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  • VANESSA CASS

    I am an accomplished artist having studied art in college and then extensively with Haitian masters such as Roland Dorcely, Tiga, and Arijac, in Haiti. After 25 years of practicing several aspects of art, I discovered photography and absolutely fell in love with it. Although I consider myself to be autodidact, I have taken many courses with renowned photographers, notably with street photographer Eric Kim. I specialise in abstract street photography and I find Haiti to be a hotspot and very fertile ground for my craft. I am fascinated by the human condition, the ironies, the contradictions and the darker sides of life. I am also very passionate about documenting social causes. Currently I am studying Curation and Abstract Post Modern Art/Photography. I also adore music and cooking, and try to incorporate them into my love of photography. I am single mom, my two kids and my dog are my very best friends. VANESSA CASS I am an accomplished artist having studied art in college and then extensively with Haitian masters such as Roland Dorcely, Tiga, and Arijac, in Haiti. After 25 years of practicing several aspects of art, I discovered photography and absolutely fell in love with it. Although I consider myself to be autodidact, I have taken many courses with renowned photographers, notably with street photographer Eric Kim. I specialise in abstract street photography and I find Haiti to be a hotspot and very fertile ground for my craft. I am fascinated by the human condition, the ironies, the contradictions and the darker sides of life. I am also very passionate about documenting social causes. Currently I am studying Curation and Abstract Post Modern Art/Photography. I also adore music and cooking, and try to incorporate them into my love of photography. I am single mom, my two kids and my dog are my very best friends. LOCATION HAITI CAMERA/S Leica DL7 @VCASS_PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // The Golden Hour of Haiti Random Passersby

  • THE OUTSKIRTS

    PICTORIAL STORY THE OUTSKIRTS Bangladeshi photographer Fahim captures the impact of Dhaka’s rapid expansion, focusing on the outskirts where urbanisation pushes in and old ways of life begin to disappear — a quiet reflection on the grief that shadows a growing megacity. September 17, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography FAHIM story FAHIM introduction MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Ahsanul Haque Fahim is a photographer from Bangladesh, whose passion for photography began as a hobby and eventually led him to study at Pathshala South Asian Media Institution in 2021. Fahim continues to pursue photography through personal projects, with special interest in portraiture, street photography, and capturing the spatial landscapes of people in their natural environments in Bangladesh. Fahim is aware of the effects that our negligence, mistreatment, and general indifference to nature can have on our environment. He looks for inspiration in his neighborhood, finding beauty in everything it has to offer. This series is based on Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and in it, Fahim endeavors to capture the effects of urbanization on the outskirts of the city. Fahim ’ s series is a creative exploration of this transformation - a transformation where man ’ s ambition disregards its own consequences, where lives are sacrificed for progress, and where livelihoods are destroyed in a quest for a better future. The Outskirts is based in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. I wanted to represent the effects of urbanization on the outskirts of Dhaka city, in order for its expansion of the city. Dhaka city, a home for over 20 million habitants is also the financial center of Bangladesh. Regarded as one of the most densely populated cities in the world, thousands of people from across the country, regardless of all class and age come to the city every day in a quest for better jobs and education hence, for a better opportunity and a better lifestyle. Everyone wants its fair share of Dhaka city. This constant wave of incoming migration is making the city suffocate...a city already out of capacity to house anymore migration. To cope with the excess population, the urban planners suggested a guideline to expand the city on the outskirts. The city corporation accepted the guidelines and deployed the measurements in action. Flyovers are constructed for seamless transport transmission. The metro rail service has been added to the public transportation system. New route for metro rail has been under construction. With the city dimension expansion already in action, the city’s outskirts are already in transformation of becoming too urbanized. Vast green fields are now occupied by piles of concrete and clear sand. The green has become pale. The natives are moving away; some are displaced in order to grant the expansion. Sold their lands to the city corporation. Their livelihood has perished; the habitants have disappeared into the flow of development. Once those pale green fields used to be full of native children, now only left to be wailed. This formidable city is swallowing everything in its coming path. © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim © Fahim Through his photography, Fahim seeks to spread awareness of urbanization's effects while demonstrating that beauty can still be found in unexpected places. His series is an invitation for us to join him in reflecting on the past and present of Bangladesh's rapidly changing landscape. We must act now and become mindful of the environment we inhabit, choosing sustainability over convenience. view Fahim's portfolio Read an interview with Fahim >>> Instagram >>> The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and are not necessarily shared by The Pictorial List and the team. read more stories >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions.

