed to reach people through photos and reach out to people on the roads. Plastic may prevent human touch, but it also offers a different perspective to gaze through. It draws attention to what is vividly colourful, to what is overflowing with life despite the circumstances. And while there were no more smiles to be seen, hidden grins still reached the eyes of people from time to time, sometimes in the form of a mask with printed lips. “I’m an invisible ninja no one notices,” Hersley said with a chuckle, noting how he had switched to using his camera on his hip with a flap. He felt like he was on an empty movie set without any actors, describing one particular expedition, “I went downtown when it was dark. There were no pedicabs! I had to walk several kilometers to get home but I actually enjoyed it. No air pollution, no people, only dogs – I was able to enjoy the walk. And I was surprised I could make friends in an instant. I met locals, foreigners, and tourists. I met many people.” © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Harsley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Herlsey Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero © Hersley Ven Casero Hersley Ven Casero’s series of quarantine photos reveals humanity’s comradery, persistence, and ever-changing view of the world. view Hersley's portfolio Read an interview with Hersley >>> 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 >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. 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.

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 >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. 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.

I am an educator, and part time student of psychotherapy. Photography has always been a passion of mine. What inspires me most is the human soul. To capture the essence of a person with my camera is my ultimate goal. JONAS WELTEN I am an educator, and part time student of psychotherapy. Photography has always been a passion of mine. What inspires me most is the human soul. To capture the essence of a person with my camera is my ultimate goal. LOCATION Salzburg AUSTRIA CAMERA/S iPhone 11, Nikon D300 @WELTENPHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // Moments From The Street

THE GESSLER PERSPECTIVE In his street photography, Jan employs high angles and low perspectives to create his distinctive style. THE GESSLER PERSPECTIVE February 25, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jan Gessler INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Meet Jan Gessler, the multi-talented photographer, acrobat, juggler, communications scientist, videographer, film director, and father of two. For the past twenty-seven years, Jan has been steadfastly pursuing his passion for photography and videography, developing a unique talent for capturing intriguing perspectives and angles. From a young age, Jan had a knack for the creative arts and a special affinity for the darkroom. At twelve years old, he began working with his mother in the darkroom and since then has never looked back. Nowadays, Jan is able to pay his rent through the commercial video productions he creates with his own company Look-Zoom Film Production in Berlin. But that’s not all — Jan also has a very special hobby which he has been devoted to since the late nineties: street photography. His favorite equipment? Super wide angle lenses. With them, Jan walks the streets of Berlin in search of stories to tell and justice to document. Jan’s works, which are heavily influenced by his love of street photography and wide angle lenses, are both fascinating and inspiring. It’s clear that Jan knows how to find the beauty in life and he is always looking for new perspectives and angles. Come and learn what Jan Gessler has to offer. “In 1993 I was helping my mom in her photo lab. When I moved the enlarger I understood that the impression of the photo changes by the frame. That changed my perspective on cameras. Fortunately I could use my parents' cameras. Five years later I could make my first photo publication in a newspaper. This was a photo of a friend doing 'salto' (motion blur with long exposure).” IN CONVERSATION WITH JAN GESSLER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Jan please tell us where do you find your inspiration? JAN GESSLER: I see street photography itself as an inspiration. Especially the editing process. Looking at an individual frame by frame trained my eyes. I think if you are listening carefully and kindly everybody has a story to tell you. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started out? JG: I am faster. I got closer to people during the years. Social injustice in modern times is often a topic in my work. But I have tried to look on the more hopeful side of photography for some time. But sometimes I do the same shot I did 20 years ago because it feels good. My pool of possible shots is growing. I started with black and white negative. For a while I liked color slides a lot. Since 2008 I have been using mostly digital cameras and I prefer black and white again. I still have the darkroom but I prefer lightroom. TPL: Do you have a favourite place/s to photograph? JG: Istanbul. Also Berlin, Budapest, Barcelona, Bangkok and New York. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists you would like to share with us? JG: Ara Güler, Orson Welles, Fan Ho, Roger Deakins, René Maltête, Erwitt Elliott and Henri Cartier-Bresson on photography. Michael Ende, Paul Watzlawick, Douglas Adams, Monty Python and Volker Pispers influenced my worldview. Nearly two decades ago I worked for two years as a camera operator with Director of Photography Aturo D. Smith who likes to share his skills. He is known for his music video clips with the Beastie Boys, Marilyn Manson and several commercials and awarded feature films. His courage to find new perspectives and camera gear for each job has inspired me. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? JG: Gear is not so important at least when you are starting out. Get a second hand 24mp full frame DSLR Canon or Nikon, a standard lens 50mm and a 28 or 24mm. Prime lenses, not the best quality but no kit zoom. Camera and two lenses are about 800-1200 EUR. If you have less budget go for an apsc or older ff camera and maybe old manual russian photo lenses. I prefer the optical viewfinder in DSLR cameras but a mirrorless camera can do as well. I took some shots with 12MP and smaller cameras and I still love the pictures. I told all my trainees and students to take as many photos as possible instead of learning more theory than they can digest. But for those who look for input I am sure the grammar of film language is helpful to tell a story in still photography as well. Even if you are not planning to become a videographer take a look at “Shot by Shot” by Steven D. Katz or the books by Christopher Kenworthy and try to tell stories just by framing a person. You will be surprised how easily you can precise the impact of your idea with a change of angle, position and focal length rather than buying the latest camera model. I think if you are listening carefully and kindly everybody has a story to tell you. TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a better photographer? What would you advise someone starting in street photography? JG: Recipes only work until a certain degree and can help you to find out which style(s) you like. Be kind and respectful! Wear a proper shirt! TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? JG: I had worked as a juggler for five years and went to acting and acrobatic school. As a VJ, I created art video installation on about 100 big concerts. I work as a director in documentaries, music videos and commercials. I work as a videographer. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? JG: My book WONDERLAND. TPL: "If I wasn’t photographing what would I be doing?... JG: I am a father of two daughters, a four month old and three year old. Besides that I run a small company producing Web and TV commercials." VIEW JAN'S PROFILE Jan's website >>> Jan's instagram >>> read more interviews >>> THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. 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.