GLIMPSES OF REALITY Marc Pennartz ambiguously photographs the public space, an environment designed by people, showing people that are not always the subject. VISUAL AMBIGUITIES July 23, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Marc Pennartz INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE As a society, we often can be drawn to what is beautiful and perfect. However, Belgian street photographer Marc Pennartz has a different eye. He delights in the strange, the forgotten, the imperfect – the scenes that, on first glance, may seem meaningless. He revels in the chaos of daily life and enjoys surrendering to chance. His photographs can be mysterious and ambiguous – he captures a moment and leaves it to the viewer to interpret. Marc was born in the Netherlands, lived in Sweden, and is now based in the Antwerp region of Belgium. He initially picked up a camera to illustrate articles he wrote as a journalist. Over time, however, he has devoted himself to his own interpretation of street photography. He uses a simple and lightweight digital camera to take shots in public spaces, often featuring people but rarely making them the focus of the photograph. The images Marc produces tend to lean towards the abstract. He wants to evoke an emotion but leaves it all up to the viewer's imagination. He often lectures and conducts workshops on street photography, sharing his distinct vision with others. Marc is a passionate photographer who believes that the best photographs are those that are not fully understood and instead require examination and contemplation. For him, the beauty lies in the unknown. “I think every great photograph has a McGuffin too: an element that you can sense without seeing it. If you feel there is one in a given situation, click! If you don’t feel it, look elsewhere. Put a few McGuffin's together and you have a reflection of your personality.” IN CONVERSATION WITH MARC PENNARTZ THE PICTORIAL LIST: Marc please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? MARC PENNARTZ: I was born in the Netherlands, spent some time in Sweden and now live in Belgium. I’m a photographer, copywriter, journalist, website creator, content manager, writer of fiction and nonfiction, musician, blogger and also give street photography workshops when the coronavirus allows. My father was a hobby photographer and my first camera was a Kodak Instamatic which I got in my early teens from my older brother. I immediately liked it but it wasn’t until I worked as a magazine editor before photography became more important. When living in Sweden I never left home without a point and shoot, taking snapshots in the forest, and about five years ago, street photography came into my life. TPL: Your work has been best described as 'glimpses' of reality. Tiny fragments of what is around us. Artists often build up and experiment towards a method of working. Has your imagery become more abstract over time, or did you know exactly what you wanted from the beginning? What has been the inspiration for your street photography? MP: In my street photography, I initially took the traditional approach, trying to document human life in the city, but I quickly felt something lacking. I didn’t feel any magic in randomly taking pics of people on the street. Duane Michals once said that photos shouldn’t tell you something you already know, and I agree. So gradually I began to pay more attention to architectural elements, colors, reflections, trash and lots of dirty windows, to make my images more interesting and add a little bit of mystery or wonder. Do you know what a McGuffin is? Alfred Hitchcock used the term for a device or driving force for a movie that more often than not is invisible. I think every great photograph has a McGuffin too: an element that you can sense without seeing it. If you feel there is one in a given situation, click! If you don’t feel it, look elsewhere. Put a few McGuffins together and you have a reflection of your personality. TPL: Talk to us about your stunning virtual 3D exhibition and book "Searching For Quiet". You also stated, "I could have jumped in front of a train, but went out on the street instead and frantically started shooting in a desire for peace and quiet. I have not yet returned from that trip." Could you explain to us what you mean by this? MP: Street photography came into my life at a time when I was confronted with a terrible series of setbacks in my personal life. Going out on the streets enabled me to forget about all the misery. I guess making art, in whatever form, always is a way of coping with the darker side of life. Call it self-therapy or escapism. You create your own little universe in which you are in control, and nothing from the real world can interfere without your involvement. In a way, artists are people who love to play God 😊 The exhibition gave me the chance to see if my pictures of scratches, broken glass, graffiti, containers, torn plastic and lonely people would work in the sterile environment of an art gallery, be it a virtual one. It’s funny how photos feel different when you change the context. Normally, when I look at one of my street photos, I still hear the traffic or smell the diesel from a passing van, but when presented on a clean white wall and with civilized piano music, it suddenly becomes an almost pastoral thing. Weird. TPL: Do you think this is the way of the future having 3D virtual exhibitions? Some prefer them, as it gives them the opportunity to be able to reach that global audience. What are your thoughts? What was it like curating your own exhibition? MP: I think virtual exhibitions are more like alternatives for slideshows and online portfolios, rather than a replacement for real exhibitions. The problem is that in art, size matters. People will always want to see the real thing at a proper size. It’s also fair to say that images that are rich in detail simply work better when they’re big. Besides, exhibitions are also social gatherings that many of us don’t want to give up. Nevertheless, 3D versions make a valuable addition and I’ve reached people that otherwise would not have seen my work. Choosing photos is of course never easy, especially if you first go through all your work, and then narrow it down to 40. I didn’t do that. Instead I chose to pick the ones that just came to my mind, based on the idea that you will always remember what’s really good. That way I got 60 or 70, and then I got down to 40 and turned it into a consistent collection. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? MP: Just to name a few...Guy Bourdin for his provocative style and twisted humour. Ernst Haas for his incredible versatility. Sarah Moon for her otherworldly aesthetic. André Kertész for his humanity, Harry Gruyaert for his use of color, Edward Steichen for his romantic imagery. People keep telling me they see traces of Saul Leiter in my more abstract street work. He was a bit of an introverted outsider, and I guess, the same applies to me. I believe that your personality inevitably shines through in your choice of subjects and the way you approach them. TPL: Do you have a favourite place to photograph? MP: I almost exclusively shoot in Antwerp and Brussels, partly because they’re so close to where I live, and partly because I like the visual qualities of the urban chaos of Belgian cities. I love things that are “not right” and a bit ugly. However, if I would still live in a rural area, I would probably be a landscape photographer. Essentially, photography is not about trees or houses, animals or people, but about conveying emotion through shapes, contrasts, colors. You can find anything of that within few square kilometres around your home, wherever you are. Do you know what a McGuffin is? Alfred Hitchcock used the term for a device or driving force for a movie that more often than not is invisible. I think every great photograph has a McGuffin too: an element that you can sense without seeing it. 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? MP: I very much rely on instinct. Concepts sometimes emerge from the work I have done, instead of the other way round, and then I sometimes use them to build upon. Normally, I leave much to chance and what happens to meet my eye. When I walk in the city, I focus on light, shadow, textures, structures, glass or color. When I see something interesting, I compose the image and then often wait to incorporate some human element. A hand, shade or the back of a head is enough to add life and a sense of proportion. But people are not a must. It really depends on the situation. TPL: You said that "brands don't shoot, eyes do!" Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? MP: Many websites, youtubers and writers put a lot of emphasis on gear and settings. As a result, they create the idea that fancy cameras and certain settings make good pictures, but that’s not true. It all depends on who operates the tool. Michael Kenna made awesome work with a 50-dollar plastic Holga, André Kertész created magic with a Polaroid, and there are so many great images that are unsharp, or underexposed or overexposed according to the unwritten rules of photography. This is art. There’s no beauty in a histogram. The last few years I have been using two mirrorless cameras and a few prime lenses. I mainly shoot with a 50mm full frame for regular street photos and a 112mm for more abstract work. They are all budget models of different brands, yet fast and sharp enough for my needs. When I want some special effects, I play with my shutter speed or try double exposure. Or I put some olive oil on a UV filter, move the camera intentionally or shoot through plastic foil. It’s way more fun to find such solutions than to focus on new gear. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? MP: Toughest question of the day. I never think in terms of career or goals, but as long as there’s still a McGuffin in my work, I'll be good. I also have some wild, secret dreams of exhibitions in unusual places, but I’m pretty sure they will remain a secret forever. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? MP: Recently I started doing black & white photography again, to create dark and moody work with a slightly nostalgic feel. It also includes landscapes and nature. Feels like there’s potential there. I'm not quitting color photography though, nor will I quit street photography. I'm just searching for quiet with a broader horizon. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)... MP: Edit? Marc Pennartz's work is an amazing example of how a photographer can use ambiguity to create a powerful emotion within the viewer. His ability to capture the emotion of a moment and the power of the imagination make him one of the most unique photographers in the field. To truly appreciate his work, take the time to view it from different angles and with various elements to fully understand the magic of his photography. Explore Marc's work and experience the emotion and power of his photography. VIEW MARC'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. 