  • TATYANA MAZOK

    In essence, my photography is a documentation of my life. Whether capturing self-portraits or my environment, it narrates my personal journey. I am present in my photographs, which could be seen as a photographic diary. Looking back, this diary would reveal my mood, perspective on life, preferred colors, internal struggles, and moments of joy. Occasionally, this diary might also have blank pages. TATYANA MAZOK In essence, my photography is a documentation of my life. Whether capturing self-portraits or my environment, it narrates my personal journey. I am present in my photographs, which could be seen as a photographic diary. Looking back, this diary would reveal my mood, perspective on life, preferred colors, internal struggles, and moments of joy. Occasionally, this diary might also have blank pages. LOCATION Minsk BELARUS CAMERA/S Canon 6D mark II, Xiaomi Mi A3 WEBSITE https://mazoktatyana.ru/en @SUPERGIRLITA FEATURES // Connected Dichotomies

  • IN CONVERSATION WITH IBI GOWON

    SHOT FROM THE HEART Ibi Gowon is an artist at heart, fascinated by how people interact and inhabit the space. His images capture an encounter filled with so much soul with touches of mischief. SHOT FROM THE HEART March 26, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Ibi Gowon INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Ibi Gowon is a visionary – a photographer of African/British heritage with an unquenchable passion for capturing the essence of current events. With an unwavering dedication to his craft, Ibi takes to the streets daily in search of captivating subjects and moments that tell a story. His unique style of street photography, which focuses on portraiture, is a beautiful fusion of his London upbringing and his African interactions. Ibi’s works are a testament to his creativity and his commitment to excellence. His eye is sharp when it comes to detail and composition, and he is never afraid to push conventional boundaries in order to capture the perfect shot. From political gatherings to social movements to moments of everyday life, Ibi has seen it all through his lens – and he has a remarkable way of capturing these moments in time like no other. He often takes a step back from taking photos and instead observes the scenes before him, allowing him to gain a deeper understanding of the people and places he visits. Ibi’s photographs are inspiring and thought-provoking and they invite viewers to explore different perspectives on our world. What sets Ibi apart is his ability to skillfully capture the raw emotions, mischief, and soul of his subjects, producing powerful and emotive photographs that leave a lasting impression. In this interview, we take a closer look at Ibi’s journey into photography and explore just what makes this brilliant photographer so unique. “I studied art at school and photography was an element of it. However it wasn’t until I went overseas for work that my photography really took off. I was mesmerised by the colours around me, colours that were so different to those of London. For me photography allows you to capture a specific moment and it also allows you to tell a story.” IN CONVERSATION WITH IBI GOWON THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Ibi, let's begin by telling our readers something about yourself. IBI GOWON: I’m an International development consultant, and that’s how my “Colours /(Colors) of Abuja” series started. I grew up in North London, Golders Green, and then Hadley Wood, thus my following of Arsenal Football Club…! I have one daughter who although young is a very good artist and photographer. She kept taking my kit but it was too heavy, so I got her a secondhand Fuji X Series. She is my locations and lighting director..! I have now embarked on documentary filmmaking, charting the course of Nigeria’s ancient and lesser known civilisations. TPL: Could you tell us what growing up in London has inspired in your work and the way you portray your community? IG: London is real mix of everybody from all over the world. You can walk along the Holloway Road, Green Lanes or Seven Sister’s Road and hear 25 different languages being spoken! It’s this eclectic mix of the city I always try to capture. Being part of the community allows one to get closer to the subjects that you photograph, particularly in more private moments such as the pubs! TPL: What first attracts you in the moment, movement, light, colour, texture? Or do people and their personalities play an important role in how you portray them? IG: Light, colour and moment play an important role, but for me it’s more of the human interaction that you can portray, and how much of the subject’s personality you can show. TPL: Does having a spontaneous approach to your photography allow for the serendipity in the moment to dictate the frame? IG: Yes it does. I try not to have something solid set in mind when I shoot. That way if you don’t pull it off you are not disappointed. I like to let the moment happen. Even when shooting a specific subject, I will always