I am a writer, a professional photographer and an expert in urban aesthetics with a multidisciplinary training currently living and working in Geneva. I am a big lover of cities, fascinated by order and disorder. I look to tell stories around poetry, paradox and mystery by using all the layers involving the construction of urban drama such as colors, light, shadow, prints, walls and bodies. After receiving a diploma in Architecture, a diploma in Filmmaking, a Master's degree in Territory Planning, I completed a PhD at the University of Geneva analyzing the mutual inspiration between urban modernity and the art of short film. Most of my street work is based on ordinary situations and daily events, believing that the street is the sum of small moments, rather than one general frame. However, every ordinary moment can be transformed into an extraordinary one through the lens. The banal can become the most significant only if there is observation, patience, perseverance, composition and creativity. Each portrait of a city fragment has its own and ephemeral language. That’s the reason urban spaces are magical and why the image remains so essential. I consider street photography as a visual recycling, like a sculptor manufacturing several forms from scrap metal or a designer working to give waste new life in a new use. Beauty is everywhere and the artist has to see, to learn how to see, to take his time and to believe in his art. One of my favorite strategies is simply the desire to get close and to use immersion with his subject by using a fixed wide angle lens. has won several international photography awards. HAKIM BOULOUIZ I am a writer, a professional photographer and an expert in urban aesthetics with a multidisciplinary training currently living and working in Geneva. I am a big lover of cities, fascinated by order and disorder. I look to tell stories around poetry, paradox and mystery by using all the layers involving the construction of urban drama such as colors, light, shadow, prints, walls and bodies. After receiving a diploma in Architecture, a diploma in Filmmaking, a Master's degree in Territory Planning, I completed a PhD at the University of Geneva analyzing the mutual inspiration between urban modernity and the art of short film. Most of my street work is based on ordinary situations and daily events, believing that the street is the sum of small moments, rather than one general frame. However, every ordinary moment can be transformed into an extraordinary one through the lens. The banal can become the most significant only if there is observation, patience, perseverance, composition and creativity. Each portrait of a city fragment has its own and ephemeral language. That’s the reason urban spaces are magical and why the image remains so essential. I consider street photography as a visual recycling, like a sculptor manufacturing several forms from scrap metal or a designer working to give waste new life in a new use. Beauty is everywhere and the artist has to see, to learn how to see, to take his time and to believe in his art. One of my favorite strategies is simply the desire to get close and to use immersion with his subject by using a fixed wide angle lens. has won several international photography awards. LOCATION Geneva SWITZERLAND CAMERA/S Olympus OM-D E-M5 WEBSITE https://www.hakimboulouiz.com/ @HAKIM.BOULOUIZ @HAKIMBOULOUIZ FEATURES // The Street is a Cactus

IN THE MOOD FOR BEAUTY Georg Reiter is always in search of symmetrical shapes, both in architecture and in landscape, and in all of it, the mood of the scene. IN THE MOOD FOR BEAUTY July 28, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Georg Reiter INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Born in Salzburg, Austria, photographer Georg Reiter now lives in Vienna. His preferred genres are architecture and landscape photography, but he also does some lovely still life photography. He is always in search of symmetrical shapes, both in architecture and in landscape, and in all of it the mood of a scene is important to him. Even when photographing street scenes, his photographs have a highly aesthetic and yet natural feel. He works with contrast and light to bring out special features or moods. Nowadays he likes to explore a setting without a camera before returning to it to take the picture he has envisioned in his mind. “I am strolling around and always looking for moody scenes. I am not interested in capturing just a landscape, cityscape or architecture...I want to capture the mood surrounding that landscape or architecture.” IN CONVERSATION WITH GEORG REITER THE PICTORIAL LIST: Georg, can you tell us when you started getting interested in photography? GEORG REITER: It was in school, when I was 14 years old. We could decide between stenography and photography. I chose photography, as that was what I really wanted to do. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? GR: Yes, my style, and my kind of post-processing, all have changed since I started. In my early years of photographing, with my first analog camera, I used a lot of filters, especially red and yellow to make the photos more dramatic, with hard contrasts. And I just went out and took pictures. Now I go out first without a camera to look for a motive, and come back well prepared to take a photo according to my idea. TPL: Where is your favourite place to photograph? GR: I really like the "Weinviertel"*, especially in the winter, when there is little snow. There are small hills, some tree rows for wind protection, and very small villages with old houses. *a wine growing region in lower Austria TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? GR: Michael Kenna from Great Britain. His long term exposures, his special style has influenced me the most. And there is one painter I really like, Lucian Freud. When I do portrait photography, it is his kind of style of portraits that influence me. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone else just starting out? GR: Technical equipment is not so important to me, but I already love my wide angle lens. The most important feature for me is that the camera can be used in manual mode, so that I can determine how the photo will look. Now I go out first without a camera to look for a motive, and come back well prepared to take a photo according to my idea. TPL: What have been the positives and negatives of Instagram regarding your photography? GR: Instagram is important for me, because I see photos from very creative people. Some of these photos have influenced my style in the last years. The negative side of social media, not only Instagram, is the time you spend on it. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? GR: Yes, the parents of some of my friends who grew up with me were writers, and some of these friends went to art school. I graduated from Oskar Kokoschka´s "Schule des Sehens" (School of Seeing). TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? GR: Yes, I am currently working on a project about the "Flaktürme von Wien"(flak towers of Vienna). TPL: If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... GR: I really don't know, I never thought about it. I have always been taking photos. Georg Reiter is an inspiring photographer whose work speaks for itself. With his eye for symmetry, contrast and light, he expertly captures the mood and essence of his subject matter. His photographs portray a highly aesthetic and natural feel, regardless of whether it's architecture, landscape, or still life. Georg's work is inviting and captivating, and viewers will find themselves in another world when looking through his portfolio. We encourage you to take a closer look at Georg's photography and see what he can create for yourself. GEORG REITER Read CYCLING CUBA by Georg Behance >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

PICTORIAL STORY FINDING HOPE AT THE UKRAINIAN BORDER When the war erupted on Ukraine, Sonia Goydenko stepped into the heart of the crisis. Volunteering her skills on the ground, she now shares a powerful, firsthand account of resilience, humanity, and what it means to bear witness in a time of conflict. June 17, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography SONIA GOYDENKO story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Throughout history photographers have been inspired to capture those moments that create a visual story that speaks a thousand words. Sonia Goydenko is a photographer that has mastered the art of visual storytelling, making meaningful connections between her subjects and the viewers. In just a fraction of a second, she finds the truth in the moment, bringing a genuine experience to the viewer. For Sonia the crisis in Ukraine is more than a tragic event. It strikes Sonia through the heart; she has a very personal connection to Ukraine. Sonia and part of her family left Ukraine as refugees in 1991 and immigrated to the United States. Her father, grandmother, and aunt still live in Ukraine. Sonia has experienced the perils of having to leave everything behind, depending on humanity and what felt like miracles, to emigrate from Ukraine. When the war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022, it brought back her memories of her own family's flight from Ukraine in 1991. Sonia was compelled to help in some way, remembering well the help she and her family received when they left Ukraine as refugees. Sitting at home, depressed, and watching the news and seeing her family suffering, Sonia decided to take some sort of action. Inspired by her close friend, Megan Kwasniak, a Polish doctor and photographer living in Florida who had the idea of heading to the border and working in a medical tent, Sonia decided to join her. Sonia packed her bags and offered her services in a small town called Medyka, the largest refugee camp on the Ukraine-Poland border. Being fluent in the Russian language and understanding Ukrainian, Sonia volunteered her services as a translator for the refugees fleeing Ukraine into Poland. Sonia shares with us what she experienced there. Sonia was very touched by all of the joy and genuine compassion that she witnessed during her time at the Ukrainian border. How hundreds of people from all over the world left their jobs, homes, families, to come together and help the Ukrainian refugees in any way they could. It was very important for Sonia to show the joyful side of the crisis, to share hope when it seems impossible to find any. Sonia describes her personal journey and the valuable connections she witnessed and helped to create. “Upon seeing people in moments of pain and grief, my immediate reaction was to comfort that person, not take their photograph. I am not a war photographer, and I did not come there to do that. I have met some incredible photographers documenting the harsh realities of this war, but for myself, I felt much more drawn to photographing the joyful moments I witnessed. Many volunteers came to play and entertain the children, and I wanted to photograph those moments: moments of pure joy in dark times. While volunteering on the border isn’t as dangerous as crossing into war zones and delivering medical aid, it’s still an important job. The people fleeing the war and coming through the camp will not just remember the horrors of their experience but will also have with them these touching moments of feeling seen and cared for, not forgotten by the world.” Memories came flooding back to Sonia, of her family's journey, and how life has come full circle. Sonia went back to help her fellow Ukrainians, giving the same hope to them that her family had received. Sonia is a living example that life can get better. Her open arms and loving smile were hope and inspiration to walk forward into their unknown futures. Sonia thinks often about all the help her family needed to emigrate from the Ukraine in 1991 and found it a gift to be able to help her sisters and brothers in their time of need. “If this action hadn’t been taken, I could’ve been the one fleeing gunfire and bombings, crossing the border into Poland, boarding the bus to Przemyśl, and heading into the unknown with no home - instead of being the American volunteer on the other side welcoming the refugees. I began to think of how blessed I am, how lucky I am to have a home to return to. Although I still feel heartbroken after returning from the border, going back through some of the photos I took during my time there, I am reminded of the joy that each individual can bring, the compassion and warmth that I saw so many people give openly and freely. I really believe that it’s only through us, individual beings, that any change can be brought about.” After looking through the images Sonia has shared with us, you can see the personal connections she makes, and the hope she brings to the refugees she translates for. The reassurance they feel when they know their words can be understood, and they can understand in their language the options they have moving forward. We thank Sonia for sharing her personal journey with us, and we are humbled by her efforts and the genuine connections and contributions she has made in aiding in relief for the refugees fleeing Ukraine at Medyka, Poland border. The bus to Przemyśl during the golden hour. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko A shadow selfie in blue and yellow. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko These images specifically from the bus stop where refugees go after they have gotten food, drinks, clothes, SIM cards, toiletries, and toys for the kids. People wait very worried that the bus will leave without them. I assure them that they have time and that a bus comes every 20 minutes and that even if they miss this one, there will be another in a few minutes. Most of the refugees have been traveling extensively for days. Children often vomit from the constant motion sickness and nausea. Many have been on buses and trains for days. The Polish army and volunteers help the refugees board the buses - assisting them with luggage and explaining to them where the buses are heading. There are refugees waiting for buses at all times of the day in all kinds of weather-to board the next step of their gruesome and tiring journey. © Sonia Goydenko Twin Ukrainian boys with their dog, waiting for the rest of their family to cross the border. All were happily reunited. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko A child joyfully plays with the Easter Bunny, having just crossed the border from Ukraine into Poland. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko The largest refugee tent in the camp - for women and children to rest, eat, and sleep in. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko These were taken when I crossed the border into Ukraine to help out a friend working in a truck giving out drinks and food for people waiting to go into Poland. © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko A dog, a volunteer, and a young refugee in the Medical tent where I worked at the border. Most of my time was spent translating for doctors and refugees who came to visit this tent. © Sonia Goydenko At the mother/children tent: a baby teething and biting my finger! © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko © Sonia Goydenko When Sonia is not off lending a helping hand you can find her in the streets of New York City where she finds much of her inspiration as a renowned street photographer. Sonia has received awards from numerous festivals, including Italian Street Photo Festival, Miami Street Photo Festival and Aussie Street Photography Festival. She is a member of the New York City Street Photography Collective ( @nycspc ) and her work was recently exhibited in NYC by Women Street Photographers. Sonia has been published in Huffington Post, Eyeshot Magazine, and various other mediums. In addition to photographing the streets daily, Sonia manages to find time to teach street photography workshops and give portfolio reviews. If you ever have the opportunity to take her workshop or have your portfolio reviewed, you will find it a very rewarding experience. What else does Sonia do, well she runs the Instagram page @showmeyourduds , an educational platform created for photography students, where talented photographers willingly share the images that they consider failures. During COVID-19 lockdown, Sonia told us how she turned her lens on her family and herself, creating an intimate series of self-portraits. Then in February of 2022 Sonia traveled to the Ukraine-Poland border to translate for and photograph refugees, and her experiences with them. She works directly with doctors who drive medical aid into Ukraine and has been raising money to buy them medical supplies. Sonia currently lives in New Jersey and photographs in New York City, Florida, and anywhere else she goes. Make a connection and be inspired through her photography. view Sonia's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance.

HUMAN CONTACT By walking through the streets and observing people's behaviours, Jan Ponnet tries to develop a keen eye for the subtle nuances and rhythms of life on the street, and learns to anticipate and capture these moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. HUMAN CONTACT June 16, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jan Ponnet INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Street photography for Jan Ponnet is an exciting form of photography where he can capture the spontaneous moments of everyday life on the street. Born in Antwerp, Belgium and now living 15km from the city in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Jan trained as an engineer and had his own business in the central heating industry. Since his retirement, Jan has picked up the thread of photography full-time again. “My passion for photography lies in the street. It is challenging because it often involves observing and looking for something interesting in an ordinary place. It involves also photographing unknown people in public spaces, without asking their permission. When people say no, it is important to respect their decision and not be intrusive. Although most people say they don't want to be photographed, only an extremely small number confirmed this to me - the vast majority quietly allowed me to do it in a way that says: look at me!” Jan is a street photographer who wants to “look for the snapshots that try to portray a positive mood, a smile, a tender moment or just the image at the right moment.” By walking through the streets and observing people's behaviours, Jan tries to develop a keen eye for the subtle nuances and rhythms of life on the street, and learns to anticipate and capture these moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. “I was about 20 years old when, before the digital age, I watched images appear in the darkroom, in the developing pool. Turning a moment, a flash, into a lasting image grabbed me and I still have that feeling. The play of light and human contact brought me to the streets.” IN CONVERSATION WITH JAN PONNET THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Jan…welcome to The List! Let's start by telling us something about yourself. JAN PONNET: I was born and raised in Antwerp. With an engineering degree and experience in some big companies, I started my own central heating business. When it turned out that none of my children would continue the business, I sold everything. Around age 60, I then found the time to photograph more. Now it is an out-of-control passion. TPL: Could you tell us what growing up in Antwerp has inspired in your work? What special qualities unique to this city influence your street photography and the way you portray your community? JP: Antwerp is one, by Belgian standards, of the bigger cities—a port city with a multicultural and generally accessible population. However, I don't think Antwerp has anything specific photographically. I think I can photograph in any city. you just have to look, see, feel... TPL: What first attracts you in the moment, movement, light, color, or texture? Or do people and their personalities play an important role in how you portray them? JP: When portraying a city, I first look for a suitable background. Then I just wait for someone to pass by. Like love at first sight, I pick out someone who I think will do well. After a brief introduction, most of my actors are willing to be portrayed. So far, I have rarely been wrong. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to create? JP: Outside exhibitions and books, there is so much to follow on the internet these days to broaden your horizons. TPL: Does having a spontaneous approach to your street photography allow for the serendipity at the moment to dictate the frame? JP: Of course, you need some luck to capture a decisive moment. But I believe in the fact that this is also a matter of practice. The more practice, the more you see, and feel the moment coming to dive into the scene. With many people, I have a nice chat before or after photographing and that gives me great satisfaction. TPL: What was one of your favorite moments photographing in the street? Where was it? And why? What are some of the challenges that you have faced out photographing on the street? JP: One of those favorite moments are parades, manifestations, processions. These are the favoured circumstances for me to focus not on the subject of the day but on the bystanders. The challenge is not to contravene privacy rules. So always be friendly and accommodating because of privacy states. You cannot get a good expression on demand, you have to shoot this directly. With a little chat afterwards is usually OK. If not, the customer gets his way! But always be friendly and accommodating. TPL: Do you have favorite locations you like to point and shoot, or do you prefer the challenge or inspiration of new locations? JP: I don't feel tied to certain locations. It's always fun to explore new surroundings. The reason why can be very different…look, a smile, clothing, a silhouette, a pose. As long as there is someone around, and preferably with whom we can make contact. TPL: Do you have any favorite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JP:There are of course the classics, for example, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, Fan Ho, and Capa because very frequently I ask myself: was I close enough to it? On social media I follow inspiring photographers such as Alan Schaller, Paul Reid, and Chris Mozyro. 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? Is there anything on your wishlist? JP: I started with one of the first Minolta reflex cameras. I'm not going to be flippant about equipment and whine about its unimportance. Currently, I walk around with a Leica 10M, simple, small, and handy. When I want to dive into the scene and frame it into a fascinating environment, I take a 28mm. Portraits I do on the street usually with a 50mm 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? JP: I do walk around with some ideas. In recent years, I've been staying in different cities for several months. The best way to be immersed in the city and its population. So follow me. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... JP: I like traveling and visiting cultural places and museums. My passion naturally involves a lot of walking, which I hope is good for my health…haha. In the evening I like to play Bridge the card game.” Jan's passion for street photography is inspiring and shows just how creative and beautiful photos can be when taken in unexpected places. Through his work, Jan has shared an appreciation of street life that many of us never get to see. It is a reminder to keep seeking out the beauty in everyday moments and to not take life for granted. We should all take a page from Jan's book and strive to live life to the fullest and capture those special moments. If you would like to connect with Jan and see more of his work, please follow the links below. VIEW JAN'S PORTFOLIO Jan's website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