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 CYCLING CUBA Georg Reiter’s two bicycle journeys through Cuba offer a compelling, ground-level view of a country shaped by contrast and endurance. His story captures candid encounters and daily realities, revealing Cuba’s culture, communities, and their spirit. July 19, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY photography GEORG REITER story GEORG REITER introduction KARIN SVADLENAK SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link In 2018 and again in 2019, photographer Georg Reiter pedaled through Cuba with a camera and a curiosity for everyday life. His travels took him far beyond tourist routes — into side streets, village squares, and open landscapes where life unfolds at its own pace. Now based in Vienna, Georg shares a compelling visual account of a country caught between past and present, offering a rare and unfiltered glimpse into the heart of Cuban life. Havana: Engine noise from outside, half past six in the evening and starting to get dark. Here we were, in Cuba, more precisely in Centro Habana. Havana, morbid, abandoned to decay, fascinating, loud. The Malecon, located directly on the sea, the living room of the Habaneros, only a block away, is full of life and probably one of the most beautiful places in the world. By contrast, Habana Vieja, the restored old town is touristy, spruced up and boring. Havana is a city full of contrasts. We got an internet card to be able to send e-mails home at the hotspots. Only very few families have private internet in Cuba. And we exchanged euros for CUC, the "peso convertible" (convertible currency). The two-currency system also divides society into two classes. There is the local CUP, which can only be used in state stores and markets, and the CUC, which is one-to-one pegged to the dollar. Only those self-employed in the tourism industry, owners of casa particulares , restaurants, etc. and tourists can get CUC. As a tourist you only get the CUC, and the CUP only in exceptional cases at markets. After 3 days in Havana, we rode our bikes to the west of Cuba: we wanted to go to Vinales. We didn't book any accommodation, we just rode off and looked for casas particulares , private accommodation. Usually you get breakfast there, but often also a home-cooked dinner. This saves you having to search for a restaurant and you also have family connections. Rural Cuba shows a completely different face of the island. Simple dirt roads lead to small huts covered with palm fronds. A farmer tills his field with an archaic ox plow. Tobacco plants thrive in the fertile fields. 80% of Cuban tobacco comes from the west of Cuba. We overtake cyclists on rickety steel horses alongside horse-drawn carriages with real horses. The twittering of birds came in from the garden, the nocturnal thunderstorms had cleared, including the thunderstorms in my stomach. We were in Mariel, only 50 km west of Havana. A small town with a large port and a modern container terminal. We spent four days there with incredibly friendly, helpful people. I had caught a violent gastrointestinal virus that put me out of action for a few days. But with the medication we had brought with us and a little "magic" from the neighbor, I soon felt better. Here we felt real socialism again. In the state shops there is little available: a bit of food, hardly any hygiene articles and the pharmacies have few medicines. But the Cubans have learned to deal with it, they swap, help each other out and are world champions in recycling. In addition, a lot of assistance comes from the Cubans living in exile in the USA. We rode to Vinales via Las Terrazas, and Soroa, through primeval forests, through national parks, over lonely roads where we couldn't buy anything to eat, on motorways on which mostly horse-drawn vehicles were traveling, and through beautiful little places. We had many encounters with friendly people and we drove through incredible landscapes that were completely foreign to us. It is a journey back in time, to long past, almost archaic times. Moving on towards central Cuba, we rode from Vinales by bus about 300 km to Jagüe Grande and from there went on by bike, first along the coast to Playa Giron. In central Cuba we found turquoise seas, invasions of crabs on the streets, fishermen and a tranquil way of life in its calm cities. We also visited the notorious Bay of Pigs. Cubans in exile, equipped and supported by the USA, landed near Playa Girón in April 1961 during their Bay of Pigs invasion. Some pieces of equipment and extensive information about the fight are on display in the Playa Girón Museum. We then went directly to the coast, with a few stays in small towns by the sea, on to Castillo de Jagua and from there took a ferry to Cienfuegos. Cienfuegos is a very contemplative small town with the wonderful, old theater Teatro Terry of the former sugar baron Tomas Terry. Trinidad was noisy, uncomfortably touristy, and there were a lot of very intrusive Jineteros who wanted to bring us to the "best and cheapest" accommodation. We rode through the incredible Valle de Los Ingenios, or Valley of the Sugarmills, where, while visiting a cemetery, we chatted with the gravedigger, who told us that although he is 68 years old, he still has to work to survive as he receives almost no pension. So he tends the graves and gets a little money or something to eat from the bereaved. In Santa Clara we visited the monument and tomb of Che Guevara. During the Cuban Revolution against the Batista regime, the city was attacked and captured in December 1958 by troops of the July 26th Movement under the command of Che Guevara. After Che Guevara's long-lost bones were found in Bolivia, his remains were transferred to Cuba in 1997 and buried in a specially created mausoleum in Santa Clara. From Santa Clara we drove through a very varied landscape with many small towns, to Colon and on to Matanzas. In Mantanzas, 210 km from Santa Clara, directly by the sea, we spent another 2 days before our return to Vienna. In 2019 we came back to Cuba for the second time, starting with Holguin, on our bikes again. This time we wanted to travel to the east. In the Cuban east we found lonely gravel roads, hardly any tourists, but hospitable, friendly people. It was hot and humid as we strolled through the streets. Familiar smells, familiar noises, we had the feeling that we already knew this place for longer than just a few days. From Holguin we rode to Gibara, a small, rather tranquil town right on the Atlantic coast. We took a fishing boat through the large bay to Potrerillo, from where we mostly go on gravel roads in the direction of Guardalavaca. Guardalavaca has been developed into a tourist center since the 1990s. On the coast there are large, sometimes very expensive and classy all-inclusive resorts for tourists. Cubans are not allowed there except to work. The place itself is pretty gloomy, some desolate prefabricated buildings from the 60s and 70s. The contrast is unimaginable. After a nocturnal tropical thunderstorm with heavy rain and storms, we left early in the morning. We wanted to go to Mayari. The road there is only partially paved. We rode through small towns; there was no possibility to buy anything to eat or drink. On occasion a few farmers stood by the roadside and sold a few tomatoes, or, if we were lucky, a few bananas. The plantations had been harvested and then there was hardly anything left to buy. It is not delivered from one province to another like here in Europe. When it's over, it's over, we were told. So, in every small town or at every opportunity where we could get something we would provide ourselves with the bare essentials, even in the casas particulares we were given food and, above all, water. The supply here in eastern Cuba is significantly worse than in the west or in the more touristy central Cuba. In Mayari we stayed with a doctor couple with 2 children and learned a lot about life in the east, about the work in the nearby hospital and the education system. A doctor earns around €30 a month, a worker around €15. It's a meagre wage. After Mayari we came to the dirtiest city in Cuba, Moa. Nickel is mined here on a large scale and there do not seem to be any environmental regulations. We rode on quickly. 7a.m., roosters screaming loudly, probably several. Looking down from the balcony of our accommodation in Baracoa, a larger city in eastern Cuba, right on the Atlantic, I spotted them, lined up in a row, tied by one leg with a string. Short neck feathers, bare on scarlet legs. Gamecocks. It's Saturday, there are cockfights. Before the fights, they are exhibited and examined by the other residents. And there is a bet. These fights are officially forbidden and it is not possible to find out where they are taking place. After a few days of relaxation on the Atlantic, we rode on to Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's secret capital, past the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, the American prison camp in Cuba (photography strictly prohibited). It was already dark, we were riding through inanimate streets when suddenly a deafening noise broke out: reggaeton, a form of music popular with young Cubans. A few meters in front of us in the street, young men had set up huge loudspeakers and were obviously filling the whole area with sound. Thankfully, our accommodation was still a long way away. In Santiago we stayed with Luisa, a retired math professor who lives here with her granddaughter and rents out a room. Luisa is a kind, calm woman, in the morning when preparing breakfast she sings classical arias and she gave us tips for the city. From her we learned that once again there is hardly any flour or grain and therefore almost no bread. That would happen again and again, but at least there were fruits and vegetables. The next 200 kilometers would be exciting for us. According to the map, there would be only a few small villages, the road mostly just a gravel road, and it would be very dry and hot. We filled up our supplies as best we could and left early in the morning. Santiago was still sleeping and we were making good progress. After about 30 km the asphalt stopped and it got dusty. But there was almost no traffic, sometimes a team of horses or a truck. Otherwise the road was ours. The road was one of the most beautiful we have ever ridden on our bikes, simply unbelievable. On one side the sea, on the other a narrow strip with small wooden houses, picturesque little towns and behind it the Sierra Maestra towering steeply with its impenetrable primeval forests. We rode through this landscape for three days, were amazed, were often very thirsty and suffered from the heat, but again and again we found hospitable people who offered us fruit or water and invited us into their homes. After three days we were at the end of our trip through Cuba, for this time. But we will definitely come back again, Hasta la Vista Cuba! Havana © Georg Reiter Havana © Georg Reiter Havana © Georg Reiter Havana © Georg Reiter Mariel © Georg Reiter Playa Giron © Georg Reiter Trinidad © Georg Reiter Cienfuegos © Georg Reiter Cienfuegos © Georg Reiter Cienfuegos © Georg Reiter Guardalavaca © Georg Reiter Matanzas © Georg Reiter Matanzas © Georg Reiter Baracoa © Georg Reiter Baracoa © Georg Reiter Colon © Georg Reiter Holguin © Georg Reiter Gibara © Georg Reiter Moa © Georg Reiter Mayari © Georg Reiter South east coast behind Santiago de Cuba © Georg Reiter After two journeys across Cuba by bicycle, Georg Reiter emerged not just with a collection of photographs, but with a deeply personal and richly textured portrait of a nation in transition. From the crumbling grandeur of Havana’s colonial facades to the silent resilience of farmers in the eastern provinces, Georg’s story is one of contrasts. His journey maps more than geography; it traces the patterns of daily life, the quiet dignity of people navigating systemic hardship, and the layered beauty of a country shaped by its past yet pressing forward with its own sense of purpose. In every image and anecdote, Cuba is neither romanticized nor reduced — it is encountered, questioned, and felt. For Georg, and now for us, the road through Cuba is as much an inward reflection as it is an outward exploration. view Georg's portfolio Read an interview with Georg >>> 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. 