allow for spontaneity, as quite often that is when you take your best image. TPL: Talk to us about your work in Nigeria. How much does documentary photography in particular play a role in your overall photography experience? What key themes do you want to show through your documentary photography? IG: Every work situation is a photo opportunity and a chance to document real life issues that concern everyday people’s lives. Documentary photography plays a huge role. It helps to dispel myths or misconceptions about the country, both internally and from abroad. I hope that my photography helps to create a means of changing the stereotypical narrative to one that showcases the best of what the country has to offer. There are many other Nigerian photographers doing this and I’m happy to be helping them achieve this goal. I hope that my photography helps to create a means of changing the stereotypical narrative to one that showcases the best of what the country has to offer. TPL: What was one of your favourite moments photographing? Where was it? And why? What are some of the challenges that you have faced out photographing on the street? IG: My favourite moments were photographing the Hyena Men of Nigeria. I never knew how big and powerful hyenas were until then! I got to within 1.5 metres of a hyena! It was interesting to understand the lives of this group of people. It was only after the shoot that I was informed that the hyena was the African Spotted hyena, the largest and most dangerous of the hyena family! The other moments were the pre “Sallah” ram sale, marking the end of Ramadan, where rams are bought and sold; and the other was builders working on a site in Abuja where there were so many vintage 1950s/1960s Mercedes trucks, still in use! Both tof hese were chance shoots! The biggest challenge I had was assuming that shooting on the streets of Abuja would be the same as in London..! It is not..! People, there are far more wary of the camera. They either feel you are spying on them or you are a part of the state security apparatus. Always have an escape route planned and get ready to run, as things can turn pretty spicy in seconds. Of course, this happens too in London. I will happily night shoot in Soho, but I won't do so on Green Lanes or Seven Sisters Road! TPL: Do you have favourite locations you like to point and shoot, or do you prefer the challenge, or the inspiration of new locations? IG: I have favourite locations that I always return to, as they are great for photography. You can always shoot a new scene there and use the location as a backdrop. Each new place I go to offers up new and interesting challenges: the best location, the light, etc, so I will always have a wonder around to draw some inspiration. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? IG: Gordon Parks. His work on covering the poor America, the African American Experience, his work in the Civil Rights and his filmography. Vivian Maier. A prolific photographer that was so ahead of her time, whom we may well have never heard of had it not been for the chance finding of her negatives after her death. My favourite artist is Georges Seurat. I love the impressionist era, but Seurat and his pointillism style is my favourite. I went on a school art trip to Paris aged 16, and fell in love with his “Un dimanche après-midi à l’ile de la Grande Jatte” and “Bathers at Asnières”. I can remember sitting in the gallery and sketching them! That was the beginning of a lifelong love of pointillism. TPL: What was the first camera you ever held in your hand, brought to eye, and released a shutter on? What is the camera you use now and your preferred focal length? Is there anything on your wishlist? IG: It was one of the type you look down from above. I was about 4 years old, and it was my father’s photographer who let me try it out! Today I use a Sony A7iii, a Fuji X100f and a Fuji X-T20. My preferred focal length is 35mm. I have lots of things on the wish list, but the pockets are not deep enough! Maybe the new Sony A7R V, and new Fuji X-T5 and new lenses. TPL: Are there any special projects that you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? What are some of your photography goals for the next 3-5 years? IG: I am currently working on a series of mini documentaries showcasing Nigeria’s ancient cultures and civilisations. The first one is on YouTube (view link at end of interview). The team is hoping to get all the other 12 done in the next year. My photography goals are to have an exhibition of the Nigeria work in the UK and the UK work in Nigeria; to publish the Nigeria work and to continue documenting the different tribes and groups of people in Nigeria. TPL: “When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... IG: I always have a camera with me…! There’s always a moment to capture! If I'm not shooting, I’m at galleries, walking the streets trying to find new locations, at food markets, and trying to keep fit..!” PORTFOLIO ARE WE NOK? INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection.