FARAH'S CHARIOT Carla Henoud is a journalist and a photographer who captures sweet sceneries set on Beirut's famous Corniche that show her love for this place. FARAH'S CHARIOT March 25, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Carla Henoud INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Life itself can be beautiful but for those that get a chance to experience the beauty that is Beirut's Corniche, there is something magical about it. Carla Henoud has been fortunate enough to capture this magic in her photography and has dedicated her last three years to documenting this stunning place with her lens. The result of these efforts have been exhibited in a gallery and published in a book, 'Le Chariot de Farah' in 2018, and it has been a testament to the beauty that Carla has seen in the Corniche. Her photos capture the picture-perfect scenes of the Corniche, full of life, with its picture-perfect blue skies and its people. No matter who is viewing Carla's work, the emotion that she has captured in her photographs is undeniable. “As a reporter, I had the opportunity to interview a man called Ali who used to work on the Corniche and sell orange juices on a wooden cart, as his father and grandfather used to do. But the authorities forced him to stop and destroyed it. As I was taking pictures of this and Corniche for about 3 years and had important material and archives I could use, I decided to write my own story inspired by Ali's. Most pieces of the story and the characters are taken from my own family, and I replaced Ali with Farah, a young woman working in a man's 'field'. 'Le Chariot de Farah' starts in the 60's and ends in 2018. It describes perfectly what Beirut was and still is. Or maybe what we are fighting for, keeping it a mixed city where people from different backgrounds and religions can live together peacefully.” IN CONVERSATION WITH CARLA HENOUD THE PICTORIAL LIST: Carla please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? CARLA HENOUD: I was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Lived for ten years in Paris, France, during our 'civil' war, and came back home late 90’s. I started taking pictures at 16 years old, with my Canon AE1. Then I studied advertising at the Lebanese Academy of Art (ALBA) and developed this passion since then. As a journalist, photography became also part of my work, as it tells story as well as my words do. TPL: What is it that you enjoy about documentary photography? Explain your technique? What do you want to express through your photography? And what are some of the elements you always try to include in your photographs? CH: I find it challenging to go to the same place and discover new things about it. That same place is like my theater; it is the same background with different characters, variant lights, various stories, etc. The corniche by the sea, in Beirut, is my place of choice; it probably is the only spot in Lebanon that reunites people from different social classes and religions, in perfect tolerance and harmony. This is how Lebanon should be! Apart from its symbolic aspect, the corniche is also the scenery I always like to capture at all hours and in different seasons. It includes everything I choose to have in a picture: the sea, the sky, the human element and the street. It is urban and nature photography in one. Therefore, my personal challenge is to ‘cast’ the right human element at the right time in this existent scenery. I have been doing this for five years now before issuing the Book “Le Chariot de Farah” in October 2018. As for the technical part, I always carry light cameras to move easily. I also use wide angles and/or 50mm. No zoom lenses! I prefer getting closer to my subject, establish a quick contact, build trust that might lead to a conversation. No photoshop ever! I remain as close and intimate as possible to what I see. The angle I choose to snap the picture will make the difference. Being a journalist and a photographer, my purpose is to tell stories through my lens and share (new) emotions. TPL: What is it like photographing on the streets of Beirut? How has the pandemic affected you personally and your photography? CH: I enjoy going to the same place over and over again (the Corniche) and I always find inspiration. Always able to find and show something new, to discover new people, to meet others that I discovered during all these years and listen to their stories. And share all that. The sky, the sea, a person, are very important in my pictures. And most of all emotions. Beirut is a living city, so many beautiful and sad things are happening there since 2019. It’s a beautiful destroyed city one can only be passionate about. I love its old buildings, windows, people, sea. I love to find and show beauty in ugliness. It gives hope… During the pandemic, and different lockdowns (currently in a lockdown at time of interview) streets become empty and the sky, the shadows, the colours are so pure. I just miss people… TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? CH: Henri Cartier-Bresson, "un classique” who was able to take great pictures with his 50 mm lens and no photoshop (which I never use). I like also Bruce Gilden, Robert Frank, Vivian Maier, Joseph Koudelka, Martin Parr, Seydou Keïta (even if his pictures are mostly in a studio). TPL: When you go out photographing, do you have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it both? CH: When I go out, all my senses are wide open (like a cat!) and just waiting and hoping for the encounter. In the back of my mind, I am always looking for places, people, a mood and a story. “Keep walking” is a motto I often bring back to help me cope with what we Lebanese are going through for so long and especially these last two years. 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? CH: I use a Leica D-Lux, a Fujifilm W-T1 and a Sony. Some are good because, also, they are light and easy to handle. Some are too complicated for street photography where you don’t have time to adjust. I prefer wide angles or a 50mm lens. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the creative world before photography? CH: At school, in Paris, I made a short movie with friends (Super 8). A friend, Stephane Drouot, was playing the role of 'director'. He became famous a few years later and got a Cesar for a short movie he wrote and directed late 80’s. He unfortunately passed away… TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? CH: My goals are to sharpen my eye and emotions even more, to always improve myself and always be surprised by what I do and what I see. I need, now more than ever, to always seek for beauty during these hard times the world and we Lebanese are going through. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? CH: After my first book 'Le Chariot de Farah', a fiction with pictures of the Corniche, issued on October 2018 with an exhibition in Beirut, I am planning to do something more with it, as a series or a movie (with of course the help of professionals in this industry). And then start another personal project where I can mix writing and photography. Let’s hope we will have better days in Lebanon to be able to do so… TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… CH: Write. Travel. The beauty of Beirut's Corniche is undeniable, and Carla Henoud has done an amazing job of capturing this magic with her photography. Her photos capture the beautiful scenes of the Corniche, full of life, and the emotion she has captured in her photographs is undeniable. To learn more about Carla's journey, and to experience the beauty of Beirut's Corniche for yourself, follow her journey. VIEW CARLA'S PORTFOLIO Carla's instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

ABYSSES Glaciers are alive...fragile...and disappearing. Magdéleine Ferru shared with us, her up close and personal ABYSSES series of photographs. ABYSSES December 14, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Magdéleine Ferru INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE From the glistening depths of the icy depths of glaciers, to the unique artistry of a photographer capturing the beauty of a melting world; Magdéleine Ferru, known as JustMagd, invites us on a journey that delves into the complexity of human nature, identity and time. Through her captivating photos, she not only captures the breathtaking beauty of glaciers, but also reveals their frailty and the inexorable passing of time. Whether through handmade art books or different art techniques, each of her projects is an exploration of emotions, body and death. Follow her on an intimate journey to discover the hidden secrets of our planet's glaciers and experience the vivid beauty that lies beneath the surface. “I had done some ice climbing, and glacier exploration in New Zealand a few years ago, and I remember the immensity of the ice wall, the blue, the light shimmering through….definitely a fairy tale world. When I got the chance to embark on an adventure to walk on and 'in' a glacier in Alaska, I jumped on the opportunity. I was amazed again at the beauty and greatness of such a natural wonder, but suddenly got aware of its frailty. I could see bubbles and sediments, air and rocks imprisoned in the ice. Glaciers are alive...move, change, melt…they are huge. By taking close up, we lose the feeling of scale. I wanted visually attractive pictures, to get the viewer's attention; its abstract and beautiful. Now come closer, feel the ice, you might never be able to see this again, because its disappearing. They are not huge anymore, instead they are very fragile.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MAGDÉLEINE FERRU THE PICTORIAL LIST: These days, when we see landscapes of ice, there is always a bit of a wistful sensation for the viewer. A fear that it might all disappear because of climate change. Does this play a role in your project? MAGDÉLEINE FERRU: In the series Abysses, definitely, yes. I have had the chance to travel around and over just a few years, I can tell a difference in landscape due to the climate change. If some of my projects are light minded, and dreamlike, some others are made (at least I try to) to awaken the viewer, to make oneself questions all the assertions one believes in, to challenge what one knows (human condition, climate change, etc…) I wish people could understand that just turning of a light when they leave a room, unplugging phones/computer/turning off a TV when they are not in use, being careful with their water consumption (shorter shower, closing tap water when not using it, etc…) recycling, using public transportation (when possible), are huge steps, and if everybody was just doing this simple gesture, making it an habit, a part of their everyday life, it would make a difference. It is just a matter of respect and education. TPL: Magdéleine please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? MF: My father took a lot of pictures, always in slides, and what a pleasure every time to take out the projector and the screen. It’s like a ritual, a kind of gateway to the forgotten world, before literally stepping back into the past. Travel and photos entered my life, one then the other, then never one without the other. I began shooting with films. The happiness of discovering photo appearing in the developer. Then I went digital during my first long journeys. I worked odd jobs and traveled, inventing myself a new life on every different part of the world, taking inspiration, breathing in life. South of France, my parent’s home remains my forever home. TPL: What do you want to express through your photography? And what are some of the elements you always try to include in your photographs? MF: I explore feelings, I explore matter: identity and society, human nature, our natural or urban environment, and their relationships, which intertwined in my photographs. Reproduce reality with a touch of utopia. Sometimes the other way around. Bittersweet thoughts. So if my travels and my various experiences continue to animate me, people and body (especially the female body), are regularly found at the center of my work, often dreamlike and delicate, sometimes daring or provocative. The human presence is either clearly visible, or just suggested, as most of my projects question the human (relations, print on our natural world, everyday life, etc..), but also myself, who I am and what is my place in the world. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? And do you have a favourite place(s) to photograph? MF: My ideas are inspired a lot by what I have been/am going through, and how I feel. I am very sensitive and emotional. Sometimes just a person, a light, a place, a word, an event, a sensation, even a film or a song will inspire me. I am quite sensitive to fairy tales, magical stories, and fables from my childhood. The inspiration and the resulting project can be quite spontaneous. I let myself be surprised by a moment, a situation. I watch the light, if I see something that I like, I go out to take pictures, or even just admire and enjoy the moment. It is also good for inspiration to let yourself relax and look at the gleaming moment. I love photographing snowy landscape in winter light, everything is so quiet and white. You never really know what you’re going to see but the magic surrounds you and makes you enjoy every second of the trip. No matter how many good photos you took the moment is always full of wonder. TPL: Do you have a concept in mind of what you want to photograph, or do you let the images just 'come to you' or is it both? MF: A bit of both really. I have images that come to mind, or in dreams. I take notes, sometimes I make small sketches of the scenes before rendering them into photography. As I said earlier, sometimes something catches my eyes, and I take pictures, not knowing exactly when or for which projects I’m going to use them. I have long term projects that I’m working on, so, I kind of know what I want to show, and what I want to do, coincidences does the rest; definitely a mix of thinking, chance and random opportunities. Les voyages forment la jeunesse. (French saying: To travel makes the young become who they are). Living elsewhere, learning different languages, cultures, traditions, discovering other beliefs, religions, ways of life…Witness other's life. To be an observer, but also to feel. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? MF: When I was a teenager, I loved watching fashion shows on TV, especially ones from Jean-Paul Gaultier (it was always magic, spectacular and extravaganza!), and I loved circus and dance shows/movies. I discovered just a few years ago the work of photographers like Kirsty Mitchell full of wonder, reminding me of the illustrations from my childhood books. As I grew up in my practice, I became more interested in photographers like Kyle Thompson or Nicolas Bruno (staging themselves, showing their vision of the world) and multi disciplinary artist like Kelly Webeck, Anne-Lise Broyer, Sara Skorgan Teigen (sketchbook/journals, mix media). I have also met so many great artists during artist's book fair. The workshops I did with Claudine Doury in 2018 really influenced my style, helping me finding my personal language and photographic identity. Richard Petit and Fabienne Forel also helped me each in a different way, in developing my own artistic vision. Richard Petit gave me numerous advises on editing and building a series, while Fabienne Forel introduced me to the art of cyanotype. She is a great artist's book creative as well and it’s always a pleasure to exchange words with her. TPL: Do you have a favourite quote, lyric or saying that especially resonates with you? And why? MF: "Enjoy each breath, make the most of each second. Basically life is now, not yesterday, not tomorrow. Never give up." I’m a true believer of dream coming true, if you try enough, if you want enough, if you give enough of yourself. Just believe that it can happen, believe in yourself. I was talking to my dad the other day, wondering why going through all the difficulties of "do it yourself" when I could just buy it; he answered, "it's called ambition"; it makes me happy and proud and that's what matters. And of course "Live, Love, Laugh" - the most beautiful and important things to do for a happy life. 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? MF: It depends a lot of the project I am working on. I like to go back to a film practice for some projects, especially polaroids, Diana (toy camera) medium format, or old instamatics. I am working now on a long term project, kind of a journal of feelings and for me to achieve the 'right now vision' that I want to express, I want to use my polaroids; the medium here defines the all idea; it has to be instant; it has to reflect the mood, the moment. My digital camera is Nikon D7200, mainly one lens Nikon 16/85. It’s perfect for my practice, when I have to be fast, in focus, and ready, or when I want to experiment and play with exposure/lights, photoshop enhancing, etc. TPL: Have you been involved in the artistic world before or other than photography? MF: I am mixing more and more my photo projects with the art of book and with different 'plastic art' techniques (collages, overprinting, mix media, etc…). I create, recycle, incorporating matter into my visual work. I have taken workshop 'book sculpture', and different techniques of book binding. I have participated in a few artist book fairs. I’m working on a project for the next Délires de Livres (artist book exhibition) and in the middle of creating a piece for the series Abysses. I have always been very drawn to books and beautiful illustrations. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? MF: I would like to be able to move forward in many of my projects, and have more time to spend in the dark room. I would like to experiment more ancient photographic processes (cyanotype) and pinhole camera, play with chemicals, and develop my own technique. I would like my work as a visual artist to be recognised as a full time job (so that people stop telling me "But you have time, you don't work". It is work. I would like to succeed in exhibiting my photos in a large gallery or at a festival dedicated to contemporary photography. To be able to live off my art. I warmly thank my family who have always supported me. My parents, my brother and my boyfriend who let me live my dream, who help me and follow me in my wildest ideas. I love you guys! All the people who have trust me over the years, and who encourage me to never give up. My photographer friends who are always here for a question or advice and with whom I am always learning something. A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you! Thanks to The Pictorial List for the interview! Magdéleine Ferru is a photographer who uses her personal experiences to create beautiful and thought-provoking art. With her talent for connecting with what she has seen and lived, she produces art that speaks to the core of human emotion. Magdéleine brings her projects to life through art books and different art techniques. Her work speaks to the beauty of our lives and the joys of being alive. Follow Magdéleine on Facebook to be inspired by her new projects and to experience the unique beauty of her art. VIEW MAGDÉLEINE'S PORTFOLIO Magdéleine's facebook >>> read more interviews >>> 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. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

PICTORIAL STORY GROWING UP ASSALA May 28, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Kevin To SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Perched along the coast of the Sinai Peninsula is the small diving town of Dahab with a population of approximately 15,000. Originally a small Bedouin fishing village and hippie hideaway, it is now become a popular destination for free divers, rock climbers, windsurfers, and people searching for a place to ride out the pandemic. Dahab began attracting travelers in the 60’s during the hippie movement, people travelling and searching for simpler ways of life outside the western world. Due to Sinai’s religious significance, it has been ground zero for much conflict throughout its existence. Tourism came to a halt during the Six-Day War in 1963 when Israel invaded Sinai and took over the region. And then again during the Yom Kippur war in 1973 where Egypt and Syrian forces joined together to regain control over the peninsula. Following that came the Egyptian Revolution and the Arab Spring of 2011, and then a bombing of a Ukrainian charter flight leaving from Sharm El Sheikh. And most recently the Covid-19 pandemic. Dahab is home to the Bedouins belonging to the Muzeina Tribe who arrived from the Saudi Peninsula approximately eight-hundred years ago. The Bedouins main form of agriculture includes herding goats, fishing, raising camels and the date palms that are dotted all around the land. Even though tourism has changed the town dramatically since its inception these practices can still be seen on a daily basis. Bedouins were also quick to adopt tourism as more and more tourists arrived in town. It is prohibited for anyone to enter into the Sinai desert without a Bedouin guide. Their knowledge of star navigation, herbal remedies, and wildlife are essential to surviving in the desert. Thus, providing tours and safaris into the desert have become their main source of income. I arrived in town in late November. During the previous month I had been volunteering at a beachfront camp in Nuweiba, a port town just an hour north of Dahab. As my time there came to a close, I decided to check out Dahab next. As soon as I got into town I was struck by its chaotic and frenetic energy. Watching the kids run after swerving 4x4’s to hitch a ride down the block, the herds of goats roaming the streets, and the overall unfamiliarity of the sights and sounds. I had been away from a city for so long that this little diving town shocked me back into reality. I eventually moved into the northern neighborhood of El Assala, where many foreigners reside alongside native bedouins and Egyptian transplants. From dusk till dawn, I heard the sounds of janky bicycles drifting up and down the street, people shouting at each other in a language I didn’t understand. I began wandering the neighborhood every day in the evening, befriending the locals and familiarizing myself with the kids, kicking round the football with them and teaching them how to play Red Hands . What stood out for me most was how the people interacted with the physical space. In the west we have rules about which side of the road you should drive on and at what speed, and how private property should be treated. I began to see how differently humans here interacted with technology, architecture and animals. Unfortunately, there is a huge income difference here in Dahab. Even just inside the Bedouin community there is a surprisingly large income gap. Many of the Egyptians who have moved here to open restaurants and other businesses catering to tourists also have had a hard time with the unstable tourism industry here. But since the pandemic and the easing of restrictions, domestic tourism to Dahab has increased, which has kept the city going. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have agreed to link their two countries through the construction of a causeway, connecting Tabuk to Sharm El Sheikh, another popular resort town in Sinai. The bridge is meant to increase tourism to the Sinai region as well as Saudi Arabia. As more hip and trendy cafes begin to pop up and foreigners invest in property, one day Dahab won’t be recognizable to those who grew up here. The biggest fear people who live in and frequent Dahab is that as Egyptians and Saudis invest more money in the area the city will lose its soul and spirit. They fear that the small hippie town will be turned into a metropolitan tourism hub just like its sister city Sharm El Sheikh. Caught between its origins as a small village tucked away on the shores of the Red Sea and its future as another concrete tourist city, Growing Up Assala is a snapshot of a beloved seaside town. © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To © Kevin To Kevin To's project is a beautiful example of modern street and documentary photography. His photographs capture the nuances of a small town and its inhabitants, as well as the dynamics of society and its relationship to the world around us. His images are a reminder of the importance of photojournalism and humanist photography. view Kevin's portfolio Read an interview with Kevin >>> 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 >>> 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. 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COLOURS SUSPENDED IN TIME. GEOMETRIES OF AN ISLAND Alessandro Giugni shares the secrets behind the colors in his bright and colorful reportage of the Island of Burano. COLORI SOSPESI NEL TEMPO. GEOMETRIE DI UN'ISOLA (COLOURS SUSPENDED IN TIME. GEOMETRIES OF AN ISLAND) February 24, 2023 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Alessandro Giugni INTERVIEW Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Alessandro Giugni is a reportage photographer living and working in Milan, with a strong connection to the culture and traditions that make Italy his home. He believes that one must understand where they come from, and who they are, before they can translate authentic visual stories about others. Alessandro makes real connections by engaging the people around him on a daily basis in many different ways. He balances running his grandfather's coffee business, roasting and distributing one of the finest coffees in Italy, while as a lawyer with a law degree, Alessandro performs legal services for his community. These connections have become the foundation for inspiration for his reportage photography. For Alessandro they are all interconnected, and are the basis for his visual storytelling, finding the extraordinary in the ordinary in everyday life around him. Alessandro has a true respect for the people he engages, finding genuine interest in their traditions, and feeling true joy in sharing them. He shares in his own words: “For over 10 years I have been assiduously engaged in the study and deepening of every single aspect of photography in general. In recent years, I have found my genre of reference in reportage, resulting in some works that have been both published and exhibited in some important museum exhibitions. I love photography as I consider this art form as much a means of expressing myself as the main vehicle through which to narrate our time. If I had to give a definition of my way of photographing, I would answer that I feel the need to tell the story of human beings contextualized in the time in which we live, without hiding their strengths and weaknesses. My photographic works are never children of chance: I love observing society, its evolutions, the behavior and expressions of the people around me.” In December 2022, Alessandro had the honor of being awarded the ‘Fiorino d’Argento’, by the Municipality of Florence, in the presence of the highest Florentine authorities, with prestigious recognition of this international calibre. This recognition was bestowed upon Alessandro, during the renowned award ceremony of the XXXIX Edition of the Florence Prize in the spectacular setting of the Salone dei Cinquecento in Palazzo Vecchio. Today we have the pleasure of sharing Alessandro's colorful expressions and visual depictions of Burano with his brilliant series from his project ‘Colori Sospesi nel Tempo. Geometrie di un’Isola’. We are delighted to share his insightful views and process for visual storytelling. “The work ‘Colori Sospesi nel Tempo. Geometrie di un’Isola (Colours suspended in time. Geometries of an Island)’ stems from an intuition I had in July 2020 during a trip I made to the Island of Burano after many years of absence from that place. What had changed in me on that occasion compared to the last time I had visited that place was the critical approach with which, after specializing in reportage, I began to look at the reality around me. Today, I am no longer a mere spectator of the world and the events that take place in it, but a careful observer and curious seeker of the innermost reasons behind all the facets, even the most apparently trivial, of everyday life. This approach allows me not only to discover singular aspects of the lives of the people I frequent and the history of the places I visit, but at the same time ensures that I can create wide-ranging photographic projects. With reference to the Island of Burano, I discovered that the bright colours of the houses that adorn it were the result of the inhabitants' desire to allow those who were engaged in fishing for moeche (small crabs typical of the Venetian lagoon) to find their homes after long night fishing sessions, even in the thick fog that frequently grips these places during the long winter months. Each family, therefore, has been assigned a unique shade of colour.” “Since this is an island that, despite its small size, attracts an average of one and a half million tourists every year, I wanted to essentialise the presence of human beings as much as possible, focusing on the interconnection between natives and their pastel-coloured homes. So, I searched around me for everyday objects (such as bicycles, slippers, chairs, shoes, clotheslines, clothes hanging in the wind, brooms) and, playing on the contrast between the colours of the houses and the presence of the aforementioned objects, I created a story that transcends the boundaries of the physical world and rises to a dimension that I would call metaphysical, in a succession of photographs of places that seem suspended in time.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ALESSANDRO GIUGNI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Alessandro, it is wonderful to share your photography with our community. Please tell us all a little about what first drew you to photography, and what inspired your interest and devotion to reportage photography? ALESSANDRO GIUGNI: Hi Karen, first of all I would like to express my enthusiasm and gratitude to you and the whole team at The Pictorial List for the opportunity you have given me by showing interest in my photography and for the amazing work you do! As for your question, I must confess that I cannot tell you exactly when my interest in photography generally blossomed. As happens with the greatest loves in life, the one for photography grew day after day, experience after experience, it slowly matured until it became disruptive: at that point, it was no longer possible to restrict it to a simple hobby and I felt the need to translate photography into a real job, finally dedicating to it the time I felt it deserved. The predilection for reportage, on the other hand, has a well-defined genesis. I realized that this would become my genre of reference after reading two books specifically: The Americans by Robert Frank and Morire di Classe by Gianni Berengo Gardin. The photographs contained in those works contributed to bringing about very strong changes in society. Just think that Berengo's work was instrumental in bringing to light the condition of the mentally ill detained in real prison facilities and was also fundamental to the promulgation of Law 180/1978, the so-called Basaglia Law, which led to the closure of asylum institutions in Italy. I have always paid particular attention to society, to its evolutions, to understanding the roots of customs and traditions. So how could I have preferred any other genre than reportage? TPL: Could you tell us what living in Milan has inspired in your work? What special qualities unique to Milan influence your street and the way you portray your community? AG: Living in Milan you certainly have endless opportunities in terms of everyday situations that can happen on the streets. What this city has given me most of all, however, is the ability to untangle the thin thread that connects the indifference and mistrust of the people who live there. In a place like Milan, where everything on the surface seems to be so close, human beings actually seem to be very distant from each other, inattentive to the needs of their neighbors and reluctant to open themselves up and share their time with other people. TPL: What importance does storytelling or key themes hold for you? AG: I find that defining a narrative line that acts as a thread between one's photographs is of vital importance. This is the case both when one is working on a specific theme and when one is photographing for pure pleasure. Having a precise awareness of one's archive means that, often and willingly, by going back and looking at photographs that are apparently unconnected, one is able to find a lowest common denominator and thus give rise to unexpected works. TPL: What are you trying to achieve artistically? What do you want your photographs to inspire, what would you like the viewer to take away with them from your work? AG: I will answer this question by allowing myself to slightly twist the initial part of it. More than an 'artistic' purpose, I pursue a 'social' purpose with my photography. Let me explain myself better. People nowadays pay less and less attention to the world around them, crushed as they are by the weight, which I would erroneously define as relative and autonomously often exaggerated, of responsibilities, of commitments that are more often than not superfluous. Most people live by projecting onto objects, onto often superfluous things, a misinterpreted need for inner searching, missing out in the process all that life and the world around them really have to offer. Here, in a context such as the one I have just described, I believe that photography, especially reportage photography, has a duty to operate in order to awaken consciences, unveiling those small, great realities that are often so close to us, but at the same time, because of our lifestyle, so distant. When I think of my country, Italy, I realize how much beauty it contains that is so little known. We have some of the most unique folk festivals, some small municipalities preserve traditional customs, we have beautiful places of worship, and almost forgotten rituals. If reportage photography has a task, I believe it is to shed light on this hidden world. 