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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. 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PICTORIAL STORY RESILIENCE July 10, 2020 PICTORIAL STORY Photography by Anwar Sadat Story by Karin Svadlenak Gomez SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link Anwar Sadat is a Kenyan photographer whose vibrant scenes from his Kibera neighbourhood tell poignant stories — stories of community, of life's everyday joys and difficulties. Anwar (known by his artist name Sirdart ) photographs both beautiful portraits of people in his community, and raw, in your face, street reportages. I interviewed him about life in Kibera. He wants us to see the oneness of people, their resilience, their hope for a better tomorrow, their willingness to take initiative, and their humble pride. Kibera is famous for all the wrong reasons, when there are so many good reasons the world should know about it. Kenyan photographer Anwar Sadat calls it home. He regularly sets out to take photos that show life in the largest slum in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in all its facets. Anwar's photos go beyond the skin deep. Yes, they show a hard reality, but also the many residents who live life with a purpose, strive for improvement, and have a positive outlook. Growing up there, he neither liked nor understood it. “I couldn’t wait to move out,” he admits. “But as I grew older, I began to understand and see the reality of the people of Kibera and just how hard they work to achieve something better for themselves and their loved ones.” It is this reality that inspires his documentary photos. Kibera, which in the Kinubi language means forest or jungle, started as a settlement in the forest outskirts of Nairobi, when the British colonial government allotted plots of land there to soldiers returning from service with the British Colonial regiment, the 'King's African Rifles' in 1904. Today it is the largest urban slum settlement in Africa, with population estimates varying wildly between approximately 170,000 to as many as a million people. Most of Kibera's residents live in extreme poverty. And although it is by no means the only slum in Nairobi, it is the most famous, probably for sheer size. AN UPHILL STRUGGLE Kibera's problems are many. The ground in much of Kibera is literally composed of refuse, and dwellings are often constructed atop this unstable ground. The environment is polluted from a lack of sanitation and waste management infrastructure, there is violence and crime, and residents often suffer from illnesses caused at least in part by poor nutrition and the inadequate hygiene facilities. Good work is hard to come by. There have been and continue to be many upgrade projects by Non-government Organisations (NGOs) and the nearby United Nations Habitat programme. Moreover, there are also many locally grown initiatives to improve the lot of the community's poorest. It is an uphill struggle. Sometimes, small accidents such as an overturned candle can lead to tragedy. In such cramped conditions, fires can spread quickly. Anwar witnessed such an event in 2019. Residents of a section of Kibera were left to count their losses as an early morning fire consumed all that they called their own. “I have seen instances before where the community of Kibera has come together to support each other during a crisis, but none of them were like this,” he tells us. “Fire can be a good slave but a terrible master. As terrible as it can be, it can never beat the spirit of the people of Kibera.” But amidst all that, life goes on. Anwar's photos show people living their busy lives, children going to school, a group of girls performing a dance. Every day, men and women wake up early, mostly small business owners, go to Gikomba market (a larger flea market) to restock. Most of these individuals run their business from Toi market, another flea market located on the outskirts of Kibera. Although Kibera has a railway station, most people take buses and the small and not altogether safe matatus (minibus) to get from place to place. HOPE People in Kibera are keen on education. Most education centres in Kibera are informal or not regulated by the government, but there are also some government-run schools. At the Kibera School for Girls, which is run by a non-governmental organisation, they even hold mock United Nations leadership conferences, aimed at teaching girls about leadership and ways of finding solutions as leaders. The PCEA Emmanuel Education Centre in Kibera makes do with the most basic of resources. All except the youngest students share a classroom, and the teachers have to teach different levels simultaneously. And yet, they hosted an International Day of Literacy event in 2019, when Anwar visited the school. The teacher, Benson Arita, was trying to multitask between being part of the event and making sure lessons run as usual in class. The school received an honorable mention for its dedication to teaching. Basic necessities we take for granted are not necessarily available — things like sanitary towels for young women. A dance performance organised by a ballerina school in Kibera helped to raise awareness on children's talents and needs, while at the same time raising funds to purchase a three-month supply of hygiene products for 1000 schoolgirls. People find creative ways to deal with their needs. Sports are also a very important aspect of life in Kibera. “Mostly it’s a good thing because it helps keep the youth busy away from crime and drugs,” says Anwar. There are many sports associations and organisations. Few players make it to play for national or even international teams, although it is every player's dream to play outside Kibera. But facilities are rather limited. The best equipped basketball court in Kibera belongs to a secondary school. SELF-MADE Many initiatives to improve the lives of Kibera residents are homegrown. For example, in the face of the current added difficulty of the global Covid-19 pandemic, which is especially hard to contain when people are living in such close proximity, some residents are using their initiative to deal with the crisis. Daniel Owino, a musician and music producer popularly known as Futwax by the locals, is using his talent, popularity and influence to sensitise his community. Kibera Town Centre is also stepping up the fight to raise awareness in the community on the necessity of protecting themselves and others against the spread of the virus. One of the more creative ways to encourage new initiatives is the annual 'Miss' and 'Mister' contest. The show focuses on promoting talent and nurturing leadership skills. All the contestants are trained for a one-month period in modelling skills and leadership. The actual contest involves a fashion show where the contestant's model professional wear, casual wear, traditional wear and evening wear. But the contest is much more than a fashion show. Contestants must come up with ideas that could help resolve some of the difficult challenges facing the people of Kibera. Judges — experts in different fields — select the winners based on how comprehensively they answer the questions and on their level of creativity. Mr. Kibera 2019/20, Dennis Andere, hopes to represent his people in the government in the next elections, to be held in the year 2022. And in the words of Miss Kibera 2018/19, Wendy Ojalla "If only the world knew better, Kibera would not be defined by structures, but by the beautiful people who live there." Her idea was to find ways of giving Kibera's handicapped people a voice and have a chance to discuss access to equal opportunities. Given a chance, Kibera's handicapped could acquire the livelihood skills to allow them to live independently. The Uganda/Kenya Railway Line, a metre-gauge railway system dating back to Colonial times, passes through the centre of the neighbourhood. © Anwar Sadat George has a desire to learn but he rarely has time to attend classes because he works as a casual laborer. These jobs are physically exhausting, and he uses his spare time to distract himself with his friend's laptop. © Anwar Sadat When fire goes on a rampage through the neighbourhood, people jump to help. © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat Matatus are privately owned minibuses that are an important means of transport in Kenya. © Anwar Sadat © Anwar Sadat Children learning at the PCEA Emmanuel centre. © Anwar Sadat Girls learning leadership skills. © Anwar Sadat Dreaming of playing basketball. © Anwar Sadat Football on rough ground. © Anwar Sadat Contestants in the Miss and Mister Kibera contest. © Anwar Sadat He is a winner: Mister Kibera 2019/20, near his house. © Anwar Sadat What Anwar wants us to take away from this story is that this is a vibrant strong community. "I have experienced love, care, friendship, family, humility and respect in Kibera. I have learned to always work hard even with no hope, because hope is not always there. Kibera is not a desirable place to stay, it is most often forgotten and neglected by the government development projects. But having lived here long enough, I believe in the power of a sense of oneness and the people's will to create a better tomorrow for themselves regardless of all the difficulties and obstacles." Where there is hope, there is initiative, and where there is initiative, there is a chance to overcome obstacles. This is what Anwar's documentary work shows very impressively. 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, 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. 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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.

