I'm a visual artist and freelance photographer with a focus on architecture and urban landscapes. In all of my work, I'm interested in showing how we reshape and utilize space in our civilized world, leaving out the actual creators of the objects built - humans themselves. MAXIMILIAN HAIDACHER I'm a visual artist and freelance photographer with a focus on architecture and urban landscapes. In all of my work, I'm interested in showing how we reshape and utilize space in our civilized world, leaving out the actual creators of the objects built - humans themselves. LOCATION AUSTRIA CAMERA/S Nikon D810 WEBSITE http://www.maximilianhaidacher.com @MAXIMILIAN.HAIDACHER FEATURES // The Human Presence

I am a Slovak self-taught photographer based between Bratislava and Vienna. My approach is characterised by minimalism and geometric compositions with the human element occurring unexpectedly. Faceless figures seem consumed by architectural forms and styles. Following my visual instinct, I endeavour to attain unusual compositions of familiar places and capture interactions between people and surfaces. A visual connection between unsuspecting subjects and urban spaces transforms random fleeting moments of strangers on the street into something abstract and sculptural. My work is undoubtedly influenced by the atmosphere of my hometown Bratislava. The motifs of bridges, cranes, lifeless roofs and the stairs seemingly leading to nowhere dominate my photographic language. In the cities that I know intimately, I predominantly shoot in black and white. Conversely, when traveling and exploring new places, I often switch to colour. RADOVAN BARAN I am a Slovak self-taught photographer based between Bratislava and Vienna. My approach is characterised by minimalism and geometric compositions with the human element occurring unexpectedly. Faceless figures seem consumed by architectural forms and styles. Following my visual instinct, I endeavour to attain unusual compositions of familiar places and capture interactions between people and surfaces. A visual connection between unsuspecting subjects and urban spaces transforms random fleeting moments of strangers on the street into something abstract and sculptural. My work is undoubtedly influenced by the atmosphere of my hometown Bratislava. The motifs of bridges, cranes, lifeless roofs and the stairs seemingly leading to nowhere dominate my photographic language. In the cities that I know intimately, I predominantly shoot in black and white. Conversely, when traveling and exploring new places, I often switch to colour. LOCATION SLOVAKIA CAMERA/S Fujifilm X100V, Fujifilm x70, Nikon D7500 @STREETESCAPIST FEATURES // Ostalgie

THE HUMAN PRESENCE Maximilian Haidacher is a visual artist who shows through his images, how humans have reshaped and utilised space in our civilised world. THE HUMAN PRESENCE March 1, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Maximilian Haidacher INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Maximilian Haidacher, an Austrian visual artist and photographer, provides us with a thought-provoking insight into the human presence through his captivating images. By purposely omitting any human figures, he demonstrates the powerful ways in which humans have reshaped and utilised the space around us. Although we may not be able to see them, the footprints of humanity are everywhere. Through his work, Maximilian Haidacher gives us a glimpse into the impact our species has had on the world and the ever-growing human presence that is all around us. “As a teenager, I was magically drawn to that 35mm film camera on our living room shelf, so I picked it up - and never put it down again ever since.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MAXIMILIAN HAIDACHER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Maximilian please tell us where do you find your inspiration? MAXIMILIAN HAIDACHER: Travelling, nature, magazines, the internet and social media. TPL: Has your style of shooting changed since you first started? MH: Definitely. When you start out, you have no idea what's your style or where you should be going. You basically just try to reshoot the clichés you have in your head, the notion of a "good" photograph. Only after a couple of hundred useless rolls of film you start to understand where you have to go. TPL: Where is your favourite place to photograph? MH: I love to take long walks on my own, discovering new neighbourhoods and quarters of the city. That's how I find most of my motifs - by chance. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists of significance to you that you would like to share with us? MH: Certainly the German Neue Sachlichkeit movement and the Düsseldorfer Schule, with artists like Bernd and Hilla Becher, Andreas Gursky, Thomas Ruff, Thomas Struth and Candida Höfer. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? MH: Well, I actually do think it is important. That doesn't mean you have to have the best and most expensive equipment out there. But my advice to someone just starting out would be to put away your phone and get a cheap used 35mm camera or some DSLR with a fast prime lens. The simpler the better. A machine that can just do one thing - taking pictures. Then take it with you all the time and learn to see the world through that camera. Find out what's best for you and stop comparing yourself to others. TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a better photographer? What’s your tips or advice for someone in your genre? MH: You should be a visual person. You should love to look around and see things. Concerning the genre of architecture photography, it helps to be very precise and accurate, and you probably should be interested in the technical aspects of cameras and photography. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? MH: I tried some painting and drawing, but I wasn't very talented. Photography has always been the best way to express myself...where I felt at home. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? MH: I'm always working on a couple of projects simultaneously, but it's too early to tell right now which one is going to be good enough to go public with. But all of them are dealing with architecture in some way. TPL: “If I wasn't photographing... MH: I'd be an architect or a musician.” Maximilian Haidacher's photographic works are truly inspiring. Maximilian's photography is a reminder of how much work and creativity humankind have put into reshaping and utilizing space. In omitting the humans from the images, Maximilian encourages us to reflect on our relationship with the planet, and how we contribute to its transformation. To further explore Maximilian's work and gain insight into his creative vision, connect with him using the links below. VIEW MAXIMILIAN'S PORTFOLIO Maximilian's website >>> Maximilian's Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. 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.

