For me, photography is a form of deep listening to connect with what surrounds me. FRANCESCA TIBONI For me, photography is a form of deep listening to connect with what surrounds me. LOCATION Cagliari ITALY CAMERA/S Leica M10 WEBSITE https://www.francescatiboni.com/ @FRATIBS FEATURES // Something About The Future The Silences Where We See Unveiling Vulnerability

PICTORIAL STORY CITY AS METAPHOR Richard Koenig’s diptychs offer a compelling glimpse into the passage of time — pairing past and present through the evolving perspective of a photographer shaped by change, just like the places he returns to. July 22, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography RICHARD KOENIG story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Richard Koenig is a photographer and professor at Kalamazoo college in Michigan. He began his artistic journey in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana and the first photography courses Richard enrolled in were at Indiana University. There he learned how to use 35mm and 4x5 large format cameras. Richard was immersed in the modernism of Edward Weston and Ansel Adams. Forms of light and shadow, beautifully depicted in a perfect grayscale on large negatives inspired Richard’s work in photography. When he moved to Brooklyn, New York in the early 1980’s, and transferred to Pratt Institute where he received his BFA, Richard was thrown into the postmodern influences that saturated the art scene in the early 1980’s. Richard describes his assimilation. “I had been liberated from the hinterlands, injected, as it were, into a milieu that couldn’t be more different than southern Indiana. New York, a world city, was culturally and socially rich, ethnically diverse, visually stimulating, and more than anything else, steeped in history. I loved that I lived in the borough of Brooklyn in particular, which had its own cachet.” Richard’s studies at Pratt changed the way he processed his photography. He adopted a 35mm camera again, emulating his instructors at that time, Phil Perkis and Arthur Freed. Richards defines this approach for us. “I switched back to working with a small camera and began to emulate their looser approach. This meant eschewing previsualization and shooting unconsciously, more akin to taking a quick glance at something rather than staring it down.” Little did Richard know at the time that his explorations in his neighborhood while studying at Pratt would resurface again forty years later, providing the inspiration for Richard’s project, City as Metaphor . Richard elaborates on his project and shares his inspiration with us. “The pandemic of 2020 provided time for retrospection—as well as for the scanning of old negatives. This led to my current project, City as Metaphor , which has me, once again, walking the streets of the city, mostly Brooklyn. With this project I revisit locales in New York City (primarily Brooklyn), where I made photographs several decades ago. A contemporary, high-resolution image is then made, framed to mimic the prior photograph. The updated view is then combined with the vintage analog work to form a straightforward diptych à la Mark Klett’s Rephotographic Survey Project of the late seventies. The goal of this undertaking is to allow the viewer to study how visible things may have changed over a relatively long period of time - the most notable being, perhaps, an explosion of trees and foliage. But while the image-duos describe this and other changes based on physical appearances, it is hoped that a reflection of a deeper sort may be elicited. One may ponder what has transpired generally since the vintage views were made - the nature of the photography itself is a receipt for a far-reaching digital revolution still unfolding. Beyond image and information technology, though, lurk other truly impactful events, some of which can be discerned from the images, while others cannot. The circumstance for having created the vintage images is arbitrary, but not insignificant. While not as dramatic as the shift in social, political, and cultural moves that occurred in the late sixties, the 1980’s mark the beginning of a shift toward a new gilded age in the United States. Citing the oft-stated fable of frogs slowly being cooked alive, we tend not to notice incremental change, even when dangerous or possibly fatal in nature. It is hoped that the simple tactic of using time-comparison photographs will work to jar the viewer.” Originally Richard started photographing his project with a Nikkormat, most often with a 24mm lens. Richard now uses a Nikon D850 with 24 to 70 2.8 zoom Nikkor zoom lens. Richard scans the b/w and color negatives of the vintage images, and makes little prints for use in the field, to find the angle and such, and then he reshoots with the D850. Richard tries to match the light and exact surroundings when he can and tries to match the time of year as well. Richard has developed this unique process that adds to the complexities of his diptychs. Richard has found different influences and inspiration throughout the years, exploring different formats and embracing new ideologies in photography—from large format photography, printing on fiber-based papers, to the digital world and engaging Photoshop and printing on archival inkjet papers. The change in photography from film to digital was his catalyst for exploration in new mediums and formats along the way, giving Richard a diversity in his techniques and the tools to create a dynamic range in his works. The photos below are a compilation of his photographic journey through the years. Have a close look to understand his photographic inspiration. Richard received his MFA from Indiana University, coming around full circle from where his journey in photography began. His philosophies about photography changed as his influences and the dynamics of photography of that time changed. Often looking at different photographers and developing a connection to their work, with the transference in critical and creative thinking, Richard found new ways of expression through his photography. As Professor of Art and Art History at Kalamazoo College, Richard now engages the young minds of the next generation of creative thinkers, inspiring them to explore the universe with open eyes, and open minds. '511 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '527 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '245 Dekalb' © Richard Koenig 'Wash At Lincoln' © Richard Koenig '2 Willoughby' © Richard Koenig '503 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '500 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '263 Waverly' © Richard Koenig '485 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '65 Willoughby' © Richard Koenig '555 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig '519 Myrtle' © Richard Koenig 'Park Vanderbilt' © Richard Koenig 'Myrtle Classon' © Richard Koenig We thank Richard for sharing his project that spans over a forty year period. City as Metaphor is a unique look into the past through the eyes of a photographer that has changed as life has changed, much like the places in his diptychs. They are as much a reflection of the urban landscape over time, as it is a self-portrait in many ways showing a photographer's journey over time in much the same way. And if you have the opportunity to take his class, please do and learn from one of the best. view Richard's portfolio 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.

WITH AN OPEN LENS AND HEART Pavieł Hančar finds the beautiful and uplifting where it is not visible at first glance, approaching life with an open lens and heart. WITH AN OPEN LENS AND HEART July 2, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Pavieł Hančar INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE The stunning work of Pavieł Hančar captures the beauty of everyday life in Belarus. With an open lens and heart, he approaches his photography with an unassuming, monochromatic style. He chooses to view the world through the eyes of a beginner, allowing for true moments of revelation to be revealed in his work. Through his breathtaking shots, Pavieł seeks to demonstrate that beauty can often be found in the most unexpected places. His unique approach to photography allows him to capture the spirit and soul of the people he photographs, creating vivid and moving images that will captivate any viewer. With a passion for capturing life’s beauty, Pavieł Hančar is an exceptional documentary and street photographer whose work will remain timeless in its appreciation of the world around us. “I really appreciate my amateur status in photography - it allows me not to put pressure on myself and not to burn out. Really, nothing bad will happen if I return from a walk without a good shot. An editor will not shout at me, colleagues will not look reproachfully…But it allows me to go shooting as if I am doing it for the first time: without guarantees, without impudence, without prior vision of the results. In this particular state, when you are just a conductor of God's will, not a hunter, in my opinion, you let the best pictures happen. At least, I strongly believe in it.” IN CONVERSATION WITH PAVIEŁ HANČAR THE PICTORIAL LIST: Paviel please tell us about yourself. Talk to us about your work and life in Minsk. When and how did you become interested in photography? PAVIEŁ HANČAR: I was born in the small Belarusian town of Naroulia, on the banks of the Pripyat River, 49 years ago. My family and I now live in a village near Minsk, I work as the executive director of a group of IT companies, and in fact, I do not have much time for photography, but I always carry a camera with me, and it works from time to time. I have been photographing since childhood, and my father, who took our family photos and had a full set of equipment for the "dark room", once instilled interest in me. He gave me my first camera, it was a semi-format "Chajka" with 28mm Industar lens, and I was absolutely fascinated by miniature sharp negatives that I could look at for hours. Many years later, photography came back to my life when I already had a son too. One day, taking a camera with me when leaving home, I made an almost random shot in the building of the former monastery, which now houses a music school. Then for a long time I could not take anything better by form and content. That time, it made me realize what I was interested in and what I was going to do as a photographer. The story happened almost 20 years ago, the frame was not lost, I kept it at the bottom of my Instagram page as a memory. TPL: You seem quite interested in documenting traditional customs and arts in your country. What is is that you find especially interesting about that? PH: People. It is there that I meet most of "my" people, loved in Belarus, smart, beautiful, passionate about the common cause. It is my job to take photos of them as best I can, and, hopefully, an atmosphere of folklore festivals is usually conducive to good pictures. TPL: In general regarding your photography, where do you find your inspiration to create? PH: As a professional manager I am very sensitive to everything that concerns motivation. So I try not to manipulate and don’t look for inspiration on purpose. I really appreciate my amateur status in photography - it allows me not to put pressure on myself and not to burn out. Really, nothing bad will happen if I return from a walk without a good shot. An editor will not shout at me, colleagues will not look reproachfully… But it allows me to go shooting as if I am doing it for the first time: without guarantees, without impudence, without prior vision of the results. In this particular state, when you are just a conductor of God's will, not a hunter, in my opinion, you let the best pictures happen. At least, I strongly believe in it. TPL: Do you have a favourite place to photograph? PH: I do not know what to do with the answer to this question, but the best pictures in the last couple of years I took in Zaslauje - a small town near Minsk. I didn’t analyze why, just so it turned out, it’s a good place with good people. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? PH: Yes, I have. I love French humanist photographers, but the most - Edouard Boubat, in whose work I find exactly what touches me, and I feel it closest to my worldview. Yes, he may not be as noble a master of composition as Cartier-Bresson, not the author of hundreds of iconic street photos like Doisneau, but I really like the modest poetics and tenderness in his shots. And, like him, I realize I am "a kind street photographer". I do not need a frame for which I would need to insult a person or expose him in a bad world. Really, don't. I am definitely a 50mm person, I have this “frame” in my mind when I look around without a camera. TPL: When you take pictures, do you usually 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? Please describe your process. PH: Definitely, the second way. Yes, I can choose the best location, the right light, the most interesting characters, but none of that guarantees a great shot as a result. Professional one - yes, usually it does. But really great shots are the gifts. And if you are worthy of the gift, you will receive it. It may seem like an ineffective strategy, but in real life - on the contrary, the most beautiful shots are brought by such an approach. 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? PH: Yes, I need restrictions for not thinking about equipment. I lived for 10 years with a Rolleiflex 2.8F, and it was enough for everything I did. Now the same role is played by Leica Monochrom. I'm sure I'll take "my" shots with this camera, I'm pleased to have it with me every day, and I know that I will be happy with the result. As for the lens, it is always a painful topic to choose: 50 or 35mm. Despite the greater versatility of the second, I am definitely a 50mm person, I have this “frame” in my mind when I look around without a camera. And as for resulting prints, I prefer the natural perspective of 50mm, they can be entered by sight as if in a window. I don’t get the same feeling from wide-angle shots. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? PH: There, on a walk, a grateful observer, or a grandfather who photographs his first grandchildren. Hopefully a happy guy in both guises. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? PH: Yes, I recently joined an interesting ethnographic project as a volunteer. The project is called Shtetlfest and is dedicated to finding the remains of Yiddish culture in Belarusian, Ukrainian and Polish towns. This is what I used to see in my childhood, and what makes Belarus distinctive, whose people have always been famous for their tolerance of different cultures. Hope this will be an interesting experience. Maybe good shots will be too. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… PH: Read. Contemporary fiction in the Belarusian language is my second passion after photography. You may have heard how miserable the state of my Belarusian language is in Belarus after more than 200 years of planned Russification, which is still going on by the ruling regime for certain economic benefits. I try to support the publication of books in the Belarusian language, participate in crowdfunding, and above all, I am a grateful reader for Belarusian authors. Literature that is born from your life, in which there is a pulse of events that excite you, is much sharper and more interesting than a classic, no matter how good it is. Practically like photography!” Pavieł finds the beautiful and uplifting where it is not visible at first glance, approaching life with an open lens and heart. Connect with Pavieł on Instagram to see more of his inspiring photography. VIEW PAVIEŁ'S PORTFOLIO Read JURJEVO by Pavieł 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.

THE RHYTHM SHE SEES Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico is a visual storyteller who explores a unique vision of the world. She shares her photographs from her series MUSIC STORY. THE RHYTHM SHE SEES March 1, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE When taking in the vibrant atmosphere of New Orleans, it's hard not to be in awe of the city's unique culture and its wild inhabitants. New York photographer Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico has dedicated her life to capturing the true essence of the city, and her series MUSIC STORY is a vivid example of her creative vision. In this series, Karen takes us to Maple Leaf Bar, a club tucked away in Pigeon Town, where the soulful sounds of the Rebirth Brass Band echo throughout the neighborhood. Through her lens, we see the energy and passion of the Oak Street neighbors as they fire up the smokers in the street and set up buffet tables in their front yards, all to welcome those who come to listen to the music. There's no denying that Karen is a visual storyteller, and through her photographs, she encourages us to see the world in a unique way and engage in thoughtful discussion. Join us as we explore Karen's photography and discover a side of New Orleans that you won't find anywhere else. “When you think of New Orleans you visualize food, music and a love for art. Arriving in New Orleans I relished in meeting these unique people and their passion for celebrating life. Recommendations abound in this town, but one made me curious, a club that was not to miss for music, off the beaten path, where I would find the real music of New Orleans, the Maple Leaf Bar. In Pigeon Town, a little neighborhood three blocks from the Mississippi River, the Oak Street neighbors of the bar were setting up buffet tables in their front yards, while smokers were being fired up in the street, welcoming all whom arrived. Headlining was the Rebirth Brass Band, everyone there seemed totally pumped as the bar filled waiting for the band to play late into the night. Obviously not a regular, camera in hand, I made my way to the front of the crowd and stage. The crowd guided me to front row center, welcoming my passing them.” IN CONVERSATION WITH KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO THE PICTORIAL LIST: Thank you Karen for sharing your series of photographs called MUSIC STORY with us. Tell our readers what was the inspiration for the series? KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO: I believe that to be a good photographer it is important to study all the arts. When taking a photograph, I see many different influences and pieces of a puzzle. When the pieces fall together, the shutter is released. I see architecture, geometry, light, color, space, volume, movement, dance, gesture, personality, and humanity, all presented to me through an aperture, in a box. I study dance, I learn physicality and gesture in movement and the stories they tell. When I am in the street shooting or when I was shooting the Rebirth Brass Band, I understood their hand and body movements and how I wished to capture them. Music for me is about the rhythm I see in the World. I think of Steve Reich and his “Music for 18 Musicians”, each instrument having its own rhythm, moving in and out of unison. As I take my photo, all of the chaos becomes synchronized and everything fits, light, shadow, the band on the stage. I’ve found my moment, when I physically feel part of what I am photographing. I don’t need to think about releasing my shutter, it just happens, all is right, my camera and I are one, I am part of the process, thoughtless. TPL: Karen please tell us about yourself. Can you tell us when you first became interested in photography? KGP: I was born and grew up in Poughkeepsie New York, in the lower Hudson Valley. I became interested in art before I knew I would become a photographer. While in High School I had the fortunate experience of being guided by my then teacher, and subsequent lifetime dear friend, Maggie Caccamo. Maggie exposed me to numerous mediums and processes, understanding it was process that inspired my creative thought. She exposed me to mediums such as drawing, painting, pastels, batik, quilting, trapunto, jewelry, metal work, welding, woodwork, linoleum and die cuts, silk screening, sculpture, and many more techniques throughout the years. She helped me seek out universities when applying to college, and stood by me through my application process. Being a Pratt Institute graduate herself I decided among the acceptance applications that Pratt would be the school for me. In my freshman year during the Foundation Program at Pratt Institute that I found interest in photography. I was always disappointed in my ability to paint and draw, and realized that in photography and printmaking I was able to transcribe what my minds eye conceptualized, translating it into reality with these mediums. Pratt brought me great opportunity and exposed me to influential educators, one of whom was William Gedney, who inspired me to find myself and my creative expression through the many photographic technologies at his disposal. Studio work, black and white, 4x5, platinum palladium, and non-silver processes were integrated into my processes. Bill also taught me how to make hand bound books, to display my work in, both photographic and written. He was as process driven as I was, and the connection between us was fuel that fed my fire. There was no turning back for me, the camera became my tool to create, making my imagination reality. TPL: In general, where do you find your inspiration for your photography? KGP: Absolutely anywhere and everywhere. I find some photographers specialize in certain areas of photography; portrait, wedding, street. I am a visual storyteller, I approach all my subject matter the same way looking for those connections and details, so I can tell specific stories. I don’t change what I see, rather, I express through the lens what the stories are telling. I love to explore the same places over and over, looking for new stories to tell, forcing myself to look even harder each time. I also find it exhilarating to photograph something I have never photographed before, learning new things and applying them to my work. I find street photography, nature and abstract photography to be places of constant inspiration, and I access them daily. TPL: Do you have a favorite quote, lyric or saying that especially resonates with you? KGP: I find it is not usually photographers that come to mind when I think of what resonates with me, rather it is painters. Two painters come to mind who have said things I relate to. Picasso said, “Everything you imagine is real”, and my favorite Dali quote, “There is only one difference between a madman and me. The madman thinks he is sane. I know I am mad.” My interpretation, rules are meant to be broken. I choose to express myself by breaking the rules of photography, expressing myself in different ways, finding my place between painting and photography. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? KGP: This is a fever for me. Favorite artists are a list so long, a few, William Gedney, Lee Frielander, Garry Winogrand, Danny Lyon, Diane Arbus, Eugene Atget, Henri Cartier Bresson, Vivian Maier, Cindy Sherman, and I could name so many more, and that is only photographers. Painters such as Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, Rothko, Miro, Matisse, to name a few. Sculptors, Giacometti, Brancusi, Noguchi, Richard Serra, Mark di Suvero, Andy Goldsworthy, Dance Companies, Pina Bausch, Bryn Cohn and Artists. For Music, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Mulatu Astatke, Nina Simone, Philip Glass, Steve Reich. I really enjoy all art, and find it inspirational. A walk through any gallery, and I find something that makes me think, makes me grow as an artist. My style influencers, the abstract expressionists and impressionists. Often, when I am in nature, I think of Van Gogh, texture and sculptural aspect of the landscape painted with a pallet knife, one example of an influence of on the expression of what I see through my lens. 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? KGP: I want to express that things are what you make of them. I want the viewer to participate in the story, engage them to think about what they are seeing. To question is good, and to draw one's own conclusions even better. I usually shoot with my lens wide open, with as little depth of field as possible. This allows for a focal point even in an abstraction. I do not visualize clarity in my life, it is not how I see my world. What you see in my finished work, is exactly how I saw it in my minds eye through the lens. I do not Photoshop my images, they are all single exposures. I choose to express myself by breaking the rules of photography, expressing myself in different ways, finding my place between painting and photography. TPL: What is it that you enjoy about street photography. What happens when you walk the streets with your camera? Explain your technique? Have you ever had a negative encounter? What draws me to street photography is the unpredictability from one second to the next. There is a different story to be told each and every time I walk the same street. Street photography engages all the senses, noises, smells, visuals of light, shadow, color, and the taste for adventure. When I walk the streets, no matter what city in the world, I try to first find my light, my ISO, and general aperture and speed settings. I become very focused, I look everywhere, listen to sounds that may direct me, smells that may lead me in a certain direction. I always with my camera in hand, ready for anything that catches my attention. I specifically look for details, that are unique, maybe out of place, or considered to be not of much interest, so ordinary. But I see the extraordinary in the ordinary, and find these abstractions to inspire. I am obsessed with reflectivity of all kinds, and the city has so many reflective surfaces challenging me to learn new ways of seeing and recording what I see. I enjoy a street empty of people, as much as I enjoy them full and chaotic. I engage someone that catches my eye, most the time I make eye contact a may gesture for approval, but sometimes anonymity is preferred. I try to feel the energy in those moments, and I try to feel like I am part of that energy and go with the flow. When in sync it is a feeling that is hard to describe, it is bigger than just you, an awareness that creates connectivity and an inspired clear vision. Recently while shooting in London I had a negative encounter, the first time in a very long time. I was walking down a high street when I saw two young men popping wheelies in the middle of the road in traffic. I reached for my camera, pulled it to my eye and turned the camera on. One of the two young men saw me and started cursing at me in a very loud and disrespectful way. Angry that I apparently snapped his photo, he rode on. The interesting part, I never got one shot off, the camera never turned on in time. I apologized to the young man despite not having taken his photo simply because I violated his personal space. TPL: Do you have any favorite locations to go photographing? How has the pandemic affected you and your photography? KGP: I adore photographing in any city, New York City it is a constant inspiration. The moment I hit the street it is like a fever that takes over me. Can’t wait, and usually don’t, to engage my camera and the urbanism. I love to see architecture and art, but I am also just as happy taking a stroll down the lower east side of Manhattan. I feel very fortunate to live in New York State. I am a Libra and it balances my scale. A few hours north of the city you can be in the Adirondack Mountains and the high peaks that are home to unique flora as well as animals. These mountains created by glaciers are the yin to my New Your City yang. My father’s family is from a small town in Northern New York State very close to the Canadian border. I spent my entire youth swimming, skiing, hiking, camping, in this wilderness. During the Pandemic, I isolated in the Adirondacks. My study of the natural world their has influenced the way I see the industrial city landscape. It has helped me find order the the chaos in the metropolis. Prior to the pandemic I spent much time traveling and photographing urban environments. It had brought my work in a new direction and was a fascinating and supportive venue for my continued study in self portraiture. I was photographing Pride Night at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the New York Gay Hockey Association 48 hours before New York City Lockdown. After the lockdown, I isolated with my family from February through April in the Adirondack Mountain wilderness, where my connection to nature was reawakened. While in isolation, I revisited a study called “Between Painting and Photography” and explored the isolating landscapes and reflections of the mountain estuaries. I created a beautiful body of work, featuring reflected abstracted landscapes. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera/s do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? KGP: I have one camera and one lens. I am never without them. I use a Leica, I currently have a Leica M10-P, with a Summicron ASPH 35mm. It fits me like a glove and is an extension of mind and body. It has the capabilities of articulating my abstractions, and is my partner in seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? KGP: My primary goal as an artist and photographer is to share my work. It is a glorious act to create and I am involved in my work in some way every day of the week. Like a musician playing the scales, I need to photograph or edit every day. But to create and not share is working in a vacuum. As my children have all graduated and moved on, I am no longer a home educator and have the ability to focus on stepping out and engaging platforms and communities to support my work. I see myself immersed in my work and utilizing all outlets available to share and achieve my goal. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? KGP: I have begun a hand bound book of platinum palladium prints made from negatives taken from a nude figure class with Bill Gedney in the 1980’s, taken on the rooftop of the painting studios at Pratt Institute. This project is in its formative stages but I am looking forward to bringing it to completion. I have also conceptualized a mixed media installation piece, weaving together life size photographs printed on various materials and woven together with actual artifacts of objects seen in the images. I see this project as a natural progression to explore my roots of non-silver printing processes and my love for the different mediums I have engaged with throughout my life. I have been studying self portraiture and reflectivity for over 12 years and believe the layers and abstractions found in the urban landscape would be a wonderful foundation for this project. I am actively working to establish connectivity and a communities to share this work with. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... KGP: I love to do everything, but I am rarely found without my camera. I have an abundance of energy and physical activity is a must for me. I do yoga daily as well as hike, swim, ski. I also need to see art, so I have memberships to most museums in NYC and throughout New York State. Before the Pandemic I would attend concerts, dance, and opera on a regular basis. I also traveled extensively throughout North America, South America and Europe. I adore food, to cook and eat it, so you will often find me in the kitchen or eating at a favorite restaurant with a nice bottle of wine. I love a four hour dinner. I enjoy people, a conversation, and new connections made. I am a sponge absorbing and photographing everything around me. As a visual storyteller, Karen explores a unique vision of the world through her artistic expressions. It is without a doubt, The Pictorial List would not be possible without the work Karen does as Editor. We are truly honored to have her on the team. Connect with Karen and join her on her pictorial journey. VIEW KAREN'S PORTFOLIO Rebirth Brass Band Karen's website >>> Karen'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.