VISUAL POETRY Now living in the USA, Zeeshan Khan is a graphic designer who carefully composes his images to create visual poetry. VISUAL POETRY February 5, 2021 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Zeeshan Khan INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Photography is a powerful art form, capable of telling stories, inspiring emotion, and creating beauty. For Zeeshan Khan, it is a way of expressing his appreciation for the world around him - a way of capturing moments in time that can be savored and cherished forever. With a passion for black and white photography, Zeeshan has built a portfolio of stunning visuals that transport viewers to a world of shadows, light, and breathtaking architecture. His work is an homage to the power of photography; a love letter written in light and shadow. Join us as we explore the passion of Zeeshan Khan and his ongoing quest to capture life's most precious moments. “I use photography as a way to convey my artistic expression. I am a trained graphic designer as well as a typography nerd. I pay special attention to composition. Try to make sure lines are straight. Geometry has to give this sense of responsibility in a particular image. But above all, a scene has to be contrasty with good representation of light and shadow. I think that is why I cannot see myself as a run and gun street photographer.” IN CONVERSATION WITH ZEESHAN KHAN THE PICTORIAL LIST: Zeeshan please tell us about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? ZEESHAN KHAN: I am a child of the eighties born in Karachi, Pakistan into a middle class family. I got exposed to photography at a fairly young age (teenage years I think) when I stumbled across my late grandfather's cameras. None of them actually worked and at the time I did not have the means to get them fixed. However, I pretended to be a photojournalist traveling through the Grand Silk Road photographing natives along the way. It is safe to say that the 'pretend play' experience got embedded in my memory. Since then I've been obsessed with making pictures. In addition to photography I was exposed to great literature, poetry, music, and cinema. My father had a wonderful library which allowed me to consume wonderful books. My teenage years were spent reading and listening to Pink Floyd. Around the age of 18, I moved to the USA with New York City as my new home base. I travelled between Chicago and Toronto to get my art education in graphic design, multimedia, and history. Currently I live and work in Boston as a healthcare technology executive. I am married with two kids. I use photography to express my art and slowly but surely working towards going professional. TPL: Tell us more about your images that you submitted. Could you elaborate more on your black and white stories? What was the concept behind them? ZK: Every image to me is a piece of art. I spend my time studying a scene to make sure there is enough of what I need to create my visual poem. I create my scene around a single subject whether it is a person, object, architecture, and let everything else fall in place. I will look for the right amount of contrast by balancing geometry, light, and shadows. From an ethical standpoint I do my best not to capture anyone or anything in a compromised or embarrassing position. My photography is described as "Visual poetry through photography, streets through the lens of an architecture and poetry lover". I will admit that I have not been great in creating a series of images to represent a single story. Instead I create a single image to tell an entire story. However, lately, I've been dedicating myself to creating a series of photographs to tell a story. I will share most of that work on my personal website and blog. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration to photograph? ZK: I find inspiration in my current surroundings, perhaps something I've read that has struck a nerve, a lyric, piece of music, cinematic experience, and more. TPL: Do you have a favourite place to photograph in? ZK: New York City is always my number one spot. But I hope to travel to Iran, Japan, Pakistan, and Turkey to create a series of stories. Besides actual cities I absolutely love photographing around bridges. There is so much interaction happening around a bridge that is prime for 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? ZK: Street photography gives me a sense of freedom. It is me in the universe walking the streets with my camera. I have a fluid technique where I like to create a scene from anything that I have experienced. For e.g. I'll walk under the Manhattan bridge and create a dramatic scene using its shape. Sometimes I'll capture the right light with the backdrop of lower Manhattan or capture a cyclist in silhouette against a deep shadow. I walk the streets almost everyday to capture moments. Yes, I have come across a few negative encounters but never has it ever gotten physical. If someone has found it offensive then I will try to engage them and tell them about my photography. If they still find it offensive then I'll simply delete the image. Street photography gives me a sense of freedom. It is me in the universe walking the streets with my camera. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? ZK: They are ever changing. However, my current two photographers are Fan Ho and Tyler Shields. I know, two very different photographers but I absolutely love their art form. TPL: Does the equipment you use help you in achieving your vision in your photography? What camera do you use? Describe what you love about your camera/s and what (if you do) dislike about it. Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? ZK: Leica M cameras have inspired my photography in a meaningful way. The M system has allowed me to photograph what I actually see. It is a wonderful system that is simple to use and actually inspires you to photograph. It is obviously different for everyone but I can safely say that it has improved my photography greatly. It becomes an extension of your eye and I carry it everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The only complaint I have about the M system is that I wish the lenses were weather sealed, since I like to shoot in bad weather like rain and snow. Sure, it works great as is but I have to be careful. No, I do not have a preferred focal length. I use a variety of Leica lenses to create my photographs. TPL: When you go out photographing, do you have a concept in mind of what you want to shoot, or do you let the images just "come to you", or is it both? ZK: It is a bit of both. At times I will go out with a purpose for e.g. capturing skaters at a local skateboard park. And other times I'll just take a walk and let the images come to me. However, I will say that I do not do any kind of dedicated planning. It is very much a free flowing process. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? ZK: Yes, I have. I started my career as a graphic designer. I curated a South Asian art magazine with other like minded artists. Other than that it has been mostly career focused where I've designed websites, magazines, and now software products. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist? Where do you see yourself or hope to see yourself in five years? Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? ZK: I want to put all my efforts into photography. And for the past year I've been very much focused. I am beginning to collect a body of work that I hope to publish into books, photo zines, fine art prints, curate both online and in person exhibitions, and perhaps one day get to photograph streets and architecture around Iran. I am working on a few series. I can mention two here for now. A series based around the Lynch Family Skatepark in Boston/Cambridge, and a series with the concept of minimalism in architecture. Both these series will eventually be shared in full on all my social media channels, personal website, Flickr, and instagram. And one of the series will turn into a photo zine. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… ZK: Play guitar, hang out with my family, consume literature, and catch up on foreign TV shows. Zeeshan Khan's ability to capture light and shadow creates stunning visuals that pay homage to the spirit of photography. From breathtaking architecture to capturing moments in time, Khan's portfolio brings to light the true beauty of the world around us. We encourage you to explore Khan's work and journey alongside him as he continues his quest to capture life's most precious moments. VIEW ZEESHAN'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. 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. 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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.