Photography is an accidental autobiography. FRANK MATAGRANO Photography is an accidental autobiography. LOCATION Florida USA CAMERA/S Fuji XT3 and Fuji X100F @FRANK.M___ FEATURES // An Accidental Autobiography

I have always considered art as a therapy for my personal well-being and I believe that it’s become a fundamental part of my existence. Photography, as a symbolic and non-verbal language, same as all the other artistic disciplines in which I engage, allows me to create and visualise a bridge that connects my very hidden inner self with the real world. I am really into the faces that are not fully visible and it represents me, in particular. The contrast between visible and apparently visible generates some kind of interest in the observer. A feeling that opens the doors of imagination, disorienting the common sense that makes things already fully visible. NSIRIES I have always considered art as a therapy for my personal well-being and I believe that it’s become a fundamental part of my existence. Photography, as a symbolic and non-verbal language, same as all the other artistic disciplines in which I engage, allows me to create and visualise a bridge that connects my very hidden inner self with the real world. I am really into the faces that are not fully visible and it represents me, in particular. The contrast between visible and apparently visible generates some kind of interest in the observer. A feeling that opens the doors of imagination, disorienting the common sense that makes things already fully visible. LOCATION Bologna ITALY CAMERA/S Sony A7 WEBSITE https://nsiries.com/ @NSIRIES FEATURES // Not Fully Visible

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

Art has always been a part of Melanie's life. Born and raised in Newcastle, Australia, studied and worked in Fine Arts, Melanie rediscovered photography twenty years later, after almost losing her life. Through strangers on the street, Melanie creates scenarios, exploring people existing at the intersection of reality and fiction. Her photography is usually darkly humorous and is intended to provide a somewhat psychological portrayal of her escape from her own everyday reality. MELANIE MEGGS Art has always been a part of Melanie's life. Born and raised in Newcastle, Australia, studied and worked in Fine Arts, Melanie rediscovered photography twenty years later, after almost losing her life. Through strangers on the street, Melanie creates scenarios, exploring people existing at the intersection of reality and fiction. Her photography is usually darkly humorous and is intended to provide a somewhat psychological portrayal of her escape from her own everyday reality. LOCATION Newcastle AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Olympus OM-D E-M10ii, Olympus TG6 @CANDID_MEL @CANDID_MEL FEATURES // An Observed Realism

DOWNTOWN ATLANTA By showcasing the understated beauty of ordinary city spaces, Branden May's photography captures the essence of urban life in a way that is both unconventional and captivating. DOWNTOWN ATLANTA April 28, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Branden May INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE For over 15 years, Branden May has been capturing the wonders of street photography with his camera. His passion for the craft began as a young boy, when his father gave him his first taste of film photography. Since that moment, Branden has not been able to put down his camera. He has developed a unique perspective on the world and captures it with his lens, creating a stunningly beautiful blend of street, architecture, and light and shadow. Branden is an intrepid explorer of the world's diverse beauty, and his work is a vivid reminder of the world around us. Every one of Branden's shots is a testament to his unwavering dedication to the craft of photography, and a stirring invitation to explore its fascinating depths along with him From the vibrant colors to the intimate moments, become the inspiration in this story of one man's journey to freeze-frame the heart of a city. The compositions of Branden's pictures often accentuate the isolation of his subjects, who are often alone, metaphorically and literally, despite the city's bustle. The structure of buildings, their interaction with people, other structures, and most importantly, the play of light and shadow at different times of the day, are all studied by Branden. The Pictorial List invites you to experience Branden’s perspective on his approach to photography and peruse through his collection of photographs captured on the streets of Atlanta. “My father once said that walking down the street can teach you quite a bit, and photography is no exception. Being raised in Atlanta has also played a significant role in my passion for photography.” IN CONVERSATION WITH BRANDEN MAY THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Branden…welcome to The List! Let's start by telling us something about yourself. BRANDEN MAY: Hi there, thank you! My name is Branden, and I’m happy to be here! I'm a photographer from Atlanta, Georgia and a husband and dad. My passion for photography extends from portraits to product photography, but I'm particularly drawn to the beauty of street and architecture photography. TPL: What would you say first drew you to photography? What is it about this medium that you still have