PICTORIAL STORY THE FRANKINCENSE BOY In the village of Poshina, France Leclerc met Sahib — a young boy whose quiet curiosity and calm presence created a moment of shared connection. January 19, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography FRANCE LECLERC story FRANCE LECLERC introduction KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Originally from Quebec, Canada, France Leclerc is a photographer who has developed a sincere passion for visual storytelling. Being Canadian is an integral part of who France is; she embraces her French heritage, language, and culture. France spent much of her adult life in Montreal until attending graduate school at Cornell University receiving her PhD in management. After receiving her degree, France became part of the faculty at MIT School of Management, as well the University of Chicago Business School, where she was a professor of global marketing. While residing in Chicago it became apparent to France that the path of academia was not the right direction for her, she lacked the passion and commitment that her colleagues who were fully devoted to their work. She decided to change her direction and took a series of classes in a small photography school in Chicago. France found comfort in her steps forward on her new path, continuing to take workshops to feed her new passion, and inspire new ways of critical thinking through the use of her camera. Taking time off gave France a new start, a chance to rediscover the world in new ways. She started traveling to remote areas in Ethiopia, Tibet, Myanmar, each time returning from her excursions with a fever to tell her stories. This is when life changed for France, she had found her passion. Her love for traveling to other places around the world has provided ample opportunity for her to immerse herself in many different cultures. France finds authentic connections in the communities she engages, giving her a clear voice that speaks for the people she photographs. “As a child, being part of the French minority in English Canada, I learned that one may have to fight to preserve a culture. Maybe this is where my interest in cultures originated, I don’t know. I have always been fascinated by the 'world' and curious about its diversity, challenges, and the resilience of human beings, particularly women. I have spent time in over 100 countries, and I have visited many of them multiple times.” Now residing in Chicago, France has spent many years traveling while searching for clues and answers to better understand human behavior, why people behave the way they do. This search has fueled France’s curiosity throughout the years, inspiring what she has defined as 'Life Photography'. Her focus has allowed her to capture the beauty in the moment, making visual and emotional connections inherent to different cultures in society. “I am interested in portraying the way people live, play, eat, dress, interact, celebrate, pray and love. My interest in photography is closely related to my interest in storytelling. Coming back from a trip, I have so many stories to tell, and what better way to tell them than with images.” France’s documentary exploration often brings her to obscure out of the way places around the world, where she embraces the community finding captivating stories for her visual translations. Recently she has turned the focus of her camera to streets, where contemporary life and issues inspire her frames. “I aim to document what I see and share it with the world. When I return from a trip, I write stories around my images and post them on my website. I have over 100 of them now. I hope that the more people know about other cultures and ways of life, the less threatened they will feel by them, and who knows, maybe they will get inspired by them as I often do. It is probably a naïve view, but I feel so privileged when I learn something new I have to assume others, at least some, feel the same way.” France has shared one of her captivating short stories with us, it is a beautiful example of exploring with open eyes and with a clear mind discovering endearing connections to community, respectfully sharing their stories with genuine interest and care for her subjects. This intriguing story takes place in the village of Poshina, Gujarat. I met Sahib in Poshina, a village in the northern state of Gujarat, close to the border with Rajasthan. At dawn, I started walking in the town. I first noticed that a few people were sleeping on the streets, some on a platform in front of an array of small shops. A young boy was awake among them, standing next to a pile of blankets. I waved at him, took a quick photo, and continued to explore further. A couple of hours later, as I retraced my steps to return for what I felt was a well-deserved breakfast, I saw this young boy again. He was sitting on what I assume was his mother’s lap, next to an older boy and a much older lady. The older boy was Sahib, ten years old, looking serious and responsible. I sat with them for a while and learned that the younger boy was his little brother, and the older lady was his grandmother. His father meandered toward us at a later point. Sahib is not from Poshina; he is a wanderer or an itinerant. His family does not have a home. To earn a little money for the family, he burns frankincense in the top tier of a three-tier vessel. Sahib goes around the village, stopping at houses and shops to offer them the smoke and smell of his frankincense that he shares using a small piece of cardboard as a fan in exchange for a few coins. This is his life: he does not go to school; he walks around offering to “purify” people’s lives through a little sniff of his frankincense. After chatting briefly, Sahib announced that it was time for him to start his round, and I decided to follow along. And so, Sahib spent the next few hours in the streets of this small village, chatting with the shop owners, knocking at doors of family homes in narrow streets, and meeting people, some of whom he knew but also new ones. All are welcoming Sahib and his frankincense. At the end of his route, Sahib announced that he was done and was now going to another village for the afternoon. I asked him whether his family would sleep at the same place as last night and if I could return to say goodbye the next day. He said yes. So, at dawn the next day, I went down to the platform where I had seen the little boy the previous morning, ready for another adventure with Sahib. Sadly, nobody was on the platform. I will never have the answers to the million questions I had come up with the previous day, and I will probably never see Sahib’s smile again except in my images of him. But I will never forget our brief time together. © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc © France Leclerc France Leclerc is an observer, listening with her ears and her eyes. She brings her stories to life, allowing the viewer and reader to step into the frames, helping them to make the same valuable connections to the cultures and communities she portrays. As a traveler and visitor to global remote communities, France has found a way to assimilate herself into the cultures she visits, as an observer. Her observations have given her purpose to help expose some of the constraints, misguided views, and blind assumptions made towards individuals or groups in communities globally. Photographing her subjects, France portrays them illuminated in the light of their own being, revealing intimate details through her investigations. She is humbled by her surroundings and shares a true respect and admiration for the people she engages and is mindful and has much admiration for their traditions and daily practices. France’s visual storytelling has been embraced by the photographic community and has been exhibited in numerous curated exhibitions winning prestigious awards. Most recently, her images won third place at the Miami Street Photography Festival in 2022 and third place at the Lens Culture Street Photography Award in 2023. One of her series was a gold medal winner in the Culture and Daily Life category of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award in 2023 and two of her series were included in the Curated Selection State of the World at the Prix de la Photographie, Paris, also in 2023. Her work was featured in Geo Magazine, Dodho Magazine, Lens Magazine and All About Photo. The Pictorial List is grateful for France’s commitment to humanity, and for sharing the inspiration that has provided her with the brilliant ambition to explore and understand the world through her photography. We look forward to the next chapter in France’s novel about humanity and how different cultures navigate sociological constraints as well as celebrate their freedoms. view France's portfolio Website >>> Instagram >>> Twitter >>> 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.