  • IN CONVERSATION WITH JIMMY SPACEMAN

    STORIES TO REMEMBER Jimmy Spaceman is a social documentary photographer whose projects have captured many powerful images documenting life in real time. STORIES TO REMEMBER July 30, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jimmy Spaceman INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE In an increasingly digitalised world, social documentary photographer Jimmy Spaceman stands out for his commitment to conveying important stories through the honest representation of people and everyday life. Jimmy's powerful images of Palestinians crossing Israeli Checkpoints in the Westbank, capturing life in Mumbai's Dharavi Slum India, and other works have been used in the political theatre play 'My Jerusalem', featured on Broad Magazines Instagram page weekly special, and have been the subject of a main feature on The Dummy's Tales blog magazine. His work is an ever-evolving journey of personal growth and a journey to make social change through photography. In this interview, we speak to Jimmy Spaceman about his life as a social documentary photographer, his unique approach to photography, and his mission to capture and convey powerful stories through powerful imagery. Join us as we delve deeper into the mind and work of this talented photographer. “I currently live in Sheffield, but I am originally from Merseyside in the United Kingdom. I became interested in photography around ten years ago. I am also a musician. I found myself taking photos of mates' bands at events where we putting on at the time. This led on to a passion for street photography, which became the training ground for my social documentary work. I try to get out with my camera daily or at least as often as I can. I have always had a day job during my creative adventures. I do gardening jobs and a bit of painting and decorating to pay the bills and fund to any photographic adventures. It’s a hard way of doing things I suppose, I am often physically tired after work, but whilst grafting I am usually dreaming of my next adventure. I carry a camera with me at all times.” IN CONVERSATION WITH JIMMY SPACEMAN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Jimmy, documentary photography is important to you but you also do some street photography. Talk to us about the similarities and the differences between both genres. What happens when you go out with your camera? Do people respond positively to you, or do you sometimes get negative reactions? If yes, how do you handle it? JIMMY SPACEMAN: I love the ability to pause a moment in time. Not staged one, a real moment in time. Recording history correctly including life’s emotion, humour, sadness, ups and downs. Whilst I’m out on daily street photography walks, I like to give myself little challenges such as window reflections shots or each photo must contain purple. I think little games like these help to develop your "photographer's eye". Photographing people can be difficult, you definitely need to be street wise. On occasion, in the UK, people can get paranoid or annoyed. I feel that I have a good rapport with people in general and I treat people with respect. Most of the time I do take the photo and worry about the reactions later. Humour always comes in handy. I won’t just take a photo of a homeless person and walk off I will hang out with them for a while and make sure they are happy (and usually buy them some food). I nearly always try and show the image to the subject. If I get any negative reactions I just quickly move on and apologise. One time I took a photo of a butcher in Sheffield market chopping some meat and the staff all got annoyed with me. They all had their meat cleavers raised. I hung around and explained myself and apologised for the distress I had caused them. I explained that I was working on a project showing hard working people in Yorkshire. They were worried about my motives. There was way less photography paranoia in India. I had people jumping in front of my camera and wanting me to take photos of their friends and family. I suppose when out doing street photography I am looking for the photo, but with my documentary photography it is more about the project as a whole. When I was spending time in Dharavi Slum, I was generally trying to make friends and contacts with the residents and workers. I spent time getting to know my subjects and gaining their trust. Two years later I am still in contact with people from Dharavi. I do find it wonderful the people and places my camera has taken me! TPL: Talk to us about your process on what makes a documentary series. What experience would you like your viewers to come away with after viewing your series? JS: I like the idea of making positive change with photography. Giving people a voice who wouldn’t otherwise have one. Truth. I see so much misinformation in the media, everyone has an agenda. I want my work to be honest and heartfelt. I have no hidden agenda apart from documenting life in front of me. I do lots of research beforehand. Knowledge can show and gain respect, whilst a lack of knowledge can be potentially dangerous. TPL: How has COVID-19 impacted you personally and your work? JS: Covid has affected everyone in the world. Early in 2021 I lost one of my best friends. She was a care worker and died at the age of 45. This was before any lockdown. I also lost my uncle aged 56. He had no underlying health issues and was a massive influence on me. He was an amazing colourful character who always nurtured and encouraged my creativity. The obvious travel restrictions have hindered most people’s plans. Personally I spent this time re-exploring my local surroundings and using it as an opportunity to brush up on camera techniques, and of course plotting future photography projects. TPL: Where has been the most significant place that you have photographed? What did you take away from this experience? JS: I photographed checkpoints at the West-bank with an organisation called Machsom Watch. Photography was prohibited in some military areas, so I had to be discreet. Machsom Watch is a volunteer organisation of Israeli women who are peace activists. They oppose the Israeli occupation in the area known as the West Bank and oppose the appropriation of Palestinian land and denial of Palestinian human rights. They support the right of Palestinians to move freely in their land and oppose the checkpoints which severely restrict Palestinian daily life. Since 2001 they have been observing and reporting on the occupation. On a daily basis, they monitor the West Bank Checkpoints. What struck me was how young the Israeli Soldiers were, some looked only about 18 years of age. National service is mandatory for all Israeli citizens over the age of 18. Most of the Soldiers were not comfortable with me taking photographs so I had to be careful, although one soldier shouted “Pink Floyd” at me and signalled a peace symbol. Most of the Palestinians I met on the other hand seemed happy to have their photographs taken. Some of my Israel Palestine photos were used in a political theatre piece by Avital Raz - "My Jerusalem", which has toured around the UK. I feel that as a photojournalist or social documentary photographer I don’t take sides. I want peace for everyone. I know both Palestinians and Israelis and treat them both with equal respect. I felt privileged to be able to photograph part of a conflict. I don’t feel I should take “sides”, especially when it isn’t my conflict. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JS: Suzanne Stein…I love Rob Bremner’s work. He has captured Liverpool and Merseyside throughout the 80’s and 90’s (reminds me of my childhood)…Vivian Maier, Josef Koudelka, Martin Parr, Don McCullin, and the list goes on... I love the ability to pause a moment in time. Not staged one, a real moment in time. Recording history correctly including life’s emotion, humour, sadness, ups and downs. 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? JS: I own a Canon 70D, and a couple of lenses, but I am thinking about moving over to Fuji. I invested in a large iMac, I love working with a big screen, although for my street photography and social documentary work I do very minimal editing, a slight bit of cropping, if that. I like to get it right in the camera. I also have a Canon pro-1000 printer, which has blown my mind seeing my work in print and has definitely impacted the way I do my photography. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? JS: As a photographer I hope to have many more adventures. I am planning another visit to Dharavi Slum as soon as possible to do a follow up project investigating the effects Corona has had on one of the world's poorest and overpopulated slums. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? JS: I have been preparing for an exhibition of my work in Sheffield of my time in Dharavi. I am trying to also include a live video feed directly from the Slum with some local residents. We have been working out technical issues, and are aiming for a Q&A session during the exhibition, with some of the subjects of my photos. I feel that this could be a great collaboration and will also help them out as I will pay them a UK salary for their time. Covid obviously delayed these plans and a couple of galleries I know have even had to close. I am also working on my first photo book which is nearing completion. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… JS: I make Electronic Ambient Music in my spare time." PORTFOLIO WEBSITE INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection.