a passion for today? How did you find street photography? BM: Freezing a moment in time has always captivated me, no matter how big or small. Each captured moment is unique and personal. This still drives me today. My father once said that walking down the street can teach you quite a bit, and photography is no exception. Being raised in Atlanta has also played a significant role in my passion for photography. I'm captivated by how people interact with buildings, structures, and light and shadows. By combining these elements, I create scenes that reveal the hidden beauty of everyday city spaces. TPL: Could you tell us what living in Atlanta has inspired in your work? What special qualities unique to this city influence your street and the way you portray your community? BM: My photography style is unique, covering a broad range of subjects, but I have a particular passion for street and architecture genres. Through my lens, I explore the interplay between people, buildings, and their environment, using light and shadows to create compelling scenes. I learned to anticipate how sunlight and shadows play out across the city at different times of day. Witnessing the ever-changing interplay between light and shadow is a marvel that inspires my photography. By showcasing the understated beauty of ordinary city spaces, my work captures the essence of urban life in a way that is both unconventional and captivating. TPL: There are two techniques that are colloquially referred to as ‘hunting’ and ‘fishing’ in street photography. When you are out on the street taking pictures, are you a ‘hunter’ or a ‘fisher’, or is it a combination of the both? Please describe your process. BM: I believe I’m a mix of both styles. I wander from block to block, seeking out intriguing compositions, especially on rainy days. Sometimes, I wait patiently for the perfect subject to enter my frame, even if it means staying put for 45 minutes. This habit harks back to my Atlanta roots, where I would watch the sunlight change as I would sit in traffic with my parents. TPL: What is the most rewarding part of being a street photographer for you? What are some challenges that you have faced? BM: As a street photographer, the freedom to capture life as I see it is incredibly rewarding. I relish the chance to explore and experiment, taking risks and following my creative instincts. However, finding time to shoot amidst my work and family schedule can be challenging. When I do hit the streets, I make every moment count. Unfortunately, security guards can sometimes dampen my enthusiasm, sapping my joy for the craft. Nonetheless, the thrill of capturing raw, unfiltered moments keeps me coming back for more. TPL: Is it impossible for you not to be constantly on the lookout for a moment to be captured? BM: I find it difficult to turn off my photographer's eye. I'm constantly seeking fleeting moments to capture. My only obstacle is finding the time to frame and immortalize these visual gems. Witnessing the ever-changing interplay between light and shadow is a marvel that inspires my photography. TPL: How do you manage a work/photography balance? BM: Work takes a big chunk of my time, so scheduling time to shoot is the key. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? BM: I have a few favorite photographers, but Gordon Parks holds a special place in my heart. His unparalleled talent for capturing a moment and weaving it into a nuanced, multi-layered story is truly remarkable. Additionally, the works of Saul Leiter, Berenice Abbott and Fan Ho have deeply impacted my style. Their masterful use of composition and shadow play has served as a wellspring of inspiration for my own photography. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? BM: That’s a tough question, but Fan Ho undoubtedly ranks high on the list. With his masterful play of shadows and backlighting, his techniques are legendary. Observing his creative process firsthand would be an unforgettable experience. TPL: What was the first camera you ever held in your hand, brought to eye, and released a shutter on? What is the camera you use now and your preferred focal length? Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? Is there anything on your wishlist? BM: My photographic journey began with my mom's Kodak Ektralite 500 camera and my dad's Olympus OM-1. Today, I use a Nikon D750, but I'm always on the lookout for new gear to test out. The Nikon Z fc has caught my eye. I'm curious to see what all the fuss is about! Let me know if you have a connect 😉 TPL: Are there any special projects that you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? What are some of your photography goals for the next 3-5 years? BM: My wife and I run rentaprint.co, a print rental service that offers high-quality, cleared fine art architecture prints to a range of industries including TV, film, and real estate. I'm currently working on my first photobook and participating in several upcoming group exhibitions. My goal is to have multiple solo exhibitions in the next few years and eventually get accepted into Magnum Photos. I’m excited to continue to work and grow as a photographic artist. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… BM: Spend time with my wife and kids, cycle and play golf.” The photography of Branden has allowed us to explore and appreciate Atlanta in a way we could never have imagined. His unique perspective has given us a glimpse into the beauty of this Southern city that is not often seen. We would like to thank Branden once again for his stunning work and invite our readers to take this opportunity to explore more of his home city through his website and social media. VIEW BRANDEN'S PORTFOLIO Branden's website >>> Branden's instagram >>> facebook >>> vero >>> read more interviews >>> 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. 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.