PICTORIAL STORY CELEBRATION OF LIFE On the streets of Dhaka, where bursts of color meet raw emotion, Holi unfolds in moments of connection — seen and shared by Ahsanul Haque Fahim. July 19, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography AHSANUL HAQUE FAHIM story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link A passionate photographer from Bangladesh, Ahsanul Haque Fahim has immersed himself in the art of street photography. His visual stories capture the raw moments and genuine emotions amidst the perpetual chaos of the bustling streets of his city. It is a photographic exploration that Ahsanul finds motivating and inspiring. Ahsanul has found much inspiration in exploring and documenting urban and rural landscapes, creating a personal archive of these ever-changing environments. These environmental changes and challenges bring with them a new social consciousness, forcing the urban community to adapt and adjust to new dynamics in their social and environmental conditions. Ahsanul's street photography focuses on the nuances perceived in these evolutionary times. “Through my work, I aim to illustrate the profound connection between people and their surrounding society, exploring how their lives are influenced and transformed by the forces of urbanization.” Holi , also known as Dol Utsav , is one of the most important annual festivals of Hinduism. Devotees of the community around the world celebrate the day in harmony every year. Holi is celebrated predominantly throughout India, with its rich historical heritage, and deep-rooted community traditions, with a 90% majority of the population devoted to Hinduism. However, Bangladesh, once used to be part of the integrated India, is still rooted with the religious values of traditional Hinduism. Here in Shankhari Bazar, located in the heart of traditional old Dhaka, is an area of Bangladesh steeped with history of cultural customs and traditions but where the majority of the community is Muslim, and only 5% devoted to Hinduism. This creates diversity and a nonsectarian nation with coexisting harmony. “Despite being outnumbered, the Hindi community aren’t shy of celebrating their festival in grand fashion with complete participation.” The streets of Shankhari Bazar fill with locals and visitors alike. The joy of sharing inspiration and celebrating together makes this a very powerful, emotional and spiritual experience. Over the years, the Shankhari Bazaar has become a central hub of this celebration, with people making a pilgrimage there to experience this traditional celebration firsthand. Its enduring charm and cultural significance continue to draw crowds, making it an integral part of Bangladesh's festive landscape. The celebration of Holi , also known as Dol Utsav , the throwing of colored powder is much more than a festive tradition. It is a vivid manifestation of broader symbolic meanings that resonate deeply within the community. This colorful practice celebrates different facets of life, nature and human relationships, capturing the essence of the festival in a way that is both profound and communal. This tradition stands as a living testament to the interconnectedness of these elements, providing a profound and joyful way for individuals and communities to connect, celebrate and renew their bonds with each other and the world around them. Although the festival revolves around greeting each other and covering each other with powdered colors, the 'colors' are only metaphorical. Holi is a celebration of life itself. The bright saturated colors symbolize the different shades of life, each representing a different aspect of the human experience. These shades encompass a wide range of emotions, from joy and love to sorrow and introspection. They also signify luck and blessing, reflecting the positive energies and good fortune we encounter. The colors also represent serenity and hope, reminding us of the peace and optimism that sustains us. Playfulness, another essential hue, highlights the importance of joy and spontaneity in our lives. Together, these colors create a rich tapestry that makes us human and teaches us to live joyfully. They encourage us to embrace the full range of our experiences, recognising that each hue contributes to the beauty and complexity of life. Who knows what life would be like without these vibrant hues? It is through their interplay that we learn, grow and find meaning in our existence. “As the title suggests, it’s the celebrations of life. The bright colors symbolize the different various shades of life. Shades such as emotions, auspiciousness, blessing, tranquility, hope and playfulness. In combination these shades make us humane and teach us to live joyfully. Who knows how life would have been or would be, without these shades?” Socially, the festival acts as a powerful equalizer, breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity. During Holi , distinctions of age, gender, social status and caste are temporarily set aside. The act of throwing colors at each other symbolizes the erasure of these boundaries and fosters a sense of unity and collective identity. It promotes social cohesion and strengthens community ties as people come together in a spirit of joy and solidarity. Religiously, the practice has significant spiritual significance. In the context of Dol Utsav , the throwing of color is associated with the divine love of Radha and Krishna , embodying themes of devotion, playfulness and divine union. It is also in keeping with the wider Hindu belief in the cyclical nature of life, death and rebirth, with the festival serving as a reminder of the enduring nature of the soul and the eternal rhythms of existence. © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim © Ahsunal Haque Fahim The celebration of Holi or Dol Utsav in Bangladesh is a rich tapestry of cultural, spiritual and social significance that is embraced and celebrated around the world. Through Ahsanul's visual translations and evocative street photography, he captures the essence of this vibrant festival, showing the raw emotions and dynamic interactions that unfold in the streets of Dhaka. Holi is not just a festival of color; it is a celebration of life itself, reflecting the diverse and profound experiences that make us human. The tradition of throwing powdered colors symbolizes the myriad shades of our existence, from joy and love to hope and tranquility, and reminds us of the interconnectedness between individuals and their environment. As Ahsanul's photographs illustrate, these celebrations are a testament to the resilience and capacity for joy of the human spirit, offering a rich, multifaceted expression of cultural identity and a joyful way for communities to connect and renew their bonds. Through the celebration of Holi , we are reminded to live joyfully and embrace the full spectrum of life's colors. Ahsanul has shared his work with us before, his visual stories are loved by our community and add a beautiful continuous thread to the ever-growing fabric of The Pictorial List. We are always grateful for his support and brilliant contributions. Follow his links and read more about him on our website. view Ahsanul Haque Fahim's portfolio Read an interview with Ahsunal >>> Read The Outskirts: The Grief of a Megacity >>> 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.

PICTORIAL STORY THE GOLDEN HOUR OF HAITI Inspired by the relationships she’s formed, Vanessa Cass has become gently woven into the fabric of life in Haiti — each connection adding depth to her journey and hers to theirs. November 5, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography VANESSA CASS story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Vanessa Cass is a single mother of two that has been living and working in Haiti for over twenty years, who has an outrageous passion for street photography. What brought Vanessa to Haiti, was an unfortunate set of circumstances. Vanessa was seven years old when she came to live in Haiti with her mother, older sister, and brother after her mother and father’s abusive marriage ended in a difficult divorce. Vanessa’s mother uprooted her three children and moved from Silver Spring, Maryland in the United States, to Haiti where her grandmother took them in. It has not always been easy assimilating into the culture, Vanessa was viewed as an outsider for many years, still feeling at times she is a square peg in a round hole, Vanessa has softened those corners and has found inspiration in the connections she has made, becoming a lovely thread in the colorful tapestry of Haiti. The Caribbean Island of Haiti has had a turbulent past, much like Vanessa’s. Originally inhabited by the Taino Kingdom, history changed on the then Island of Hispaniola when Christopher Columbus landed on its shores on December 6, 1492. Over the years of European exploration and exploitation, Spanish, French, African and American influences, it wasn't until 1804 that the Haitians took their independence back. Haiti has been plagued throughout history with natural disasters causing catastrophic destruction, combined with the political unrest creating many challenges for the people living there, poverty being one of the many effects they face. In spite of all of these harsh realities, Vanessa sees another country, one that enchants her and inspires Vanessa’s dramatic photographic style of work. Vanessa says, “Haiti is a country bursting with art, culture, music, food, a lot of faith, with a little bit of Voodoo.” A Jack of All Trades , Vanessa has found herself adapting to the changes in her country and it has actually given her the opportunity to explore many different career paths. She grew up in her family's antique business, and as an antique dealer she learned many things that helped to shape her future. Vanessa dabbles in painting, writing, curating, graphic design, and most recently opening a gourmet finishing salts and small batch hot sauce business. All of these passions bring Vanessa a great deal of pleasure. Vanessa told me “One day it dawned on me that I didn't have to limit myself to just doing one thing, art, photography, cooking, curating, writing, graphic design, I realized I could actually do everything all at the same time, and so I do!” Vanessa believes it helps to stay busy. So where did Vanessa find her passion for photography? Vanessa started studying art and was classically trained by the painter Roland Dorcely, who was himself trained by Pablo Picasso. Dorcely told Vanessa, “Painting is not your milieu, you do have talent but there is another part of the art world that is better for you, and everything you have learned with me will serve you when you find it.” Vanessa did find her art through photography. The inspiration for Vanessa’s work is reflected in her statement, “Faith is what gives the people of Haiti an incredible resilience to rise above and deal with a life that is difficult for anyone to understand that has not experienced life’s hardships. It shows in their impeccable starched and pressed clothes for church on Sunday mornings. It shows in the care they take in setting up their makeshift shops, shoeshine stands, and much more. This is the time of Golden Hour , when I like to walk the streets and observe. The shadows at this time of day are amazing and seem to have a life of their own. They tell a magical story that can't be heard but is felt. It shows you how strong, beautiful, and wild the people of Haiti are.” After looking at her mentor Roland Dorcely’s paintings, I saw a familiar quality in Vanessa’s work. The contrast in images, the hot bright light of the sun, and the deep darkness of the shadows, the faceless people are often reflected in Vanessa’s photographic work. Looking back on it she realizes the impact he had in her life. Vanessa’s first camera was from a friend and street photographer, and her first workshop was with Eric Kim. Once she had an eye for the street, there was no turning back. Historically Haitians really don't like to be photographed. Vanessa respects their beliefs and traditions and has developed her own style of shooting, stepping back to take in the larger view and to allow her subjects respectful space. Vanessa photographs her subjects in stride against textured walls of light and shadow. Vanessa admits, “Sometimes I get caught, get yelled at, but with a smile and a compliment, I usually get let off the hook, and they don't mind so much.” Vanessa’s photographs embrace the contrasts reflected in life on the street. The bright angelic white, not only familiar but comfortable with the darkness, not afraid of it, the darkness is as much a part of them as is the light. The mood changes in Haiti to reflect current events in the country. “When things are going well you can see it,” says Vanessa, “Everyone is smiling, there’s a pep in everyone’s step. When there is unrest or a catastrophe, the mood is very gloomy, but their resiliency is the strength that keeps the Haitians marching on”. Vanessa has lived, seen and photographed many things in the streets of Haiti. Being a single mother raising two children in Haiti has had its difficulties. Her family has witnessed horror, and tragedy, but they have found their own strength and resiliency from the people that have become their home and community. © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass © Vanessa Cass Haiti has made Vanessa tough, wise, empathetic, yet at the same time strong, and determined to fight for change. Photography and the Haitian people have been a constant source of inspiration for Vanessa and is why she is proud to call Haiti her home. This is not an ending to Vanessa’s story, there are many chapters to come. Vanessa is currently getting her degree in art history with a concentration in postmodern photography and will continue to share her art and unique style as an inspirational woman artist and photographer. view Vanessa's portfolio Read an interview with Vanessa >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author/s, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> 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.