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? What is on your wishlist? AG: My first camera was given to me by my paternal grandfather, to whom I was very close. I can't tell you the exact model name, it was one of those small Canon cameras from the early 2000s that were offered by petrol stations as a prize following the collection of almost endless loyalty points and that allowed, in addition to recording videos, to take photographs. I distinctly remember that the files had a maximum size of 1 megabyte! Thinking about it today, one can only smile. Today, after years of long experimentation and almost 10 years at Canon, I have found my perfect medium in Leica's M-system. I mainly work with film, although the practicality of digital, especially when traveling abroad, is unavoidable, which is why I always carry both my faithful M3 and an M-P 240 with me. I have chosen to stick with this system for a very simple reason: the intuitiveness of the rangefinder, which often leads me to be faster than the autofocus, the compact size of the M and the practicality of use make these cameras a natural extension of my eye and the most natural medium with which I have ever photographed. In addition, after years of practice, I have learnt never to close my left eye, which helps me to maintain eye contact with my subjects and to eliminate the shyness that people often put between themselves and the photographer, feeling strongly separated from them by the presence of the camera. I recently bought a Leica Q2 because of both the practicality it shares with the M-System and the impressive quality of the 28mm Summilux it carries. Having now defined my photographic vision around a focal length between 28mm and 21mm, I couldn't have made a better choice. I prefer this type of focal length for a very simple reason: thanks to it, I am obliged to immerse myself in the situations I want to tell, I have to establish a dialogue - which comes extremely naturally to me - with my subjects, I have to become part of the story myself in order to make my narrative true. Over the years, I have dedicated myself almost exclusively to black and white and have started to use film more and more frequently, eventually becoming my main medium. This choice depended on several factors: the non-immediate visualization of the shots, the pleasure of confronting chemistry, the desire to master every stage of the creative process, and learning how to also manage the development phase as required. Through film, moreover, I can build a material archive, which is impossible to achieve through the digital medium. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us. If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? AG: As I said at the beginning, two of my absolute favourite photographers are Gianni Berengo Gardin and Robert Frank. My photography, however, has been influenced by the work of many others. The suspended atmospheres of Luigi Ghirri, the harshness of Don McCullin's stories, the aesthetic and content perfection of Sebastiao Salgado, the order of the industrial architecture photographed by Gabriele Basilico, the surrealism of Ikko Narahara, the poignant simplicity of Deanna Dikeman, the indefinable perfection of Fan Ho's photographs, the symbolism of Shomei Tomatsu, the eroticism of Nobuyoshi Araki, the three-dimensionality of Hiroji Kubota's stories. Which one would I choose? I could not have any doubt about that. Definitely Gianni Berengo Gardin. A photographer who has explored the innermost realities of my country, the one who, in my opinion, more than any other compatriot has been able to build, with an immense photographic archive, a true historical memory of Italian tradition and culture. A photographic day with him is certainly worth more than decades of studies on our reality. And, as far as I am concerned, his photographic vision and the power of his photographs are and will be difficult to equal in the future. I have always paid particular attention to society, to its evolutions, to understanding the roots of customs and traditions. So how could I have preferred any other genre than reportage? TPL: What have been some of your most favorite places you find inspiration to explore through your photography, and what draws you there? AG: Without a shadow of a doubt, the two places that have been, and still are, able to inspire me the most are Venice and the entire hinterland of Tuscany. I say Venice, on the one hand, because of the incredible wealth of situations and happenings that take place along the city's narrow streets, and on the other hand because of the inexhaustible compositional opportunities offered by the mixture of canals, bridges, arches and historical monuments. It is no coincidence that one of my absolute favourite photographs was taken on a rainy day in Fondamenta Nove, one of Venice's Sestieri. On the other hand, I say the hinterland of Tuscany because of the unparalleled beauty of the villages and views that adorn the Chianti Valley and the Val d'Orcia. Places that seem suspended in time, constantly waiting to see their beauty and richness captured by the eye of an attentive photographer. TPL: When you photograph, do you usually have a concept in mind of what you want to achieve, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it both? Please describe your process. AG: Let's say that even in this case, I think there is no universally valid answer. It depends on the situation. I'll give you an example to make it clearer what I mean when I say that it depends on the situation. If the work I am doing is the child of a long and painstaking planning, if it has been preceded by a long study of the subject matter of the reportage, then I certainly start off by moving from a narrative scheme that I have already devised beforehand and to which I want the photographs to conform. Beware, however, because this does not mean that I will remain bound to the aforementioned narrative scheme. For me, it operates as a guideline to steer the project in the right direction and without crossing boundaries that would make the narrative confusing. Since I am aware that reality and the situations one is faced with are almost never predictable, I have developed a strong sense of adaptation to what I am faced with and have learnt to rely on instinct. If, at the moment I go to take a photograph, I feel that something is right, I trust my photographic instinct and follow it without qualms. It is intuition, the child of years of experience, of acquired photographic culture and of all the images of the great masters that have been studied, that gives rise to truly good work. The proof of what I am saying can be found in many of my works, which were born on paper in one way and then evolved in my mind, as a consequence of cogent situations, almost by chance, by instinct precisely, in a totally different way. TPL: What are some challenges that you have faced as a photographer, how did you meet them and overcome them? Do you have any advice you would share from your personal experiences? AG: I believe that the most important challenges I have faced in my photographic journey are basically two. Firstly, the need to create for myself a cultural and technical background so vast that I can face any adversity and, at the same time, so solid that I can develop a real awareness of how to make meaningful work from start to finish. Although many people claim to have enough culture to face any challenge and to live in serenity, I personally believe that one never stops studying. Secondly, I believe that the greatest challenge for a reportage photographer is to overcome people's distrust. When you have to relate to other human beings, you have to take into account that not everyone has the same sensitivity. Not everyone, for instance, might like to be photographed. I often see self-proclaimed photographers in the streets pointing their lens in the faces of people going about their daily lives and photographing them without any respect. That, to my way of seeing things, is the best way to receive a lot of insults and to cause harm even to those who, like me and many other photographers I have met along the way, are aware of what it means to have ethics. The first rule should be one and simple: respect. Respect for privacy, respect for the state of mind of others, respect for the dignity of others, respect for the history, life and experience of those who become the subject of one of our photographs. We cannot know what the people on the other side of the lens are going through or experiencing. Asking permission or even simply smiling, being willing to explain our work, to invest our time in giving something of ourselves in return to those who have given us a moment of their lives, can be a great way to almost never have problems in a reportage or a simple street photography session. TPL: With the diversity in your work, how do you manage a work/photography balance? AG: This is definitely the most difficult question to answer. I must say that it is not at all easy to disentangle myself between running the coffee company originally founded by my grandfather, working in my father's law firm and reporting. I believe there is no universally valid answer other than having learnt to distribute the time of my day in a way that does not negatively affect any of the above activities. I generally dedicate the mornings to running the business and the afternoons to working in the law firm, while the evenings are devoted as much to training and meditation as to developing and filing photographic work. In order to be able to carry out my reportages fully, I set dates well in advance for trips or simple travels and, at that point, I organize my other work commitments so that I can have whole days available for the realization of the photographic work. 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? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? AG: I am currently working on what I consider to be my most ambitious project to date. For the past few months, in fact, I have been pursuing a photographic investigation of the esotericism of the Catholic Church, a story I am telling by periodically staying for a few days in ancient monasteries and taking part in the life of the monastic communities there. I have also already found the title for the work, namely In Silentio et In Spe Erit Fortitudo Vestra, a title I have taken from a passage in the Bible, more precisely from the Book of Isaiah (30:15). We will have the opportunity to talk more about this work in the future. I do not, however, make predictions about where I might be in five years' time. I prefer the course of events to set the course. I firmly believe that commitment and dedication always pay off and that results, if you really believe in what you do, will come. TPL: "When I’m not out photographing (I like) to... AG: My time is almost entirely devoted to running my coffee company and working with my father in his law firm. The rest of my time is spent with my family and my partner, components of my life that, although listed last, are always at the top of my priority list." Thank you Alessandro for your bright and colorful reportage of Burano, and for sharing the secrets behind the colors. We are delighted to share his insightful views and process for visual storytelling. Please check out the rest of his work he has shared with us on our website, you will see some of his influences in reportage in black and white, where light and shadow become his visual aids. Follow his links and learn more about our artist, and share his love of Italy. VIEW ALESSANDRO'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. 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MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