  • LELE BISSOLI

    I was born in Vercelli a little city in the northern part of Italy where I still live today. The first approach with a camera was seven years ago. At first I was fascinated by night photography and starry skies, that was until I discovered street photography. I have travelled in the last seven years and I have taken so many street shots in many cities that in my opinion are perfect for this photography genre, like New York City, Los Angeles, London but also Milan and Genova in my beloved Italy. In this series I have enjoyed reworking shots that initially didn't convince me or that I thought was 'wrong'. I have been superimposing and working them until I have reached the result I wanted, trying to create my own style and give a personality to these shots. I like photography to communicate something, to evoke a sensation already experienced. I try to select only the photos that according to and can convey something to the viewer, it works a bit like music, to tell a story or a state of mind. LELE BISSOLI I was born in Vercelli a little city in the northern part of Italy where I still live today. The first approach with a camera was seven years ago. At first I was fascinated by night photography and starry skies, that was until I discovered street photography. I have travelled in the last seven years and I have taken so many street shots in many cities that in my opinion are perfect for this photography genre, like New York City, Los Angeles, London but also Milan and Genova in my beloved Italy. In this series I have enjoyed reworking shots that initially didn't convince me or that I thought was 'wrong'. I have been superimposing and working them until I have reached the result I wanted, trying to create my own style and give a personality to these shots. I like photography to communicate something, to evoke a sensation already experienced. I try to select only the photos that according to and can convey something to the viewer, it works a bit like music, to tell a story or a state of mind. LOCATION Vercelli ITALY CAMERA/S Fujifilm XT2 , Canon Eos 70D WEBSITE https://lelebissoli.portfoliobox.net/ @LELE_BISSOLI FEATURES // Reverberation

  • JO KALINOWSKI

    My photographs are a process of understanding parts of my life that have been defined by living or existing in different places, isolating feelings and experiences that do not necessarily need to be attached to a particular place or location. Creating compositions of every day things and the study of the human life through my images has allowed me to discover an emotion or thought that has connected my past to the present. Through my images I am fusing my worlds together, subconsciously connecting fragments of time. JO KALINOWSKI My photographs are a process of understanding parts of my life that have been defined by living or existing in different places, isolating feelings and experiences that do not necessarily need to be attached to a particular place or location. Creating compositions of every day things and the study of the human life through my images has allowed me to discover an emotion or thought that has connected my past to the present. Through my images I am fusing my worlds together, subconsciously connecting fragments of time. LOCATION Victoria AUSTRALIA CAMERA/S Canon 6D WEBSITE http://www.jokalinowski.com @JOKALINOWSKI_ FEATURES // Debutante The Study of Life

  • WOMEN'S GLANCES

    PICTORIAL STORY WOMEN'S GLANCES Wandering through the streets of Greece, Antonis Giakoumakis captures the subtle poetry in women’s glances — fleeting expressions that unfold like scenes from an intimate street theatre. May 27, 2022 PICTORIAL STORY photography ANTONIS GIAKOUMAKIS words ANTONIS GIAKOUMAKIS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link “ If you bend over to your fellow human beings in their indifferent eyes will be written your loneliness is hopeless, total. ” - Katerina Angelaki-Rook (Loneliness) Wandering around the corners of Greece, I unconsciously captured with my lens mainly women's looks. I'm not looking to find the "folklore", the kerchief, but the look. This is what attracts me, and I want to capture it with my lens. The look of the grandmothers so expressive to give, sometimes, a sweetness to their dug face. Women's looks, glances. From open windows, from half-open doors, there on the street. Observers of life. Faces gloomy, exploratory, indifferent, puzzled. Women's looks tired but also smiling. After the home care, for a walk, for a visit to the neighbour, for weggera at home. The need for extroversion brings them to the fore, as does the need for work from the field to the bazaar. Familiar images that I have relived in the past, where I was born. If possible, I would like to go back in time to meet with human eyes again, in humble places… churches, abandoned villages, deserted streets… They are my experiences and my obsessions! Women's glances. Unexpected scene, in a street theater without spectators and applause. Everyday life. Faces clearly cut off from urban interference. They calm my soul. The journey will continue, and you know, somewhere on the road I might meet the look of a grandmother...one mother!! © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis © Antonis Giakoumakis Antonis Giakoumakis’s photography is an act of remembrance — an intimate chronicle of everyday life in rural Greece, seen through the quiet dignity of women’s gazes. His portraits do not seek drama or spectacle. Instead, they draw power from subtlety: a glance from a window, a furrowed brow in the shade of an old doorway, the weight of time etched in a smile. These are not just images; they are echoes of lives lived in rhythm with the land, shaped by care, work, and quiet resilience. After a long career in IT, Antonis turned to photography as a way of holding on — to places, to faces, to fleeting moments that might otherwise be forgotten. His work is deeply personal, rooted in memory and longing, yet it speaks universally. Through his images, Antonis reminds us of the beauty in the overlooked, and of the profound stories waiting in the simplest of human encounters. view Antonis' portfolio Read an interview with Antonis >>> Read "THE PROVINCIAL" by Antonis >>> 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 >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions.