IN MY MAGPIE WAY A bit of a magpie stylistically, John Mackenzie grabs shots of slow moving scenes in monochrome on the streets of Britain. IN MY MAGPIE WAY March 24, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY John Mackenzie INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE John Mackenzie is a British autodidact photographer who looks at the world through a different lens, capturing moments of everyday life with a unique and artistic perspective. By taking slow-moving scenes on the streets, architectural details, or a landscape, all in monochrome, John describes his photography as “a bit of a magpie stylistically”, taking elements from different sources and creating a unique perspective on life. John is an artist who uses his lens to tell stories about the world around him. Through his work, John manages to capture the beauty of life in a way that is both unique and captivating. He is an explorer of the world around him, seeking out the hidden beauty in places and moments that might otherwise go unseen. This interview explores how John has become an autodidact photographer, taking his own unique style of photography and creating art that is inspiring. Through his work, we will explore how he has managed to capture the beauty of life through his lens and how his magpie-like style has helped him to create art that stands out from the crowd. “As a kid I was fascinated with older relatives’ photo and cine cameras. I loved watching the juddering footage projected onto a sheet hung in the front room and poring through the paper packets of prints and their negatives when they came back from Boots (Jeez, that dates me!). Since then, I’ve taken photos on anything I could get my hands on, but it wasn’t until my 20’s that I bought my own Minolta SLR and shot several memorable trips including in Cuba, Tunisia and, Wales. I found the albums in the loft recently and mostly cringed, but was also quietly pleased with a handful of shots. Life in general got in the way for a period, but when one of my sons started a GCSE photography course a few years back, I bought each of us the same basic Canon DSLR so we could (re)learn together. It’s spiralled since then...” IN CONVERSATION WITH JOHN MACKENZIE THE PICTORIAL LIST: John, where do you find your inspiration to keep creating? JOHN MACKENZIE: I’m inspired by the interesting (and mundane) places I go and the people I see. I’ve got numerous photography books that I dip into and always tend to go straight to the “in pictures” sections of websites, newspapers and magazines. Art galleries are always great places to get ideas from different media. Of course, Instagram is the obvious ‘all you can eat buffet’ for the eyes and I really need to rein in my scrolling and tapping, she tells me. TPL: Do you have a different style of photographing today than when you first started? JM: I feel that I’ve moved from ‘spray and pray’ to a more considered, thoughtful approach. I spend more time on the craft now. Although that might be just an age thing. I joke that I now take more pictures of slow moving objects on the street, whether it’s buildings or grumpy old people. Although, that’s not too far short of the truth. I’m not a purist who wants the absolute perfect shot SOOC. I actually enjoy the post processing side of things too as it appeals to my techy/creative nature. I usually create two edits with my own Lightroom presets (contrasty B&W and muted colour). I’ve toned it down more recently though and tend to nudge those sliders and curves back more into the middle. TPL: Where is your favourite place(s) to photograph? JM: Anywhere there’s an interesting subject - I think you can see that from my varied gallery and Insta grid. I shoot on my travels, local towns, dog walks on the beach or in the countryside. London is only 45 mins away on the train and is such a target rich environment for so many photography genres, that it has to be up there as a firm favourite. That said, the coast, countryside and characters on my doorstep are, almost by necessity, the subjects I shoot the most. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JM: There are too many to mention, but for street photography, Sean Tucker, Josh Edgoose and Shane Taylor stand out. For landscapes (and his humorous style) Thomas Heaton and for stunning seascapes, Rachael Talibart. For encouragement for what you can achieve from an iPhone, Hojjat Hamidi is jaw-droppingly good. Sounds clichéd, but I dip into some of the legends for inspiration, including Fan Ho, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier and Ansel Adams. I aspire to be even 1% as good as any of these some day. And finally, in my magpie way, all of the great people I follow on Instagram and YouTube - I try and learn something from them every day, no matter the genre, amount of experience or brand of gear used…as long as they have something to say. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? JM: No and yes. No, in that I feel that can capture my vision with whatever camera I have with me. Yes, in that it depends what you’re going to do with the results. I think iPhone is fine for Insta, etc. but (with a few notable exceptions) you’re not going to have the resolution for decent prints. To someone starting out, I’d go back to my chosen quote - “Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are”. Shoot, shoot, shoot whenever you can, with whatever form of a camera you can find, be it your phone or a form of ‘real’ camera. As your skills develop and your preferences mature, your style will emerge and the choice of gear will naturally shake out. Most of the photos in this particular gallery are from my iPhone, but I still try and practice the basics of getting the subject, composition, lighting and so on as good as I can. Do what you can with what you've got, where you are. - Theodore Roosevelt TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a good photographer? What’s your tips or advice for someone in your genre? JM: Anyone can become a photographer. It’s only a few that become great photographers (and I’m not one of them). To improve, I think it’s down to loving what you do which gives you the desire to keep shooting, learning and improving. Natural aptitude and an eye for a good composition help of course. But these things can be learnt to a degree. In terms of tips and advice, I dabble with so many genres, I’m not sure I’m best placed to offer anything particular, original or sensible. I think if you’re truly passionate about what you do, you’ll self-teach through the internet, through like-minded photographers in real life, and, of course, through practice. The best advice I have is to enjoy it, stay curious and be kind to everyone in the community (and keep your credit card under lock and key). TPL: Have you ever been involved in the arts before photography? JM: Does my award-winning collection of bird-related poems (age nine) or linocut print of a fish (age 11) count? No?! I’ve worked in marketing for most of my adult life, so have been lucky enough to have practised a wide variety of vaguely artistic disciplines either by myself, managing others or directing agencies. This has included editing magazines, desktop publishing, designing print and online ads, website development, creating TV and radio ads, product photography & videography and so on. They’ve been an enjoyable balance to the incredibly analytical, number-crunchy side of my job. Photography feels like the most solo artistic pursuit I’ve been involved with though. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? JM: The general goal is to continue enjoying something I love, but also try and find a variety of ways to make it into a nice little earner that I can maintain into my dotage. Cultivating a range of revenue streams” sounds a bit too pretentious 😊 That said, in the short term, I’m mulling over a mixed media project with a talented friend and I’ve also been asked to be the official photographer at a TEDx event. I hope that isn’t a slippery slope into wedding photography! Watch this space though! TPL: “If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... JM: Annoying the current Mrs Mackenzie by being grumpy about not photographing!” TPL: What question didn't we ask? JM: “Why sevenmillionbricks?” is what I get asked most often (closely followed by “Oi, did you just take my picture?”). Well, the village where I live is home to Chappel Viaduct, which, constructed from seven million bricks, makes it the second largest brick-built structure in the UK (after Battersea Power Station). Fascinating, but at least now you know. John's eye for detail and preference for slow-paced scenes makes his photography unique and captivating. By focusing on the seemingly mundane aspects of urban life, John has created a compelling perspective of British street life. To experience it for yourself, follow the seven million bricks to John's Instagram page. There, you can explore the streets of Britain and gain a new appreciation for the everyday. VIEW JOHN'S PORTFOLIO John'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.