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

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

Photography, for me, is less an art form and more a means of bearing witness — a visual record of time passing, of how people live and adapt, of what gets left behind and what lingers. Living between cultures has shaped how I see. I am a product of a mashup society — Japanese by origin but deeply shaped by Western and non-Western influences I have encountered in New York. I photograph daily, mostly in black and white, mostly on 35mm film. I remain drawn to stillness within movement, to blank spaces where viewers can enter and complete the picture with their own imagination. HIROYUKI ITO Photography, for me, is less an art form and more a means of bearing witness — a visual record of time passing, of how people live and adapt, of what gets left behind and what lingers. Living between cultures has shaped how I see. I am a product of a mashup society — Japanese by origin but deeply shaped by Western and non-Western influences I have encountered in New York. I photograph daily, mostly in black and white, mostly on 35mm film. I remain drawn to stillness within movement, to blank spaces where viewers can enter and complete the picture with their own imagination. LOCATION New York UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Yashica T4-Super WEBSITE https://hiroitophoto.com/ FEATURES // NYC Subway Riders Before the Invasion of Smartphones

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. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Survival of an Indian tribe in South Louisiana June 1, 2025 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Wayan Barre INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Photographer Wayan Barre returns to The Pictorial List with another powerful body of work that deepens his commitment to telling the stories of marginalized communities and environments under threat. Based in New Orleans, Wayan is drawn to places where cultures collide, where history and identity are at risk, and where resilience is not a choice — but a legacy. With a practice resonating with compassion through visual storytelling, his photography brings light to voices too often left in the shadows. Wayan’s visual narratives are authentic and captivating, defining the complexities of the communities they portray. Southern Louisiana, USA. The region and its population are at the forefront of environmental disasters. The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe is a French-speaking Native American community of 850 members, living down the bayou. For generations, they have faced existential challenges, from protecting their homes against hurricanes, storms, flooding, and land loss to defending their legacy and culture. The annual hurricane season has started, and they are prepared for it. With the help of scientists, researchers, landscapers, geologists, lawyers, activists, and volunteers, the tribe is looking for ways to fix the past and prepare for the future. This documentary tells the story of the unprecedented crises and the constant efforts to protect homes as well as traditions. What this community is experiencing today could give us keys to tomorrow's challenges. Wayan’s photographs are not just records of loss — they are windows into survival, dignity, and the will to remain. By documenting the lives and lands of those on the front lines of climate change, his work invites us into a larger conversation about displacement, preservation, and the fight for cultural continuity in the face of erasure. In this follow-up interview, we explore Wayan’s evolving perspective as a photographer, the layered stories behind his photographs, and the meaningful relationships he has formed with the people who inhabit these fragile yet fiercely defended spaces. His work stands as a bridge — between past and future, between community and audience, and between image and action. “Reading about climate change is one thing; witnessing it unfold around you is something else entirely. When roads flood year after year, when families are forced to leave, when land you once stood on becomes open water — it becomes impossible to ignore. Living in New Orleans has shown me that climate change is not only a scientific or environmental issue — it is also profoundly social. It reveals deep inequalities: who gets protected, who is forgotten, who has the means to recover. Through my photography, I try to make these realities visible — not just the data, but the human cost.” IN CONVERSATION WITH WAYAN BARRE THE PICTORIAL LIST: Your work often focuses on communities facing the pressures of both cultural marginalization and environmental change. What drew you back to the Louisiana coast for this chapter in your storytelling? WAYAN BARRE: I