I am an amateur street photographer, shooting mostly in London and south east England. I try to capture the essence of a person or say something about humanity in my photographs. For this reason, all my work is candid. Street photography, to me, is about looking at the everyday and finding beauty in it. That's the challenge and the thrill - setting off on a day's shooting I never know what I will get. Most of the time it's like fishing in a polluted stream and all I catch is rubbish - every so often I catch a gem and it's those moments that make it so exhilarating, so addictive and so worthwhile. Because I try to be discreet, I shoot with small cameras and usually with a small prime lens. HUGH RAWSON I am an amateur street photographer, shooting mostly in London and south east England. I try to capture the essence of a person or say something about humanity in my photographs. For this reason, all my work is candid. Street photography, to me, is about looking at the everyday and finding beauty in it. That's the challenge and the thrill - setting off on a day's shooting I never know what I will get. Most of the time it's like fishing in a polluted stream and all I catch is rubbish - every so often I catch a gem and it's those moments that make it so exhilarating, so addictive and so worthwhile. Because I try to be discreet, I shoot with small cameras and usually with a small prime lens. LOCATION Surrey UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Fufi X-T3 and Fuji X100F WEBSITE http://www.hughrawson.com @HUEYRAW @HUGHRAWSON FEATURES // Life Lessons

I am a Brooklyn-based independently contracted photographer and writer with interests in the intersection of human society and the environment. My photographs and written work have appeared most recently in Photojournalism Hub, GoNOMAD Travel Magazine, Wanderlust Travel Magazine and Corbeaux Magazine. A curated selection of my photos appear in the Smithsonian Magazine public archive. I hold a Masters in urban planning and education. I am a former United Nations employee currently serving the New York City Department of Education as a tenured educator for the blind and visually impaired, and I am a Library of Congress certified Braille transcriber. NAIMA HALL I am a Brooklyn-based independently contracted photographer and writer with interests in the intersection of human society and the environment. My photographs and written work have appeared most recently in Photojournalism Hub, GoNOMAD Travel Magazine, Wanderlust Travel Magazine and Corbeaux Magazine. A curated selection of my photos appear in the Smithsonian Magazine public archive. I hold a Masters in urban planning and education. I am a former United Nations employee currently serving the New York City Department of Education as a tenured educator for the blind and visually impaired, and I am a Library of Congress certified Braille transcriber. LOCATION New York UNITED STATES CAMERA/S Nikon Z7II WEBSITE https://www.naimahallphotography.com/ @NAIMAHALLSTREETPHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES // The Artisanal Salt Farmers of Gozo

REVERBERATION Italian street photographer Lele Bissoli shares his "Creative" series of his recovery of 'wrong' shots reworked to create something poetic. REVERBERATION February 9, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Lele Bissoli INTERVIEW Melanie Meggs Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE As we navigate our way through life, some of us take solace in the simple beauty of creativity. For Lele Bissoli, creativity is a way of life. Since 2015, this Italian native has been capturing moments, people, and places in a way that evokes emotion and leaves a lasting impression. Lele is no ordinary photographer. He creates art from scenes that pass us by without any notice. He takes everyday moments and turns them into mesmerizing works of art. Lele's work has taken him all around the world, from his hometown of Vercelli in Northern Italy to the hustling and bustling streets of New York City, Los Angeles, London, Milan, and Genova. Everywhere he goes, he sees beauty and emotion in every scene. This has resulted in stunning photography that tells stories through vivid imagery. Lele is not content with just taking photographs. With the Pictorial List, Lele shares his series "Creative" where he revisits "wrong" or "ineffective" shots and reworks them to create something poetic and free-spirited. In doing so, Lele breaks the rules of photography and creates something truly unique. A reverberation! “The creative series is a recovery of wrong or ineffective shots, in a few words when I came back from a journey during the post production process I would then select the 'wrong' shots and mix them until a good result was obtained. Often after finishing the work I realise that it can convey anxiety, the blind rush of our society, the not having a moment for oneself during the day. These things have haunted me for years, bringing on panic attacks which I have managed to overcome well. But obviously something has remained, so I think I convey this in a poetic way, while in some cases it is just pure desire to stand out and break the rules of photography.” IN CONVERSATION WITH LELE BISSOLI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Lele, please tell us something about yourself. How did you become interested in photography? LELE BISSOLI: I was born in Vercelli a small city located in the northern part of Italy between Milan and Turin and where I still live today. I started to photograph in 2015 when my girlfriend gave me my first reflex camera, a Canon EOS 1200. I started photographing starry skies and the Milky Way until I discovered street photography three years later, and it was love at first sight. TPL: What does street photography mean to you? How have the streets and culture you capture influence your photography? LB: I like the naturalness of street photography, the stolen moment...I don't really like posed photos. I think I have a cinematic vibe in my photographs. I noticed it when I was in New York, after having seen a thousand movies set in that city, I realised that my photos and the characters I had chosen to photograph, seemed to come out of those films. I think my biggest influence was definitely 80's and 90's movies. TPL: What have been some of your favourite memories or moments in your photography journey? What have you personally gained from your experiences? LB: I love road trips and my favourite memories are probably in California, where I have been two times with my wife and a couple of friends in 2016 and 2017. I love to rent a car and go wherever I want. From my experience I have understood that if you know how to be polite and mind your own business you can go almost anywhere, and, that there is always something to learn from others. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us? LB: Of course, there are many, but at the moment it comes to mind, Suzanne Stein, Peter Chelsom, Meryl Meisler, Giovanni Gastel, Mick Rock, Ross Halfin, Dee Dee, Anton Corbijn...but my list is endless! I like the naturalness of street photography...the stolen moment. TPL: If you could just choose one photographer to shoot alongside for a day...who would you choose? And why? LB: Sorry...but I chose two that have a lot to teach...Peter Chelsom and Anton Corbijn. 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? LB: Yes, I have always used a Canon EOS. But in the last two years, I have switched to Fujifilm XT2, and I love its retro side which is also reflected in the photos. At the moment, I use a 23mm f1.4 lens and I love it. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? Where do you hope to see yourself in five years? LB: I think I will continue to try to improve but I will stay on this path. I would like to be a photographer of concerts and possibly rock, blues, and jazz artists. I'm not interested in making money but doing what I like...to make sure my passion doesn't die. TPL: Are there any other special projects you are currently working on or thinking about that you would like to let everyone know about? LB: This year I would like to embark on a long journey through six American states, a road trip between Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia, which I would like to document with photos and videos. It would be a cultural journey through the Blues highway, the music I love about African Americans, the origins of the Blues. TPL: When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… LB: Run! I'm a Runner! And I will organise future trips...sooner or later...I will make them!! Lele Bissoli's photography is a testament to the power of creativity and imagination. Through his stunning images, he demonstrates that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places and that boundaries should not be limited by rules. By taking wrong shots and reworking them, he has proven that creativity is the key to unlocking new and exciting possibilities. We can all learn from Lele's example and take the time to be creative, to look for beauty, and to tell stories through vivid imagery. Take inspiration from Lele and go out in the world with a camera to capture moments, people, and places that evoke emotion and leave a lasting impression. VIEW LELE'S PORTFOLIO Website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. 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.