PICTORIAL STORY THE STRANDED PAKISTANIS Anwar Ehtesham invites us into the heart of the Bihari community. His photography captures the raw beauty of life shaped by adversity — offering a rare glimpse into the intimate connection between people and the environment they call home. October 11, 2023 PICTORIAL STORY photography ANWAR EHTESHAM story ANWAR EHTESHAM SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link For centuries people have moved from one part of the world to another in search of a better life. Unfortunately, in some cases these journeys have ended with the unfortunate individuals becoming stateless and with no hope for a better future. This is the sad story of the Biharis, or Urdu-speaking people, who have been stranded in Bangladesh for almost five decades and are now a forgotten population of over 300,000. This population has been denied their chance at a decent life due to political unrest that has crippled their country of origin. They are a people without a nation, and their struggles remain largely unheard. The Geneva Camp, also known as the Bihari Camp, is a symbol of the history and culture of these people. In pre-independence India, they were a Muslim minority in the region of Bihar. When the partition occurred in 1947, many of them moved to what was then East Pakistan. After a civil war between East and West Pakistan broke out in 1971, these Biharis sided with West Pakistan, and subsequently East Pakistan became an independent state of Bangladesh. Despite having been loyal to Pakistan, they were denied citizenship, and as a result they have been rendered virtually stateless and abandoned, labeled as Stranded Pakistanis . Between 1974 and 1992, approximately 175,000 Biharis were relocated to Pakistan. For over 40,000 people packed in an area slightly larger than an acre, Geneva Camp continues to be their home. Finally, in 2008, a court in Bangladesh granted citizenship to all of the camp's residents born after 1971. The national identification cards they received gave them voting rights. However, this did not mean that their lives had improved very much, and they still lacked basic rights such as passport acquisition and access to employment opportunities or even public schools. This has left the Biharis stuck in a never-ending cycle of displacement and poverty. In the scope of my photo documentary, I place a strong emphasis on portraying the intricacies of their daily lives, shedding light on the conditions they inhabit day to day, and delving into the diverse range of professions they engage in to make a living. However, a particularly noteworthy aspect of my project centres around casting a spotlight on the children residing within the camp. These young individuals, children of Bihari parents yet born as citizens of Bangladesh, hold a unique position that intricately weaves together their historical background and their present circumstances. By focusing on these children, I aim to provide a multifaceted and comprehensive narrative that captures the essence of their experiences and the broader context of their lives within the camp. The conditions in the Bihari camps of Dhaka are dire, with houses that are usually no larger than 2.4m by 2.4m (8ft by 8ft), separated by 61cm wide passageways that are shared by the residents, goats, and chicken. To make space for possessions, beds are often raised up above the floor. When it rains, the camp floods, including the toilets, and the floors are weak and prone to crumbling due to gaps in the walls and under stairways. Additionally, electrical lines hang in webs above the hallways, frayed and in a state of disrepair. It is a heartbreaking story that has been largely forgotten in today's turbulent times. Yet it is a reminder to the world of how tragedy can befall any group of people in a matter of years, leaving them virtually stateless and without a voice. © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham © Anwar Ehtesham Anwar Ehtesham's photo documentary shines a light on the almost forgotten plight of the Biharis, a population that has been denied their chance at a better life due to political unrest in their native country. His work captures the beauty of human emotion in all its rawest forms in the face of adversity and offers an insight into the complexity of both the lives of the Bihari people and their relationship with their environment. His photographs take us on a journey, exploring the unique stories that make up this forgotten population and immersing us in the struggles of those living in the Bihari camps of Dhaka. We must continue to tell the story of these people and raise awareness of their plight. To learn more about Anwar and his work, we encourage you to visit his social media. view Anwar's portfolio Read an interview with Anwar >>> 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.

PICTORIAL STORY IN THE SPIRIT OF HISTORY In the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City, Sharon Eilon and her daughter Gal reflect on their connection to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre December 8, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography SHARON EILON story GAL EILON SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link As I enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a special sort of quiet fills my mind. I am welcomed by the reverent atmosphere of a church, coupled with the holiness of the history this place holds. It's holy, but not holier than thou, letting me in gladly, unjudging. Surely, between the several different communities who occupy this space according to the Status Quo agreement, one must find at least one place to belong in. Even if I don't quite belong in this church, I think this church and this day should belong in me, in my soul. Of course, I am not a Christian, so that isn't the case for me. My interest and wonder weren't at the religious aspect of it, but rather at the beauty it held as a spiritual point of conjunction, containing pieces of history. That didn't keep me from enjoying and exploring further. Even as a stranger, the pull of this church had its hold on me for the day, as it does on so many others. This church was built in the fourth century by Constantine the great and is widely believed to be the place of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The duality of that charms me, the solemnity of death residing amongst the triumphant return of hope. That sort of coexistence is also reflected in the Status Quo , an agreement from 1757. The agreement is between several religious communities, among them are six different Christian communities. It was agreed upon to share rights over certain religious sites in Israel, one being the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and respect the other communities who also find significance in the sites. This agreement goes so far as to detail that no changes to anything in the six of the sites shared by the Christian communities are to be made unless a consensus is formed, and thus, The Immovable Ladder was born. The Immovable Ladder is a ladder propped up on the ledge of a window in the church, and honestly, if I would have seen it anywhere else, there wouldn't have been anything special to me about it. Alas, this ladder has stood there for centuries, (almost) consecutively. It has seen more winters than I have, more than my mother has, and probably also my grandmother. It has stood by and watched what I call history unfold in real time, right there from that ledge. More than it is a symbol of the respect given to the agreement by the different communities, to me it is also a great symbol of resilience and the history it holds within it. This entire building contains an insane amount of history. In the 2020 pandemic, the site was closed to the public due to Covid regulations, only to be opened back up after a few months. This was the first time the church has been closed for visitors since 1349, during the Black Death . It baffles me how this place knows more history than I do, and it makes me respect it even more than I did before. It amazes me how the smallest details of this church have such a large effect on me, and on the church itself. It seems as if every other detail represents something else, a slightly different perspective on a similar experience that isn't really the same. Every golden accent and crook on the walls tell me another story, and I am filled with a bittersweet feeling that I do not have enough time to listen to them all, since I have my hands full photographing and listening to the people. I do listen to the people, of course, and enjoy it very much. I meet several different friendly faces, all with a different background, some different customs, but with the same desire to find comfort and strength within the history-saturated walls. I am suddenly reminded of all the people who have walked the pathways of this gorgeous church before them, seeking the same thing, and I am filled with a sense of understanding. My family has never been quite religious. We weren't frequent goers at our synagogue and weren't particular about many religious manners. Sure, we celebrated the holidays, I still do. But I never understood the sanctity of religion as a child, not until my late teens. When I was about eighteen years old, my friends and I at 10:03am, decided to go to the synagogue to hear the prayer at the beginning of the Yom Kippur fast. One of my friends used to do it every year, and so we all decided to come with her. We thought that now that we were becoming adults, maybe we should do it at least once, to feel what it is like. For Jewish believers, Yom Kippur is all about taking responsibility, repenting your sins, and apologising to whom you've hurt in the past year. I guess that, at eighteen, we figured we were quite old now and that we needed to take it seriously. But we were wrong. Because as the words of prayer were sung by all the synagogue goers, and as we hesitantly hummed them along, I wasn't filled with a sense of maturity, but rather with a sense of childlike wonder, marveling at the new atmosphere I was surrounded by. It felt holy and comforting in its togetherness. This wasn't a life-changing experience for me, and I'm still secular in my beliefs. I find my sense of togetherness in other places. And yet, being in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre brought back that memory for me, and I'm glad it did. I think it enabled me to better understand the people who came here before me, who are here with me, and who will visit after me. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3) This church is, indeed, a place of hope for many people, including myself. Many people come here searching for a religious experience of reverence, strength in their belief, and maybe even forgiveness. Others, like me, come here for the sacred spiritual beauty of it. It is my hope that I've managed to capture some of the beauty in these photos. As I leave the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, I find myself gaining a new understanding of the importance and beauty of truces, or compromises, and hoping it is something that will be much more prevalent in my own life and the life of others around me. I think we could all use some balance. So apart from the memories and photographs, I try and take a bit of the calm atmosphere with me, some of the lessons this place has learned over its history. Even if I don't quite belong in this church, I think this church and this day should belong in me, in my soul. Even if you can't fully identify with someone or something, it is my belief that you should still try and find the greatness in them. Otherwise, we will miss out on many great things. © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon © Sharon Eilon Sharon Eilon is an Israeli based photographer and an electrical engineer by profession. Following a health crisis, Sharon went through a life-changing journey after seeking treatment in India. After returning home healthy she decided to pursue her dream and learn photography. Since then, Sharon has been fascinated by the world of photography, reflecting the human spirit through her shutter. For Sharon, the act of photography has a meditative quality, making her feeling unified with the world around her at the present moment. view Sharon's portfolio Read an interview with Sharon >>> 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.