live in New Orleans, so the environmental crises along the coast are not abstract — they’re close, immediate, and visible. I was drawn back because this is one of the most fragile regions in the U.S., and yet so many of the people living here are often overlooked. My work with the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe was being done as I was also documenting Cancer Alley — two intertwined stories showing different faces of vulnerability and resistance in Louisiana. The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, in particular, represents a powerful intersection of cultural resilience and climate vulnerability. Their story is both deeply local and globally relevant. TPL: The land loss at Isle de Jean Charles is staggering — from 22,000 acres to just 320. How did you approach documenting this scale of environmental devastation while honoring the people who still call it home? WAYAN: What happened to Isle de Jean Charles — located just next to the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe — where many residents including members of the Jean Charles Choctaw Nation were eventually resettled further inland, became the first federally supported climate relocation in the United States. While a necessary move for safety, it also marked a rupture from ancestral land and cultural continuity. With Pointe-au-Chien, I wanted to document a different path — a community doing everything it can to resist that same fate, to stay, to adapt in place, and to protect their connection to the land before it’s too late. I try not to reduce these stories to devastation alone. Yes, the numbers are shocking, but what struck me most was how people continued to live, adapt, and fight to stay connected to their home. I approached the work with humility — spending time, listening, learning. I wanted the photos to reflect presence, not just loss. That meant showing the everyday — children playing, elders tending to the land, ceremonies continuing. It’s about life, not just erosion. TPL: What initially motivated you to focus on the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, and how did you approach building trust and mutual respect with the community throughout this long-term and deeply personal project? In your experience with the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, what have you learned about resilience and cultural preservation in the face of displacement? WAYAN: I first heard about the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe when they were planning to build a French Immersion School to revive the language among their community — only a few elders still speak French. That initiative resonated with me deeply, as a French speaker myself. One day, I decided to take the road and knock at the door of their Tribal building. We talked, and an hour later, I was boarding a boat with Donald, one of the tribe’s most active members, to photograph the surrounding bayous and witness the effects of erosion. That was the beginning of my journey with them. I returned weekly — not only to document their lives and the land, but also to gain their trust, to give them the time to get used to me and my presence, and to show that I was committed to understanding their world with honesty and care. From them, I’ve learned that resilience isn’t always loud. It’s in how you pass on language, how you show up for tribal council meetings, how you teach a child to fish in waters that didn’t used to be there. It’s about honoring ancestors by refusing to disappear. This is Pointe-au-Chien, meaning “Point of the Dog”. It is also named Pointe-aux-Chênes (“Point of Oaks”). The town is surrounded by wetlands and protected by levees on each side, thanks to the Morganza-to-the-Gulf Hurricane Protection System. A gate closes the bayou during floods. © Wayan Barre Price Senior from the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe has never left Pointe-au-Chien, even during the strongest hurricanes. He gave his shrimp factory to his two sons. © Wayan Barre The Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe is governed by a Tribal Council and their Chairman, Charles “Chucky” Verdin. © Wayan Barre During the Tribe Council, the elected members make decisions and plans to rebuild, restore and protect the land from numerous environmental disasters. © Wayan Barre Because of rising water, the tribe has had to move regularly and adapt. © Wayan Barre As an active tribal member, Donald invests most of his time in various initiatives and in raising public awareness on the challenges faced in the area. © Wayan Barre Sign stating "Pointe-au-Chien tribal land". © Wayan Barre "I lost a lot during Katrina. This is one of my last photographs." - Price Sr. © Wayan Barre Since the Hurricane Ida hit, this boat is stuck in the marsh. Its owner is waiting for help to move the boat back into the water. © Wayan Barre Jake, member of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, stands on the remains of his house after the destruction of a tornado in 2021. He lost almost everything, and has had no insurance since 2012 due to yearly increasing premiums for the region. © Wayan Barre As do many people in South Louisiana, Elton and his mother Theresa live in a trailer loaned by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). © Wayan Barre Elton's house was damaged by Hurricane Ida