PICTORIAL STORY PARALLEL REALITIES The impact of socioeconomic forces and social norms takes quiet shape in Catia Montagna’s work, where small, seemingly insignificant moments reveal the ephemeral and existential layers of the human condition. February 23, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography CATIA MONTAGNA story CATIA MONTAGNA introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Catia Montagna is a photographer with a unique perspective on the world around her. With a Ph.D. in Economics and a chair of Economics at the University of Aberdeen, Catia’s background as a social scientist has carved out a distinct place for herself in the world of photography. From the simple act of holding a camera to framing and clicking, each step of the process allows Catia to see and understand the world in a different light. With her camera, Catia explores the impact of socioeconomic factors and social norms on our daily lives, revealing in her photos the subtle poetry of small, insignificant moments that capture the human condition. Born in Italy, Catia splits her time between the United Kingdom and her home country. From a young age, Catia has been drawn to the art of photography. Armed with an old camera and no film, Catia fondly recalls she would wander through the world, capturing moments in her imagination. This passion for photography was mostly a personal pursuit for Catia, and it did not go beyond sharing her photographs with friends and family. However, in the early 2000s, she took a short darkroom course at the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre, and this opened up new opportunities for her. It not only brought her into contact with other photographers but also gave her the chance to exhibit some of her work in Scotland. This experience later encouraged Catia to share her work on social media and interact more with others who shared her passion for photography, leading to collaborations with other artists and featured in magazines. Catia generously shares with us her ongoing project, comprised of photographs taken at different times and in various locations around the world. This collection does not have a specific documentary purpose but rather serves as a visual reflection of her personal growth and artistic evolution. As we engage with her story and the accompanying photographs, we are invited to witness Catia’s perspective, one that captures the complexity of the world and the lived experiences of humanity with all its complexities and beauties. “I consider consumerism as a form of fascism worse than the classical one...A form of fascism capable of homogenising societies by depriving of reality the different lifestyles.” - Pier Paolo Pasolini _ The street is alive and speaks of our existence. When I photograph the street, I like to capture simple moments of everyday life probably immediately forgotten by those who lived them. I am drawn to gestures, expressions, and atmospheres that, in movement or in stillness, reflect nuances of life that reveal existential tensions and what is universal about the human condition. Wandering around our cities, in the western world and beyond, one cannot fail to perceive, through the filters of the specificities of time and place, how the consumeristic nature of our societies commodifies our daily experiences and acts as a force towards the homogenisation of our needs and of the lifestyles we strive to achieve. Pasolini called it the ‘destructive homologation’ of consumerism. This homologation hinges on a dichotomy between two parallel worlds: the ‘real’ one of ‘normal’ people going about their lives and the artificial one that the images and messages we are bombarded with everyday are designed to draw us into. By offering the alluring suggestion of a comforting escape from our ‘normal’, these images generate ever increasing material needs. But crucially, they also propose unattainable role models – particularly, but not exclusively, for women. Palpable is then the contrast between our real lives and the idealised lives of this glossy other world we are invited to crave for and that has the power to make our normality, and our humanity look so imperfect. © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna © Catia Montagna As we come to the end of our journey through Catia Montagna’s work, we are reminded of how photography captures the essence of our existence in all its complexities. Catia invites us to reflect on the impact of societal norms and consumerism on our daily lives, while also celebrating the beauty and poetry found in small, seemingly insignificant moments. As we continue to navigate through a world full of contradictions, Catia’s unique perspective reminds us to pause and appreciate the simple yet profound moments that make us human. With her ongoing projects and collaborations, Catia continues to inspire us to see the world from a different perspective and embrace the imperfections that make us who we are. She is currently working with award-winning poet Andy Jackson on a photo-poetry book based on her photographs. Have a look at her portfolio and follow her links for the next chapter in Catia's journey and the unique perspectives she will undoubtedly capture. view Catia's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance.

RELICS FROM THE PAST Philip Butler documents the architecture of urban spaces in the United Kingdom, often with a focus on relics from the past. RELICS FROM THE PAST November 13, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Philip Butler INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Philip Butler grew up on the south coast of England and is now living in Malvern, Worcestershire. He began shooting with his father's analogue camera, but moved on to digital photography in 2016, when he began documenting the remaining Art Deco architecture in the UK. His is most interested in architecture photography and a wide angle view of urban spaces. Philip has also had a long-standing fascination with low-light photography and capturing urban scenes after dark. Although the photographs he shares are devoid of people, signs of life are often present in the things people leave behind or the lights they leave on. Philip’s photographs have been published in a number of different magazines and newspapers, including C20 Magazine, RPS Journal, La Vanguardia, Digital Camera, The Modernist and The Guardian. “Discovering the joy of DSLRs in 2016, I started documenting surviving 1930s Art Deco architecture in the UK. I’ve always been captivated by the progressive buildings of the inter-war years. The architects at the forefront of the Modernist movement took such a huge leap in both concept and aesthetics, and their designs have really stood the test of time. However, it became apparent to me at this time that many fine examples had long since been demolished, while others were in poor states of repair. Documenting them with my camera quickly became a project that felt both important and rewarding. This resulted in my 2019 book 'Odeon Relics'.” IN CONVERSATION WITH PHILIP BUTLER TPL: Philip, please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? PB: I was born in Devon but grew up on a farm near Hastings on the south coast of England. I’ve moved around a fair bit but settled in Malvern Worcestershire about 15 years ago. I developed an interest in photography as a child. I’d try to capture anything from life on the farm to dioramas of my toys (which inevitably came back from TruPrint totally out of focus!). When I left home for university, my dad who had a brief fling with amateur photography, trusted me with his Olympus OL1 and a bag of lenses. Studying in Derby, I spent many happy weekends out in the Peak District trying to capture dramatic scenes of steep gradients and uncompromising rock landscapes on 35mm film. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? PB: It depends on the project. My most recent series Small Hours was inspired by cinematography and music created at night. Both filled me with a with a desire to distil and capture the atmosphere after dark with my camera. Inspiration can come from a number of different places though, sometimes without any obvious link. Witnessing the artistic achievements of others often motivates me to get the camera out or plan my next photographic excursion. TPL: Do you have a favourite place(s) to photograph? PB: When it comes to the architectural documentary projects I usually occupy myself with, London is always high on my list. The number of surviving structures and ease at which I can transport myself around the city always make for a fruitful day’s shooting. Elmdon Building, Birmingham Airport. © Philip Butler Boston Manor (from the ongoing Underground project). © Philip Butler TPL: What do you want to express through your photography? And what are some of the elements you always try to include in your photographs? PB: I guess the answer would depend on which project we’re talking about. With the 1930s architecture, it is fired by a desire to highlight both how progressive these buildings were in their time, and to draw attention to the neglect and decay that has so often marred their appearance over the decades. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? PB: The documentary side of my photography is heavily influenced by architectural photographers of the past such as John Maltby and the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher. The need to capture and document the buildings accurately without fuss. However, I’m also a low light-photography fanatic and find myself drawn to contemporary colour photographers working on similar projects. My 'Odeon Relics' book was inspired partly by Will Scott’s Seaside Shelters project. 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? PB: I’m not that interested in equipment, just so long as I have the right tool for the job. My current camera is a Canon 6DII. I primarily shoot on a tripod with a geared head and 24mm tilt shift lens. Even when shooting handheld 24mm is my preferred focal length. I’m fond of creating a widescreen urban landscape in my shots. Individual details don’t often interest me that much. TPL: When you go out on the streets, do you have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just 'come to you', or is it both? PB: Both, depending on the project. The architectural shots are quite rigid. I have usually scoped the location in advance on Streetview and checked the position of the sun in advance. As such, I’ll know exactly where I’m going to stand to create the shot. Of course, I’ll often take some other angles while I’m there, but 9 times out of 10 I’ll end up using my pre-planned angle. Other projects like 'Small Hours' are completely the opposite. Spontaneous outings to see what I can capture. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the arts before photography? PB: For about 15 years music was my main creative outlet, but the novelty wore off as I reached 30 and my interest in photography drew to the fore. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? PB: I hope to continue along the same lines as the past few years, expanding the ongoing catalogue of 30s buildings while experimenting with other, looser personal projects on the side. I hope to continue publishing the occasional book of my work too, as that’s always a very enjoyable experience. Monks Lane Filling Station (from Filling Station Closed). © Philip Butler Former Odeon cinema, Leicester (from Odeon Relics book). © Philip Butler TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? PB: Until Covid-19 hit I was working simultaneously on two projects. One entitled FILLING STATION CLOSED looking at pre-war garages and filling stations, the other focusing on London Underground stations from 1920-1950. Both have been put on hold for now, but I hope to pick them up again next year. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… PB: Spend time with my family. I have a wife and two young daughters. We try to make the most of the rural location we’re in, walking and enjoying the great outdoors. I also have a 1976 Mercedes-Benz. So occasionally I’m found covered in oil, wielding a spanner and shouting obscenities at something or other!" Philip Butler is a talented photographer who has an eye for capturing unique urban scenes from a wide angle point of view. His interest in Art Deco architecture, low-light photography, and the signs of life people leave behind shines through his photographs. If you are looking for beautiful and thought-provoking photographs, be sure to view more of Philip's photography by the links below. VIEW PHILIP'S PORTFOLIO Read SMALL HOURS by Philip Philip's website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.