I am an ex-journalist turned full-time photographer. What started as a hobby soon led me to learn and master the craft of photography, whilst I was working covering a few major Art, Cultural and Heritage events across Delhi and India. I exhibited a knack for capturing portraits and live performances. I don’t just want to point my camera and click photographs. I click according the way the subject make me feel or I click on the connection of the emotion between myself and the subjects. My main goal as a photographer is to create the kinds of images which combine a strong sense of story and expression of people. RAJ LAXMI SINGH I am an ex-journalist turned full-time photographer. What started as a hobby soon led me to learn and master the craft of photography, whilst I was working covering a few major Art, Cultural and Heritage events across Delhi and India. I exhibited a knack for capturing portraits and live performances. I don’t just want to point my camera and click photographs. I click according the way the subject make me feel or I click on the connection of the emotion between myself and the subjects. My main goal as a photographer is to create the kinds of images which combine a strong sense of story and expression of people. LOCATION INDIA CAMERA/S Nikon @RAJLAXMIPHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // Rhythmic Expression

PICTORIAL STORY MERMAID MAGIC AJ Bernstein captures the vibrant spirit of Coney Island — from the wild energy of the Mermaid Parade to the eccentric moments of its everyday characters. Her work is a celebration of community and the freedom to be unapologetically yourself. September 2, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography AJ BERNSTEIN story KAREN GHOSTLAW POMARICO SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Who doesn't love a parade? How about a parade created by artists, based on mythology, and brought to life by the collective and creatively diverse community of Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York? Known for its wildly inventive costumes and freedom of expression, the Mermaid Parade was created by Dick Zigun, co-founder and artistic director of CIUSA from 1980-2021. Dick saw that the economy and true spirit of Coney Island was at a low point, receiving only negative press, highlighting only murder, arson, gangs, and graffiti. Dick proposed a change that would give Coney Island and its amazing community new direction. Dick studied parades, and it inspired him to do something public and visible to lift the image of Coney Island, what better than a Mermaid Parade. It worked and helped define Coney Island in new ways, bringing it and thousands of other people, into the future in bright extraordinary ways. The first Mermaids paraded down Surf Avenue in June of 1983, when there were more people watching, than actually marching in it. This year’s parade drew 800,000 people, ready to celebrate after the hiatus of the parade, because of the pandemic. The crowds cheered The Mermaid Parade’s return this year with more enthusiasm and need for self-expression, coming out of a period of solitude and self-isolation. It was time to let fantasy become reality and celebrate life with open hearts and open minds. Mermaids and onlookers alike were thrilled to have their parade again. AJ Bernstein is an experienced professional photographer who has worked in many industries, traveling the world, while exploring through her lens, its cultural diversity, with a preference for remote areas and favorite destination for inspiration, Papua New Guinea. AJ shares her wisdom from her years of experience in photography. “In the early years, it was tough for a woman photographer to gain a foothold in a very male dominated profession. I fought preconceptions about women in photography while wrestling my insecurity demons; my belief in my work is hard won. Perseverance, a good eye, Brooklyn honed chutzpah and talent for capturing people eventually prevailed. I am now on a mission, to dedicate myself to personal projects, most currently Coney Island, make meaningful connections to my community and fully commit to my practice of photography.” AJ admits to experiencing challenges along the way and brings to light her new found and constant inspiration. “For many years, after burning out on assignment work, I fell into a long dry spell and didn’t shoot. On my recent return to Brooklyn, the neverending subjects in Coney Island brought back my desire to make photos, to create my art.” We have the extreme pleasure of sharing AJ’s bold dynamic work that celebrates the extraordinary in all things. AJ engages us with her direct approach to photography, embracing the excitement and enthusiasm of her community with her very unique style. Coney Island becomes the stage that is saturated by an enthusiastic and unique cast of characters, with the spirit, and pride that allows for individuality and self-expression, creating visual stories like AJ’s photographic series, Mermaid Magic . AJ shares what it was like that first day she discovered the Mermaid Parade, and how finding communal joy is what keeps her coming back. “In 2017 I shot my first Mermaid Parade. That year it rained, which made it more intimate and sparkling, which did nothing to prepare me for the crowds, heat and the crazy the following year. I went berserk. You can’t capture it all, but oh did I try! Six hours, running around in hot sun, dehydrated, hungry, exhilarated by the endless photo ops, the mad costumes, the joy, everyone eager to pose for photos, not the usual street shooting experience. And the bare breasts! I learned that as long as it’s artistic, and not lewd, it’s allowed. When the mermaids returned this year in full force, I was there to meet them.” The Coney Island community has been a source of inspiration on a daily basis. Engaging with people she shoots, connecting with her community, creating friendships and clear relationships, gives AJ a genuine view to candidly and honestly portray the characters of Coney Island. AJ shoots more than just the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island and has found much inspiration in the eclectic diversity of the people who live, work, and play in Coney. She tells us what has given her this inspiration to create new work exploring ‘Day into Night’. “The Coney Island community of Carneys, artists, Polar Bears who swim in winter, people roaming the back streets at dusk, and a cast of eccentrics has become a source of unending fascination for me. Engaging my photography, connecting with such diverse people in my community, creating friendships and clear relationships gives me an open view to candidly portray the characters of Coney Island.” As AJ is testament to, it is not always the equipment that is important. AJ reminds us of the importance of just getting out and taking photos, to engage in photography as art. She admits to essentially learning her craft over again, transitioning from film to digital. “My first experience was capturing the winter hijinks of the Polar Bear Club using an iPhone. I would later use a point and shoot, then a low-level Canon DSLR. But this year, I raised my game. I bought a mirrorless, full-frame Canon R5 and two RF lenses, and that’s when my work began to take shape. Coney Island is the ideal place for me to mine the power of the personal project in all four seasons: it is unapologetic hedonistic joy, a last stand of uncivilization where the subway meets the sea. It suits my nature to go out alone with a camera and no agenda, to connect with people away from the constraints of urban life. This summer, in stultifying heat, I’m spending more time roaming the back streets at twilight, my favorite time to shoot when the sun goes down, lights come up and the magic begins. I worry as Coney Island inexorably yields to more development, but I’ll continue to chase its vibrant life until it morphs into another generic amusement park and becomes a ghost of childhood wonder.” AJ leaves us with her candid thoughts and truths that motivate her to create new work. “In weak moments, I indulge in regret that it took me so long to fully commit to my shooting. I am now, essentially, relearning the craft, and no longer coasting on a good eye and what comes easily. Ira Glass talks about the gap between the killer taste that got you into your creative pursuit, and how initially it’s this taste that disappoints; at first you are making work that is just not that good, and you know it. That’s where many lose heart and quit. I remember her words; Glass says, “It’s only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. You gotta fight your way through”. Finally, I am in the fight. The gap is closing.” AJ thinks there’s an enormous amount of opportunity for women today. AJ has made the conscious effort to engage her subjects, embrace their uniqueness and spirit in that moment, and to let her work evolve as her community does. She chooses to not make just photographic images but to create art. She explains, “There is something about me and my genuine enthusiasm for life and for people that shows in the work.” © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein © AJ Bernstein We would like to thank AJ for sharing her enthusiasm with The Pictorial List, and for making women more aware of the challenges, while at the same time giving them hope that times are changing, thanks to women like AJ, who have helped forge the way. AJ is currently exhibiting in the More Art of Coney Island show at the BWAC Gallery in Red Hook Brooklyn. She has seven 24”x 36” prints not to be missed! To learn more about AJ Bernstein and to see more of her work, go to AJ's profile link below. You will be inspired! view AJ'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.