SEEING A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND A poet at heart, Nahid Sultana translates what she sees in her world into a kind of visual poetry that is adored. SEEING A WORLD IN A GRAIN OF SAND May 18, 2022 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Nahid Sultana INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE Nahid Sultana is a photographer based in Bahrain, though she was born in Bangladesh and has travelled the world with her family - and later with her camera. Always with a creative streak, photography came to her out of a need to capture the places she sees and the emotions she feels and witnesses in others. While her favourite genre of photography is landscape, she is also adept at capturing street scenes and has an interest in expanding into long-term documentary photography. A poet at heart, she translates what she sees in the world into a kind of visual poetry that we adore. To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. - William Blake “I am not in control of how the poem is perceived but I believe it is how I can express what I see through photography. As I travel, I document my journey through my photos. Every experience. The place, the people, the emotions.” IN CONVERSATION WITH NAHID SULTANA THE PICTORIAL LIST: Hello Nahid, please tell us about yourself. Have you always lived in Bahrain? NAHID SULTANA: I spent the earliest and probably most fundamental period of my life in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We grew up in a society where boundaries didn’t exist. In fact, I don’t even think it was a concept. Most days, after school, I would play outdoors with my neighbourhood friends and we wouldn’t come back in until the sun slept. My fondest memories will always consist of spending our pocket money on ice cream and listening to the channel ‘World Music’ on my father’s radio. As I reflect on these memories, I realise a part of me was always creative. I always loved panting. As I got older I found that I could be most creative with watercolour. The idea of having to put precision and thought before starting each piece had resonated with me. I moved to Australia in the late nineties and continued to live in Sydney for a decade where I put most of my attention on my career development. Buying a good camera had always been a want but I never found the opportunity due to the whirlwind of events I had stacked, one on top of another. For the past 15 years I have been living in Bahrain with my family. It has felt like my home away from home. However, I do still call Australia a home, the very home where I began my solo journey. The place that taught me independence and content with my surroundings no matter the situation. I have been asked multiple times throughout my life where I am from and it has always been a difficult question to answer. My replies have continued to shift and change like the tides of the oceans. For every place I have experienced emotion whether it be the happy, the sad or the ugly. I have developed a deep connection with them and each place shaped me and made me the woman I am today. TPL: From your photos we know you like to travel - is that how you got into photography? Or what was it that sparked your initial interest? NS: To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. - William Blake I am not in control of how the poem is perceived but I believe it is how I can express what I see through photography. As I travel, I document my journey through my photos. Every experience. The place, the people, the emotions. I would find that many times I returned from a holiday with no pictures of myself but a lady by the window in a coffee shop. My passion for photography began to take off soon after my son was born in early 2000. Between the career that I was developing and the other responsibilities, time was not my best friend and so, like most people, I pushed my hobby to the side and focused on my life around me. Eventually, in 2011, I bought my first DSLR, a NIKON D90. I was ecstatic! Through my friends, I met a few like-minded photography enthusiasts. That is when my love for photography truly bloomed. Due to an unforeseen situation, I had to again put my photography on hiatus for many years. In recent years, I bought a FUJI XT4 and resumed my passion. Though Bahrain isn’t the most picture perfect country geographically, I make the most of what the island has to offer. TPL: Talk to us about your life in Bahrain. Are there like-minded photographers you meet up with or do you rather go out alone? NS: Bahrain is an extremely small island country situated in the Persian Gulf. It consists of 50 natural islands and 33 man-made ones. Bahraini people are amazingly friendly, welcoming and are known in the gulf to have a laid-back lifestyle. You name what you need and it’s a 10-minute drive away. The longest time it takes to cross the island is 40 minutes! From the day I arrived in this country to the day I may leave; I will love this semi-city lifestyle and the hospitality from people with golden hearts. Due to the harsh weather during summer, I don’t go out shooting unless it’s worth it. However, from November till March, the weather is beautiful and if you are lucky, you get to experience sunrises that make the water seem as if it were dipped in gold and sunsets that look like the world was set ablaze. There are quite a few photography enthusiasts in Bahrain. I have friends who I tend to go out and shoot with since the experience is much more entertaining when they are there. We share our knowledge and ideas as we take long walks through the narrow alleyways of Manama or Muharraq! Street vendors and locals in old Manama don’t particularly like seeing large amounts of people with cameras walking around the city so I tend to stick to smaller groups. TPL: You seem quite interested in landscape and architecture photography. What is it that you find especially interesting about that? NS: My Fuji XT4 is so unique in nature and very different to my previous Nikon that I actually had to learn the technical part of the camera before I could go out and shoot! The first thing I shot with my camera was a landscape and because this was during the peak of Covid-19. We were homebound for an excruciatingly long amount of time so it gave me the chance to break down and learn everything I needed for my camera. The rate at which I was shooting landscape and cityscape in Bahrain was rapidly increasing and I slowly fell in love with it. When finding a location to shoot; walking around and scouting frames, setting up the camera while listening to my favourite songs calms me. I find a connection between me and the ambiance and that helps me take my pictures. That’s why landscape is my favourite genre of photography. TPL: You also have some conceptual pictures - such as your series of a man with a hat against different backdrops. How did you come about this idea? NS: If I am going to be honest, I was never a big fan of conceptual photography. That is until I came across an incredibly talented photographer Humberto Salo Dominguez. His unique style and artistic shots of a person with an umbrella or a walking stick fascinated me. In fact, it inspired me to start my own series ‘Man with a Hat’ that consisted of backgrounds all around Bahrain. Through the process of editing and planning this series I came to appreciate conceptual and artistic photography. Hopefully I will come up with more conceptual shots in the future. TPL: In general regarding your photography, where do you find your inspiration to create? 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. NS: When I look back at my past, I have always considered myself a creative person whether it be when I used to paint, decorate my house by creating a theme. I believe I have always had a creative and open mind that I wasn’t consciously aware of. I have always loved poetry, music or even a good book. I consistently looked for an escape in art during some of the roughest times of my life… I truly think my creativity stems from love and acceptance of myself, it comes from within. For every place I have experienced emotion whether it be the happy, the sad or the ugly. I have developed a deep connection with them and each place shaped me and made me the woman I am today. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists and photographers? NS: I was introduced to a couple of famous landscape and street photographers over the past two years. I cannot say I was influenced by them to start photography but I appreciate their photos and I try to analyse and understand them. A couple of the photographers I look up to are: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Fan Ho, Vivian Maier, Ansel Adams, Michael Kenna, Takeshi Mizukoshi, Hiroshi Hamaya, Sean Tucker, Bryan Peterson and Elizabeth Gadd. TPL: Where has been your favorite place to photograph? NS: In my lifetime, I have travelled quite a lot. Unfortunately, I did not always have my camera with me. Most times it was a family vacation and having a camera as well as 2 young children did not work out. Having said that, I had a life changing experience in Masai Mara, Kenya. The national reserve is a whole other plane of beauty, the rugged land, the breathtaking sunrises as well as sunsets. The way the animals thrive in nature, their very existence being what makes the Earth so unique. Masai Mara is God’s canvas, everything perfect in its own way. TPL: What camera do you use? Do you have a preferred lens/focal length? Is there any particular equipment you need or wish you had to help you achieve your photographic vision? NS: At this moment, I use a Fuji XT4 with a Fuji 16-55 lens. In my opinion, it is quite versatile for both landscape and street photography. I don’t have a favourite focal length as I believe each frame needs to be treated differently. I recently purchased a TT artisan 35mm f1.4 manual lens and I am pleased with its outcome. Since photography is simply a hobby, I feel that whatever accessory I have is sufficient for me. Nonetheless, I hope to buy a medium format film camera later on. TPL: What are some of your goals as an artist or photographer? What direction do you think you will take your photography? NS: Honestly, I don’t really have a fixed goal. I love photography and the endless possibilities you can achieve with it. I love the idea that you can capture anything you want with the click of a button. Hopefully, I will be able to cultivate my own unique style in due time. I wish for it to be a style that makes people understand what I am trying to portray. I hope that it can move people the way photography once moved me and led me on this everlasting journey. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on that you would like to let everyone know about? NS: Currently, I do not have a singular project that I am focusing on. However, I am planning to start working my way into documentary photography. I hope to one day document a series based on one single topic over a period of time. TPL: "When I am not out photographing, I (like to)… NS: I like to bake with my children. The process of it is extremely therapeutic to me. The idea of piecing together parts of what could be a perfect dish somewhat relaxes me. Another thing I love is reading poetry. Though I may not have the skills to write them, I go through them thoroughly trying to understand the emotions the writer evokes." Nahid Sultana is a talented photographer who possesses the ability to capture the emotion and beauty of the world around her. Her work captures a sense of visual poetry that can be appreciated by all. To view more of her works and continue to be inspired, we invite you to connect with Nahid on Instagram. VIEW NAHID'S PORTFOLIO 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.