  • IN CONVERSATION WITH SANDEEP KUMAR

    FINDING NEW STORIES With a love for travel and to find new places and stories, Sandeep Kumar still identifies himself as a learner. FINDING NEW STORIES January 22, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Sandeep Kumar INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Sandeep Kumar is an Indian street and documentary photographer with a unique way of capturing life's most precious moments. His journey began in 2019, when he decided to take photography as a hobby while pursuing his Masters in Marketing. It wasn't long until Sandeep realized that street and documentary photography was his true passion. He loves to explore new places and tell stories through his photographs. For Sandeep, photography is a journey of learning, and he seeks to learn from all the people he meets along the way. With an eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Sandeep is sure to capture life's most inspiring moments. “I always want to capture the uncaptured moment from our day to day in my own style which is generally ignored by us and forgotten. The candidness of the moment is one of the main things I tried to include in my work. I also try to compose my shot that enhances the subject of the photograph and makes it more expressive.” IN CONVERSATION WITH SANDEEP KUMAR THE PICTORIAL LIST: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? SANDEEP KUMAR: A friend showed me the Ted Talk Episode of Sebastiao Salgado's "The Silent Drama of Photography" which made me a fan of his work and ideology. And recently, I also got to know the amazing photographer Mr. Rajesh Kumar Singh. I just love his documentary work. 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? SK: I don't think the equipment does anything to improve vision. I use a Sony A7 III. I have only one lens that is Sony 28-70mm and I use it at 28mm most of the time. Vision is in mind, equipment helps to capture the vision you had for that shot. TPL: What are some of your goals as a photographer? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? SK: Well, I never thought of it...I am more likely to live in the present. I want to a become a well known photographer and inspire people through my work. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? SK: Currently, I'm working on a project on Bricks Klein labourers and trying to get to know them and get an understanding for their stories and struggles. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… SK: I love to travel, hanging out with friends and sometimes I play video games. PORTFOLIO INSTAGRAM read more interviews >>> THE VILLAGE A workers’ neighbourhood becomes a living archive as Virginia Cassano photographs the people, streets, and memories that continue to shape Villaggio Piaggio. MUTABLE MORPHOGENESIS By merging scientific methodologies with photographic experimentation, Emma Varga creates images that challenge fixed distinctions between human and non-human, visible and invisible. THE ARCHITECTURE OF CONSCIOUSNESS Chad Coombs’ Polaroids are small psychological scenes where identity, memory, culture, and belief push against each other. WHERE WE BELONG Community storytelling lies at the heart of The Pictorial List’s mission, and Marlon Ramos’ photographs reflects the spirit of the place we now call home. GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection.