in 2021 and lack of resources to fix the roof in time means the building has become completely uninhabitable due to toxic mold. © Wayan Barre Elton and Jake are both members of the Indian Tribe. Their lives have been highly impacted by hurricanes. "We'll stay here until we die." © Wayan Barre The Pointe-au-Chien Fire Station has not been rebuilt since Hurricane Ida struck. © Wayan Barre TPL: The tribe has sought federal recognition for decades, yet continues to be denied. How has this lack of formal acknowledgment compounded the challenges they face, and in what ways did you reflect this tension or injustice in your visual narrative? What challenges — ethical, emotional, or logistical — have you faced when working within communities that are experiencing such profound loss and change? WAYAN: The lack of recognition affects everything — from access to funding, to legal protections, to how their story is written into history. It’s a quiet form of erasure. The tribe is still in the process of seeking federal recognition, and the uncertainty surrounding this process only deepens their vulnerability. In the visual narrative, I tried to reflect this not through literal images of bureaucracy, but by focusing on the emotional and cultural weight of this absence — showing the strength of traditions that persist without institutional support, and the quiet determination to remain visible in the face of systemic neglect. Ethically, I’m always aware of not exploiting grief or using trauma as spectacle. Emotionally, it’s hard not to feel powerless at times. But that’s also a reason to keep going — because these stories matter and need to be told with care. TPL: What do you hope this body of work will achieve — for the tribe, for audiences, and for the ongoing dialogue around environmental and cultural preservation? What do you think the story of Pointe-au-Chien teaches us about the broader challenges of climate change and cultural preservation? What impact do you want it to leave for future generations? WAYAN: I hope it brings visibility and respect to the tribe. I hope it helps audiences connect emotionally to what can otherwise feel like abstract issues — like climate change or federal policy. The story of Pointe-au-Chien shows that these aren’t separate issues: climate justice and cultural survival are intertwined. It is also a way to raise awareness about what is happening right now — not only in South Louisiana, but in many other places across the globe. Climate change is here, and communities on the front lines are already living its consequences. For future generations, I hope these images are a record — that they show who was here, how they lived, and how they stood their ground. TPL: Has your perspective as a photographer shifted through these projects? How has this shaped your purpose or mission as a visual storyteller? WAYAN: Absolutely. At first, I just wanted to take strong images. Now, I want those images to hold space — for dialogue, for recognition, for memory. My mission has become more about creating a document that communities can use, not just something for a portfolio. It’s not just about telling stories — it’s about who gets to tell them and for what purpose. TPL: What inspires you to use your camera as a tool to highlight the social and political issues within the communities you document? Was there a specific moment or experience that ignited your passion for this kind of documentary photography? WAYAN: It wasn’t a single moment, but a gradual realization. I used to work in a completely different field. When I started photography, I was drawn to stories that weren’t being told. Meeting people who trusted me with their experiences made me understand the responsibility that comes with the camera. It’s a privilege to be let in — to people’s lives, their losses, their celebrations. That trust inspires everything I do. TPL: Your work often blends intimacy with documentary objectivity. How do you decide on the visual style and narrative structure for your projects, and what creative or ethical challenges do you encounter in telling such layered and sensitive stories? WAYAN: The style usually emerges from the relationships. I spend time with people, I observe, and I shoot only when it feels right. I try to let the tone of the work reflect what I see — sometimes it’s quiet, sometimes raw. One of the main challenges is avoiding simplification. These are complex stories with many sides. Another is consent — not just legal, but emotional. I always ask: should this moment be shared? Am I the right person to tell it? Coastal wetland loss in Louisiana from 1985 to 2010 averaged approximately a football field an hour. Key contributors are climate change, sea level rise, subsidence, storms, flooding, oil and gas exploration and levees, which cut wetlands off from land-restoring river sediments. © Wayan Barre With local volunteers, the non-profit CRCL (Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana) is planting cypress trees near Pointe-au-Chien to help limit the damage of future hurricanes. © Wayan Barre Isle de Jean Charles, an island next to Pointe-au-Chien is rapidly disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico due to coastal erosion and sea level rise. The island once encompassed more than 22,000 acres, but today only 320 acres remain. © Waya Barre Dominique Dardar, 60 