I'm using my camera as a tool for keeping a visual diary. A way of capturing a mood rather than an experience. There is nothing linear about my work, it strays in all directions, but I'm drawn to the effects of colour and shape, the movement of bodies and the underlying darkness behind the bright and cheerful. VANESSA WALL I'm using my camera as a tool for keeping a visual diary. A way of capturing a mood rather than an experience. There is nothing linear about my work, it strays in all directions, but I'm drawn to the effects of colour and shape, the movement of bodies and the underlying darkness behind the bright and cheerful. LOCATION Stockholm SWEDEN CAMERA/S Fujifilm XT3 and iPhone @ATELJE.WALL FEATURES // Whimsical Whims

PICTORIAL STORY OFF SEASON June 11, 2021 PICTORIAL STORY Photography and story by Fanny Genoux Introduction by Melanie Meggs SHARE Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link As we look out onto the calming blue of the Mediterranean Sea, one can’t help but be mesmerized by its beauty. It is a landscape that has been captured in countless photographs over the years, but French photographer Fanny Genoux has found a way to approach it with a unique perspective. Her deep interest in humans and their effects on the environment leads her to discover traces of their presence in cities, material, color, and constructions. Fanny’s photographs sublimate reality by revealing unexpected poetry. In her current project Off Season , she focuses on the quiet but evanescent concrete beaches of Nice from an aerial view. Her lens brings to light geometry, silhouettes, shadows, and traces that were previously unseen to the casual onlooker. In her work, she captures the subtle nuances that are often overlooked. Fanny’s passion for photography is evident in her work. She has a special eye for capturing the atmosphere of the places she visits and a deep understanding of how humans interact with their environment. By taking us on a journey through her photographs, Fanny Genoux invites us to take a closer look at the beauty of these often-overlooked places and explore the relationships between humans and their environment. I’ve always liked watching from above, looking over. The high angle shot, flattens the perspectives and gives the impression of a world in miniature. An elaborate graphic arrangement is something I try to achieve in my photographs. While taking a walk, I quite naturally try and gain height in order to watch what’s going on below. The Promenade des Anglais overlooking the beaches offers an interesting viewpoint. The city of Nice is famous for its shingle beaches that stretch for several miles from the old town in the East to the airport in the West. The Promenade des Anglais runs alongside and overlooks these beaches; this walk got its name from the English who chose the Baie des Anges as their favourite winter holiday resort in the nineteenth century. They loved the winter balminess of the Riviera which Nice residents still enjoy. Summer’s heat is sweltering, and the city is swamped: as vast as the beaches may be, no shingle is left to be seen. Nice residents make themselves scarce. Yet when the high season ends, the Promenade empties of strollers and so do the beaches. The private beaches’ structures are dismantled leaving behind empty, bleak sections of exposed concrete and the regulars may take over to enjoy spring or autumn’s balmy sun, and the gentle light. Nice’s Eastern beaches, la Paillole, les bains Militaires, la Réserve and Coco-Beach, are very popular among the residents. They’ve been going there to bathe for ages. Spending time there is an ancient local tradition. These beaches are part of the local heritage, and the regulars meet there all year round. On one’s own or with others, to sunbathe, read, drink a coffee, have a bite, or even play the piano! From one season to the next, recognizing their bathing suit or their towel, I’ve been able to watch the same people set up there. These photos tell the story of a part of the local and discreet history, nowhere near the French Riviera’s clichés. During several off-seasons (from October to April), I’ve been especially observing two interesting spots. One is located at the far end of the Promenade, right before Rauba Capeu (a small headland whose name means Hat Snatcher ) where the Castel’s private beach is settled during the high season; once it’s dismantled, the large concrete slabs left there are much appreciated by the inhabitants of Nice. The other 'beach'; is situated just before the port, under the embankment, where the now underwater Paillole beach used to be. Large blocks of concrete support the embankment on which the regulars never get tired to stretch out. I enjoy watching from above these persons going about their business on these concrete beaches. The framing shows them isolated against a concrete background. The light is overwhelming, ever-present. In their swimsuits, they stand out against these backgrounds that change from grey to ochre according to the light. Or do they disappear in this background? There’s a dual contrast: between the bright and saturated colours of the persons and the concrete’s colour on the one hand; and between this grey, rough, hard background and the almost naked bodies’ frailty on the other hand. © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux © Fanny Genoux The reading of these photographs cannot be straightforward, it is equivocal. On watching it, one may get confused before understanding what they’re watching: are we facing a wall? Are the persons following on from the background? Do they take over this background or are they engulfed by it? view Fanny's portfolio Read an interview with Fanny >>> 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.

High streets have always been places where you could do your shopping in many and varied independent shops. Recently however, large supermarkets have been built on the outskirts of our towns and as a consequence, with their huge car parks and the ability to buy everything you need in one place, the small independent shops of our high streets have suffered. In addition the rise of online shopping has contributed further to their demise. This has led to empty spaces that often remain unfilled. The sad truth is that months and indeed years can go by before they are occupied again. I wanted to document not just the empty spaces themselves, but the interplay between them and the surrounding world. I was aware that just photographing these spaces in isolation would be impossible anyway, as the outside world always intrudes. From the outside looking in there are always the reflections of the surrounding urban environment and the people who inhabit it. These spaces no longer appeared to be empty. This idea fascinated me. Whilst undertaking this project it became apparent to me just how widespread this phenomenon is, and how used to it we have all become. It is an unfortunate sign of the times. This selection of images was captured in several towns and cities across England and Wales. I'm a photographer, mainly in the field of street photography and have been doing it for several years now. I'm a member of the RPS, I am an ARPS. I won the Silver Medal in the Urban Photo Fest 2013 competition. I've had work feature in Black + White Magazine and Amateur Photographer. I've had work exhibited nationally and internationally. NEIL JOHANSSON High streets have always been places where you could do your shopping in many and varied independent shops. Recently however, large supermarkets have been built on the outskirts of our towns and as a consequence, with their huge car parks and the ability to buy everything you need in one place, the small independent shops of our high streets have suffered. In addition the rise of online shopping has contributed further to their demise. This has led to empty spaces that often remain unfilled. The sad truth is that months and indeed years can go by before they are occupied again. I wanted to document not just the empty spaces themselves, but the interplay between them and the surrounding world. I was aware that just photographing these spaces in isolation would be impossible anyway, as the outside world always intrudes. From the outside looking in there are always the reflections of the surrounding urban environment and the people who inhabit it. These spaces no longer appeared to be empty. This idea fascinated me. Whilst undertaking this project it became apparent to me just how widespread this phenomenon is, and how used to it we have all become. It is an unfortunate sign of the times. This selection of images was captured in several towns and cities across England and Wales. I'm a photographer, mainly in the field of street photography and have been doing it for several years now. I'm a member of the RPS, I am an ARPS. I won the Silver Medal in the Urban Photo Fest 2013 competition. I've had work feature in Black + White Magazine and Amateur Photographer. I've had work exhibited nationally and internationally. LOCATION Denbighshire UNITED KINGDOM CAMERA/S Fujifilm X30, Canon G7X Mark II, Huawei P20 Pro, Panasonic GX9, Panasonic DMC-FZ5 WEBSITE https://neil-johansson.pixelrights.com/ @SVEN804 @SVEN804 FEATURES // Within/Without