  • IN-VISIBLE PAIN

    PICTORIAL STORY IN-VISIBLE PAIN Isabelle Coordes makes the unseen seen — through black and white self-portraits, she reveals the quiet weight of chronic pain in a world that demands proof to believe. August 2, 2024 PICTORIAL STORY photography ISABELLE COORDES story MELANIE MEGGS SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In this profound and evocative series In-Visible Pain , Isabelle Coordes delves deep into the enigmatic world of chronic pain, presenting a raw, unfiltered narrative through her art. This work is not just a collection of images; it is a visceral exploration of the silent, often misunderstood struggle that millions living with chronic pain endure daily. Isabelle, a self-taught amateur photographer from Münster, Germany, uses her keen eye and intimate understanding of human experience to make the invisible visible. Through black and white self-portraiture, Isabelle brings to light the stark reality of living with chronic pain — a reality often dismissed by a world that requires physical evidence to believe in one’s suffering. Her photography transcends mere visual art; it is a compelling dialogue between the seen and the unseen, the spoken and the unspoken. In her images, we witness the haunting presence of pain, not as a mere symptom, but as a profound aspect of the human condition. In this project, Isabelle offers insights into her visual diary. Documenting her chronic pain over the course of several months was a transformative experience for Isabelle. In using her camera as a catalyst, she was able to shed light on the parts of herself that had never been visible before, revealing layers of stored trauma and grief. “When you become your own observer through the eye of the camera, you are gaining a new perspective on yourself. You may see yourself in a new light. You may even develop more compassion for yourself. And this can be a cathartic experience.” Isabelle's background as a Speech-Language Therapist and her extensive studies in Human Medicine, Psychology, Communication Sciences, and Linguistics enrich her photographic narrative. Her systemic approach to understanding humans within their social networks is evident in her compassionate portrayal of isolation and resilience. These themes resonate deeply in her work, reflecting her belief that no one is an island and highlighting the interconnectedness of our experiences. In In-Visible Pain , Isabelle’s camera acts as a mirror, revealing her inner struggles and encouraging viewers to join her on a personal journey. Her ability to capture the profound significance of her solitary existence and the intricate nuance of her pain demonstrates her deep empathy and keen observational skills. Each image serves as a testament to Isabelle as a visual storyteller, evoking deep contemplation and inviting diverse interpretations. “You cannot objectify chronic pain. It is invisible. No brain scan proves it; no blood test shows it. There is no evidence for the hell you are going through. It’s all in your head. And it is mighty real.” These words resonate deeply for many who suffer from chronic pain — a condition that defies conventional medical diagnostics and is often met with skepticism. Chronic pain is an enigma, a relentless tormentor that leaves no physical marks, no tangible evidence for others to see. It is a silent struggle, often dismissed as imagined or exaggerated. Yet, for those who endure it daily, its reality is undeniable. For Isabelle, chronic pain has been a relentless companion since childhood. “I have been suffering from chronic pain since I was a little girl. The fact that nobody found any explanation for it made it clear to me that I had to endure it. It became a given to me which I learned to ignore as much as I could.” This adaptation became a survival mechanism for Isabelle, an ingrained response to a world that didn't understand. Ignoring the pain became second nature, a necessary means to navigate life. However, chronic pain is not a consistent companion; it ebbs and flows, arriving unexpectedly and wreaking havoc on your daily life. Isabelle recounts years spent seeking every possible remedy, from medications to holistic approaches, all in the hope of finding a permanent solution. Yet, each attempt provided only temporary relief. “The pain always returned, more forceful, more frightening.” The burden of chronic pain rarely comes alone, turning life into a battle on multiple fronts. Despite these challenges, Isabelle remained determined to meet responsibilities and live up to personal expectations. Distraction became a coping mechanism, a way to push through the darkness. “Sometimes, the pain brought friends along, also known as Depression and Anxiety. It was getting more and more difficult to ignore it. Still, I kept myself busy with fulfilling my duties and meeting up with the standards I had set for my life.” But there comes a breaking point, a moment when the body and mind can no longer endure the constant strain. “Until I realized that my body was no longer willing to obey. Until I realized that medication no longer brought relief. Until I realized that I had to make room for the stuff I had been pushing down for so long.” This profound realization marked a turning point in her journey. This confrontation with reality took a profound and creative turn. Isabelle turned to self-portraiture, using the camera as a tool for introspection and revelation. “One step on the way for me was to make the invisible visible. In portraying myself throughout this process, I came face-to-face with my truth. I took off the mask and explored what was beneath it.” Through her lens, Isabelle uncovered layers of denial and avoidance, recognizing the vicious cycle of suffering. The camera became a mirror, reflecting hidden struggles that words could not capture. “My camera became the only witness when there were no words left. For the first time in my life, I saw how I kept myself stuck in a vicious cycle. I began to understand that the pain is nothing to be pushed against, nothing to be ignored, but instead: a messenger that deserves to be heard.” Embracing this perspective marked the beginning of a journey towards understanding and healing. By documenting the pain through self-portraiture, Isabelle has brought the unseen into focus, confronting the profound and personal truth of chronic pain. This powerful visual narrative not only offers a cathartic release but also invites viewers to witness and acknowledge the dismissed reality of chronic pain. In this body of work, we