years old, is one of the last Isle de Jean Charles residents. Like him, two other families refused to be relocated to the New Isle. © Wayan Barre The non-profit CRCL (Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana) and various volunteers are releasing oyster shells on the banks of the bayou. The goal here is to protect a burial mound belonging to the Pointe-au-Chien Tribe. © Wayan Barre “My factory is the last in Pointe-au-Chien. There used to be four. The price of shrimp is not what it was back then." - Pierre Dardar Jr. © Wayan Barre Alex Billiot, from the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, owns a crab factory along the bayou. Because of land loss in the area, crabs have fewer estuaries to reproduce. This has impacted the industry substantially. © Wayan Barre Shrimping is done in the bayou Pointe-au-Chien. Wild horses like to come at dusk to have company. © Wayan Barre This is the grave of Alexander Billiot, a French sugarcane farmer in the 1850s and common ancestor of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe who fathered children with a Native American woman. Billiot’s grave lies several miles down the bayou, distanced from Pointe-au-Chien because the constant land loss has forced the tribe to relocate north. It is now inaccessible to his descendants. © Wayan Barre These are the remains of Pointe-au-Chien Elementary School which closed a few years ago due to a lack of children and then was all but destroyed by Hurricane Ida in 2021. © Wayan Barre Like her tribe’s ancestors, Christine Verdin speaks Louisiana French and is determined to revive the language and preserve the culture. © Wayan Barre The numerous environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by the communities of this region are growing and weighing more heavily by the day. © Wayan Barre These horses survived the latest hurricanes by themselves. Nobody knows how. They belonged to a resident of Pointe-au-Chien a long time ago. © Wayan Barre TPL: Beyond your documentary projects, what other subjects or styles do you find yourself drawn to photographing — and how do they reflect your personal vision as an artist? WAYAN: I’m often drawn to street photography. It allows me to stay curious, to observe quietly, and to capture fleeting interactions and emotions in public space. I see it as an ongoing exercise in paying attention. Even when I’m not working on a specific project, I carry a small camera with me to photograph scenes that feel spontaneous and real. Street photography helps me sharpen my eye and stay grounded in the world around me—it’s where instinct and observation meet. TPL: Do you have a personal archive or body of work that’s just for you — images that hold special meaning but aren't necessarily meant for public viewing or publication? WAYAN: I keep a quiet archive of everyday images — of my son, my wife, my friends. I don’t take them with the intent to share or exhibit. I use a small camera to record moments that feel important to me, even if they're mundane or imperfect. TPL: What is the next story you hope to tell — an untold narrative you feel compelled to reveal, support, or bring greater awareness to through your photography? WAYAN: I’m currently working on a long-term project about the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis, starting with the Navajo Nation. It’s a story of loss, but also of activism, survival, and injustice. Like Pointe-au-Chien, it’s about the fight to be seen and heard, to demand justice, and to protect what matters most. Wayan Barre’s journey to Pointe-au-Chien is more than a photographic endeavor, it is a deeply personal and purposeful act of witness. Through Wayan’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. His photographs, steeped in empathy and respect, serve as quiet yet powerful reminders of the humanity behind headlines, policies, and statistics. They remind us that resilience is not an abstract concept, it is embodied daily in the choices, traditions, and voices of people determined not to be erased. As Wayan continues to chronicle the evolving stories of communities like the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, his work becomes a vital archive of resistance and renewal. These images, layered with history, vulnerability, and strength, speak to the power of visual storytelling to bridge gaps between outsiders and insiders, between past loss and future hope. In elevating the voices of those too often overlooked, Wayan not only deepens our understanding of climate justice and cultural continuity but also challenges us to reconsider what it means to stand in solidarity. This is not just the story of a disappearing coastline — it is the story of what it means to belong, to fight for recognition, and to keep faith in the face of adversity. And thanks to storytellers like Wayan Barre, the world is watching and remembering, that Pointe-au-Chien is not dead. It is alive with purpose, and it is far from finished. To explore the full story of Pointe-au-Chien, follow the link below and discover more about this community — their struggles, resilience, and the challenges they face — as captured through Wayan’s poignant visual storytelling. VIEW WAYAN'S PORTFOLIO Pointe-au-Chien story by Wayan >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. 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.