THE STUDY OF LIFE Through her photography, Jo Kalinowski has allowed herself to discover an emotion or thought that has connected her past to her present. THE STUDY OF LIFE June 12, 2020 INTERVIEW PHOTOGRAPHY Jo Kalinowski INTERVIEW Karin Svadlenak Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy link SHARE For Australian photographer Jo Kalinowski, her photographs are a process of understanding parts of her life that have been defined by living or existing in different places. Isolated feelings and experiences that do not necessarily need to be attached to a particular place or location. By creating compositions of everyday things and the study of human life through her images, Jo has allowed herself to discover an emotion or thought that has connected her past to her present. Jo has fused her worlds together, subconsciously disconnecting fragments of time. “I was surrounded by art and photography from a young age, though my own personal journey as a photographer began only four years ago.” IN CONVERSATION WITH JO KALINOWSKI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Jo, where do you find your inspiration to photograph? JO KALINOWSKI: I find my inspiration all around me. I am inspired emotionally and visually from everyday scenes, music, interactions. I am inspired by light, shadow, color and forms, finding the beauty in the most ordinary. Connecting with fellow photographers all over the world has been hugely inspiring. A strong visual literacy has continued to build through relationships with these photographers whose practices vary in content and technique. TPL: Your images share a feeling of intimacy. How do you manage to achieve this so consistently? JK: Gosh that's a hard one! I aim to create scenes around the concept I am investigating. The intimacy comes from the need to express ideas with a creative approach to getting at something deeper than our common notions of family photographs. TPL: Do you have a favourite place(s) to go photograph? JK: I love the challenge of shooting in different environments. It is how I have learnt different skills. I honestly don’t have a favourite place to shoot. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? JK: Artists such as Rothko, Jeffrey Smart and Matisse are just a few that have inspired me greatly. Photographers such as Martin Parr known for his photographic projects that take an intimate and gentle satirical take on people and their cultures. Nan Goldin, known for her deeply personal and candid portraiture, Sam Abell, and the list goes on... TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? JK: My style of photographing has most definitely changed. When I first began this journey a few years ago I created minimal and urban images, finding that beauty in the mundane. These days I am drawn to documentary photography. Creating scenes around a concept I am investigating, capturing candid moments that tell a story, preferably triggering the viewers mind to see something beyond the image itself. My style is constantly evolving. I am inspired by light, shadow, color and forms, finding the beauty in the most ordinary. TPL: What characteristics are needed to become a 'good' photographer? JK: Imagination, curiosity and a creative mind. TPL: You told us that you once were a hair stylist and an artistic director for 15 years involved in shows and magazine work. Do you think that influenced your focus on details that is evident in your photography? JK: Hairdressing was definitely my first creative journey and one that certainly sparked my eye for fine details. More recently I have been influenced through my own personal photographic journey creating minimalist style fine art photography. Connecting with fellow photographers all over the world has been a real joy. A strong visual literacy has continued to build through relationships with these photographers whose practices vary in content and technique. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your photographic vision? What would you say to someone just starting out? JK: I use a Canon 6D with a 50mm lens or my new favourite 28mm lens. I use a Canon Speedlite 430EX 111 flash when I want to add a sense of dramatic lighting making the photo seem more theatrical. To someone starting out I would say the camera does not make the photographer! TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? JK: At present I am working on an ongoing project connected to my work in a residential aged care facility. Capturing still life moments, I aim share aspects of lives of residents through images of their personal treasures, to share the beauty and the riches or their unnoticed worlds. TPL: "If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing?... JK: When not photographing I am working; a mother of two teenage girls and being a wife!" Jo Kalinowski's photography serves as an exploration of the different places, moments, and experiences that have shaped her life. Through her powerful images, Jo has unlocked the ability to capture emotions and memories in a way that we as viewers can relate to. Her photographs are a reminder that all of our personal stories are connected and that we are, in essence, all part of one collective story. To see more of Jo’s work, connect with her through her photography and explore the stories behind her images. VIEW JO'S PORTFOLIO Jo's website >>> Instagram >>> read more interviews >>> GUIDED BY A WHISPER Guided by reflection and the quiet presence of art history, Isolda Fabregat Sanz makes photographs that resist certainty and invite the viewer to remain inside the act of looking. WHAT REMAINS, WHAT EMERGES Laetitia Heisler transforms risk, memory, and the body into layered analogue visions — feminist rituals of seeing that reveal what endures, and what quietly emerges beyond visibility. WHAT WE ARE, WHAT WE DO Culture lives where art and community meet, and in this space Alejandro Dávila’s photographs reveal the unseen labor and devotion that sustain creation. ANALOGICAL LIMBO Nicola Cappellari reminds us that the photograph’s power lies not in what it shows, but in what it leaves unsaid. THREADS OF MOROCCAN LIFE Through gestures of work and moments of community, Kat Puchowska reveals Morocco’s overlooked beauty. IT STARTED AS LIGHT…ENDED IN SHIVERS… Between intimacy and estrangement, Anton Bou’s photographs wander — restless fragments of light and shadow, mapping the fragile terrain where self unravels into sensation. WITH EYES THAT LISTEN AND A HEART THAT SEES For decades, Rivka Shifman Katvan has documented the unseen backstage world of Broadway, capturing authenticity where performance and humanity intersect. DIPTYCH DIALOGUES Through the beautiful language of diptychs, Taiwanese photographer Jay Hsu invites us into a world where quiet images speak of memory, resilience, and hope. UNKNOWN ABYSSINIA In Ethiopia, Sebastian Piatek found a new way of seeing — where architecture endures, but women in motion carry the narrative forward. THE PULSE OF THE STREET Moments vanish, yet Suvam Saha holds them still — the pulse of India’s streets captured in fragments of life that will never repeat. WHAT DO WE WANT? More than documentation, David Gray reveals the human pulse of resistance and asks us to see beyond the surface of unrest. CRACKED RIBS 2016 Cynthia Karalla opens up about the art of survival, the power of perspective, and why she believes each of us holds a monopoly on our own narrative. STREETS OF KOLKATA Ayanava Sil’s reveals Kolkata’s soul, capturing moments with empathy, presence and humility while offering deep insight into both city and self. PERIPHERAL PLACES A project by Catia Montagna that distills fleeting encounters and spatial poetics into triptychs - visual short stories that capture the in-between, where meaning often hides. POINTE-AU-CHIEN IS NOT DEAD Through Wayan Barre’s documentary, we are invited not only to see but to feel the lived realities of a community standing at the crossroads of environmental collapse and cultural survival. QUEER HAPPENED HERE Author Marc Zinaman sheds light on the valuable contributions that LGBTQ+ individuals have made to the cultural and social fabric of New York City. TRACES OF TIME Marked by an ongoing visual dialogue with time, memory, and impermanence, Zamin Jafarov’s long-term projects highlight the quiet power of observation and the emotional depth of simplicity. THERE MY LITTLE EYES Guillermo Franco’s book is an exploration of seeing beyond the obvious. His work invites us to embrace patience, curiosity, and the unexpected in a world that often rushes past the details. VISUAL HEALING BEYOND THE DIAGNOSIS Betty Goh’s photography exemplifies the transformative power of visual storytelling, where personal adversity becomes a canvas for resilience, illuminating the connection between art, healing, and self-reclamation. EVERYDAY BLACKNESS Parvathi Kumar’s book is a profound tribute to the resilience, and contributions of incredible Black women from all walks of life, making it a vital addition to the conversation around International Women’s Month. A VOYAGE TO DISCOVERY Fanja Hubers’ journey in photography is one of continuous exploration, balancing documentation with artistic self-reflection. MARCH FORWARD Through photography, Suzanne Phoenix creates a space for representation, recognition, and resistance — ensuring that the voices of women and gender-diverse people are seen, heard, and celebrated. FLUX: Exploring Form, Luminescence, and Motion Amy Newton-McConnel embraces unpredictability, finding structure within chaos and allowing light to guide the composition. AN ODE TO SPONTANEITY AND SERENDIPITY Meera Nerurkar captures not just what is seen but also what is felt, turning the everyday into something worth a second glance. THAT’S HOW IT IS Luisa Montagna explores the fluid nature of reality - how it shifts depending on the observer, emphasizing that subjective perception takes precedence over objective truth.