witness an artist bravely confronting her tormentor, turning her pain into a powerful visual and emotional narrative. The self-portraits uncover the hidden reality of chronic pain, inviting the viewer to witness and acknowledge its often denied existence. This work stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of art in the face of profound personal struggle. © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes © Isabelle Coordes Isabelle Coordes’ work is a beacon of hope and understanding. Born from a lifetime of enduring chronic pain, Isabelle’s work challenges the societal norms that demand physical evidence for validation. Her camera became a tool for introspection and revelation, unveiling the hidden layers of trauma and resilience that define her journey. “One step on the way for me was to make the invisible visible,” she reflects, capturing the essence of her artistic mission. Her dedication to portraying the diverse facets of life, coupled with her passion for connection, underscores the transformative power of art. As a member of Progressive Street and an ambassador for the 24hourproject , she champions the belief that together, we can be the change we want to see in the world. Ultimately, Isabelle invites us all to contemplate our perceptions of pain, empathy, and the transformative potential of visual storytelling. Her dedication to shedding light on the often-overlooked realities of chronic pain is deeply appreciated by The Pictorial List . We commend her unwavering spirit and commitment, which serve as a potent force for cultivating empathy and igniting profound social change through the medium of art. view Isabelle Coordes' 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 >>> ARE THOSE WINDS Along Istanbul’s northern edge, Ci Demi photographs the last water buffalo herders as they keep working, remembering, and staying put while the city closes in. COLORS OF HÜZÜN Through fragments and gestures, Pedro Vidal traces Istanbul as shared melancholy lingers in everyday life, the city unfolding slowly and refusing to settle into a single, definitive understanding. OUT OF PLAY An exploration of abandoned interiors in which Marco Lugli examines how objects, light, and space carry memory beyond human presence, establishing absence as a condition of material continuity rather than loss. REIMAGINING TALIESIN Form gives way to flux in Amy Newton-McConnel’s photographs, where architecture unfolds as a field of shifting relations and perception moves with light, geometry, and time. WHERE THE MUSIC BEGINS Before the strings, Jeevan Akash Jayavarthanan leaves the movement of the street for the rhythm of the workshop, where time holds, hands work, and each moment forms what will later be heard. LAND, LABOR, AND THE GOLDEN FIBER In West Bengal’s jute fields, Rajesh Dhar examines the systems of land and labor, tracing how a single material sustains communities and informs a changing ecological future. WITH GRATITUDE AND DEVOTION A quiet and intimate account of devotion in Zaraza, Venezuela, Rafael Ayala Páez reflects on faith, memory, and community through photographs and words that honor the enduring power of small gestures. SILVER AND BREATH Within this fragile space between looking and being seen, Eva Christina Nielsen has developed a practice that is both restrained and deeply attentive. RUPTURE REPAIR REMNANT In this reflection on rupture, Donna Bassin invites us to consider how grief settles into the body and the image, and how the slow work of witnessing becomes a form of repair. DELTA DUSK John Agather weaves image and text into a single current, tracing how music, memory, and daily life continue to move through the Mississippi Delta. SILENT BEAUTY Tamara Quadrelli photographs the world by slowing down inside it. There is no rush to explain what we are seeing. The pleasure comes from staying with it. SOLITUDE UNDER A TECHNIFIED SUN Tracing the space between movement and stillness, Héctor Morón reveals a city that persists as human presence slips by. 4320 MINUTES WITHOUT COLOR Moving between photography and narration, Mohammed Nahi traces a period in which sight could no longer be assumed as reliable, and attention shifted toward memory and duration. THE PAINTED VILLAGE OF LABANDHAR Anjan Ghosh’s photographs carry us to Labandhar, where painting becomes language, tradition stays present, and art grows through shared ground. ORDINARY GRIEF What endures when everything else is uncertain? Through photography, Parisa Azadi asks us to see Iran not as story, but as feeling. THE EVERYMAN Eva Mallis uncovers the quiet strength of overlooked lives, capturing everyday encounters in Mumbai’s industrial districts as intimate portraits of labor and resilience. IN BETWEEN LIFE AND AFTER In Cairo’s City of the Dead, families carve out ordinary lives among centuries of tombs — Paola Ferrarotti traces the fragile line between memory and survival. UNFIGURED Nasos Karabelas transforms the human body into a site of emotional flux — where perception fractures and inner states become visible form. VISIONS OF ICELAND FROM ABOVE Massimo Lupidi takes flight above Iceland — capturing nature’s abstract brushstrokes where land, water, and sky blur into poetic visions beyond the ordinary eye. UNDER THE CLOUDS Giordano Simoncini presents a visual ethnography of the interconnectedness of indigenous cosmology, material life, and the ecological balance within the Quechua communities of the Peruvian Andes. NYC SUBWAY RIDERS BEFORE THE INVASION OF SMARTPHONES Hiroyuki Ito’s subway photographs reveal a vanished intimacy — strangers lost in thought in a world before digital distractions took hold. THE GHOST SELF Buku Sarkar stages her refusal to vanish. Her photographs are unflinching, lyrical acts of documentation, mapping a body in flux and a mind grappling with the epistemic dissonance of chronic illness. WHISPERS On Mother’s Day, Regina Melo's story asks us to pause. To remember. To feel. It honors the profound, often quiet sacrifices that mothers make, and the invisible threads that bind us to them. BEYOND THE MASK By stepping beyond the scripted world of professional wrestling and into the raw terrain of mental health, Matteo Bergami and Fabio Giarratano challenge long-held myths about masculinity, endurance, and heroism. FRAGMENTS OF TIME Each of jfk's diptychs functions as a microcosm of the city, allowing viewers to experience urban life as constant fragmented glimpses, mirroring the unpredictable nature of human interactions.

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