PICTORIAL STORY A DAY AT THE RACES October 30, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Peter Bartlett Introduction by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link West Yorkshire photographer Peter Bartlett has a long-standing interest in documentary photography dating back to the 1970s. This has evolved into a portfolio that documents everyday life against a backdrop of the ordinary urban landscapes of northern England. In October 2020, Peter’s 2019 project A Day at the Races was published by the Worcestershire based photo book imprint ADM Publications. Peter shared his story about racing culture in Great Britain with The Pictorial List. Horse racing is so popular in the United Kingdom that it is only surpassed by football in terms of spectator numbers, with over six million attendees passing through the turnstiles at racecourses around the country every year. The British horseracing industry is a world-leader, generating more than £3.7 billion for the country’s economy (in 2017) thanks in part to iconic events like The Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival, which are watched by millions around the world. Race goers are an eclectic group. At one extreme there is the serious punter, and at the other the casual race goer simply enjoying a day out. There are those that go to be seen as well as to see, the high rollers, the young, the old and those in between, the wealthy and those less so, the country set and the townies that just go to party. The mix of attendees is endless, creating a colourful atmosphere within the spectator enclosures as people circulate between the stands, the betting ring, the bars, and the parade ring, interacting and engaging with one another. I spent much of 2019 visiting race meetings in the north of England to capture a fly on the wall document of attendees enjoying a day out. Studying the odds, enjoying a drink, having a laugh, and soaking up the drama, my candid photos showcase the frivolity of pre-pandemic race days. From my own observations at racecourses around the North of England where the images were taken (and where I live), it is fair to say that although it is an elite sport, it is also seen very much as a social event, especially at the major race meetings at high profile tracks. I started A Day at the Races as a long-term project, intending to shoot throughout 2019 through this year and into 2021. However, the project was brought to an abrupt halt in March 2020 by the Covid-19 lockdown, when all elite sport was suspended. What I didn’t realise when I was shooting the images in the series during 2019, was that I was creating a historical document of social behaviour that is unlikely to be repeated for possibly several years. Horse racing returned in the UK, behind closed doors, from 1 June 2020. Two attempts were made to allow spectators to return. The first try, in August, was aborted a few days beforehand, and the second at the 2020 St. Leger Festival was abandoned after one day, although the racing at that meeting and others did continue behind closed doors. Furthermore, the one day’s racing at Doncaster (St Leger Festival) took place under strict conditions. Spectator numbers were heavily limited and strict social distancing provisions were in place. For example, a news report of the event showed signs announcing, “No Shouting” and “No Cheering”. If, or when, spectators do return to racetracks, it is fairly clear that the atmosphere for the spectators will be very different indeed. As things stand at present there seems little chance of spectators returning to racetracks until well into 2021. Most elite sports will continue to take place behind closed doors in the immediate future. Even when spectators do return, numbers are likely to be substantially reduced, with the spectator experience significantly altered by social distancing and other Covid-safe protocols. What you are seeing here is my documentary of the carefree dynamics of pre-pandemic days that we are unlikely to witness again in the foreseeable future, or indeed, perhaps for several years. © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett © Peter Bartlett Peter Bartlett's project provides us with a glimpse of racing culture in the United Kingdom before the pandemic. As the world and many aspects of life evolve due to the coronavirus, it is important to remember what life used to be like. Peter Bartlett’s work serves as a reminder of this, and the photos are a historical document that will be valued for years to come. Take the time to appreciate Peter’s work and explore his portfolio. view Peter's portfolio Buy A DAY AT THE RACES >>> Read an interview with Peter >>> Website >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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. VANISHING VENICE Lorenzo Vitali’s portrayal of Venice is an almost surreal experience — where time dissolves, and the viewer is left with the sensation of stepping into a dreamscape. CLAY AND ASHES Abdulla Shinose CK explores the challenges faced by Kumhar Gram's potters, balancing tradition and adaptation in the face of modern pressures. ISLAND Enzo Crispino’s photographic series, “Nêsos,” invites viewers into an introspective journey that mirrors the artist’s rediscovery of his voice in photography after a prolonged period of creative estrangement. BEYOND THE BRICKS Amid Bangladesh’s dynamic urban growth, Anwar Ehtesham’s photography takes us beyond statistics and headlines, revealing the hidden lives of the laborers working tirelessly in the nation’s brick kilns. OAXACA In Oaxaca, Tommaso Stefanori captures Día de los Muertos, exploring the convergence of life and death, human connections, and enduring cultural rituals through evocative photographs of tradition and emotion. BEHIND THE PLANTS Wayan Barre documents Cancer Alley residents facing pollution and economic challenges, shedding light on their resilience and the impacts of environmental injustice. THE RED POPPY AND THE SUN By blending archival and contemporary images, Mei Seva creates a visual story that captures the ongoing struggles and moments of triumph for those impacted by displacement and circumstance.

NUANCES OF LIGHT From the rolling hills of vineyards to the quaint old towns and the rustic feel of traditional craftsmanship, Tuscany is an area of unique beauty that has been captured and immortalised by the Italian photographer Simone Batini. NUANCES OF LIGHT October 22, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Simone Batini INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE As the sun casts its golden light in the valleys of Tuscany, we are reminded of the beauty that can be found in this region of Italy. From the rolling hills of vineyards to the quaint old towns and the rustic feel of traditional craftsmanship, Tuscany is an area of unique beauty that has been captured and immortalised by the Italian photographer Simone Batini. Since a young age, Simone has been inspired by the light and atmosphere of the Tuscan countryside, and his passion for photography has only grown over the years. His photographs tell a unique story of ancient crafts being practiced in modern times, along with capturing the beauty of the region's landscapes. With a signature style that emphasises realism, yet often includes a special light and mood, Simone's work is breathtakingly beautiful. Join us as we take a journey through Tuscany's history and culture, as told through the stunning photography of Simone Batini. “I find inspiration through the research of what I prefer to photograph, from nature that changes with the seasons, to the life of people who through work and crafts have evolved over the years, but also in the present continue to maintain ancient traditions. I love to tell all this through my photographs, with the search for the light and atmosphere that strikes me most to best convey my photographic vision. In recent years, I have been dedicating myself to enhancing my areas with both landscape shots and reportage, always with the great passion for photography that I have since childhood.” IN CONVERSATION WITH SIMONE BATINI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Simone please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? SIMONE BATINI: I live in Italy in the Tuscany region. I have been passionate about photography for years, since I was a child. I have always tried to immortalize through images what struck me the most. Growing up and with the arrival of digital photography, I have tried to learn more and more, and to date, I think I have achieved a good skill level, through the study of light, composition and the search for specific projects. TPL: Do you have a favourite type of photography? In this instance, we present your stunning landscape photographs and, separately, a documentary about artisans in Tuscany. What is your purpose in taking these photos? SB: I like almost all photographic genres, personally I take a very natural and truthful photograph, for my shots I prefer the landscape and reportage genre, however I also practice other genres such as macro and street. The series of photographs entitled TEMPI PASSATI (TIMES PAST)* was born from my idea of telling the artisan working realities still present in my territory. Regarding the landscape series, the first genre that I practiced and to which I am much attached, it is a real thrill to wake up early in the morning and try to capture the nuances of dawn with the mists and above all, with the warm light that follows. It transmits to me positive sensations, through this I try to show the places that are most dear to me, with the same search for light even at nightfall. I love the last hours of the day and I hope to experience these positive sensations for many days of my life. Editor's Note: Read the story by Simone via the link below. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you realize your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Do you have a favourite lens/focal length? SB: I have been using Nikon cameras for years, currently Nikon D610 and Nikon Z50. My favourite lenses are the 24-120 f4 and the 16-50 f3.5/5.6, and also a prime lens of 20mm and a 90mm, which are both f2.8. It is a real thrill to wake up early in the morning and try to capture the nuances of dawn with the mists and above all, with the warm light that follows. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? SB: My goals are to maintain the level I have reached and if possible improve it in small steps. In five years, I hope to be still in the field, always engaged in new photographic projects, the hope and the dream of transforming this passion into a real job never fades, but I am aware that today it is difficult to become noticed among many photographers, and I still have a lot to learn. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? SB: I am currently completing a series of reportages on modern sculptors and the landscapes of my land. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… SB: Observe carefully what surrounds me, be in company and meet creative people. Of course also being with the family and above all with my two children, to whom I try to transmit the main values of life, in respect of nature, people and things." By looking at the work of Simone Batini, we can see how a single photographer can capture the essence of a region and immortalise it in their work. We invite you to explore the beauty of Tuscany through Simone Batini's photographs, and experience its unique atmosphere with each image. Join us in admiring the beauty of this remarkable photographer and his work, and take inspiration from his artistry to create your own scenes of wonder. VIEW SIMONE'S PORTFOLIO Read the story TIMES PAST >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> 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. 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