PICTORIAL STORY PICTORIAL STORY July 30, 2021 DHARAVI Photography and story by Jimmy McBroom Introduction by Melanie Meggs Jimmy McBroom is a social documentarian, fearlessly delving into the depths of the human experience to capture the raw and powerful moments that define us. His vivid and honest depictions of life in both Palestine and India have attracted international attention, having been used in political theatre and as part of the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity campaign. Now, Jimmy presents us with a photo essay documenting the lives of the people living in Mumbai's Dharavi Slum. This is a visual journey through the heart and soul of a place too often overlooked and forgotten by the outside world, a place where humanity and resilience thrive in spite of oppressive circumstances. Through his lens, Jimmy shows us a place of beauty, strength, and hope. Dharavi is considered to be one of Asia's largest slums and has an area of just over 2.1 square kilometres and a population of around 1 million. Dharavi is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. I spent three months in Mumbai exploring Dharavi, meeting locals and learning about the industries within. I met some of the most inspirational and resourceful people there. I witnessed happiness and community, Hindus and Muslims living together in one of the poorest and most overpopulated areas of the world. There are a lot of misconceptions about Dharavi. The media portrays Dharavi residents as 'down and outs' in films such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and Coldplay music videos. This is not what I experienced. I witnessed resourcefulness and community with limited resources. I was overwhelmed with the sense of community, ingenuity and resourcefulness of the inhabitants. With issues such as only having running water for one hour per day, a lack of any sewer system, hazardous obstacles such as live electric cables around nearly every corner of the tight mazes (which make up one of the worlds largest slum), I still found Dharavi a warm magical and welcoming place to be. Maybe an example of true anarchy? I also asked myself what has the “Western world” lost or forgotten and what could it learn from Dharavi? The industries here not only support the residents, but also help support the rest of Mumbai with rag-pickers cleaning up waste and taking it to Dharavi to be recycled. It is estimated that 80 per cent of Mumbai's solid waste is recycled into usable materials. The UK’s recycling rate was almost half that, with just under 45 per cent of household waste recycled in 2015. Other contributions to the economy of Mumbai and industries include recycling sorting centres, paint, clothing, tools, soap, wood sculpture, leather, including a handbag brand (Dharavi Handbag) sold in fashion outlets in the west, religious ornaments and many others. It's a crucial time for Dharavi, a government development plan is threatening industries and their survival. Through talking with locals, I've learned how detrimental this scheme is. The plan currently suggests that the tower blocks are to be built over the land which currently holds these important industries. The locals are reliant on work to survive, which the slum currently provides, but the government plan does not take this into account. Jobs will be lost. Another concern is that the foundations for the tower blocks would be unsafe as Dharavi is built on an old rubbish tip around a water pipe. There have been recent buildings and bridges collapse in Mumbai due to cheap design and foundation issues. Speaking to many residents and locals, around 95% of people are against the government scheme. Other ways of helping Dharavi would be to allow more than the 2 hours of restricted water per day (5.30am -7.30am) and better sewage and drainage systems for example. Since leaving Dharavi, it has been in my thoughts everyday. I will soon return. Obviously Covid has affected us all. Last year WHO (World Health Organisation) praised Dharavi's fight against Corona. They managed to work together and flatten the curve of cases. Their strategies and working together as a community worked better than the rest of Mumbai. Door to door testing was done and fast responses to anyone with symptoms. I have remained in contact with Dharavi residents since I was there and keep in regular contact with them. Unfortunately in recent weeks there has been a huge rise in cases and deaths all over India. Resources are completely stretched to beyond comprehension. This wave leaves Dharavi completely alone to fight an even bigger wave of Covid. Remembering Dharavi is one of the most overpopulated places on earth, with up to ten people living together in a small room, it is a breeding ground for the virus. The people of Dharavi are the most friendly, welcoming, beautiful, resourceful, and inspiring people I have ever met. They welcomed me into their homes, fed me, educated me, and touched my heart. view Jimmy's portfolio Read an interview with Jimmy >>> 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 >>>

I am a journalist and a photographer and work in a French Lebanese daily newspaper L'Orient - Le Jour. My pictures for the last three years were specially about the Coniche (Front Sea) in Beirut. I even did a book about the subject with a story (fiction) called "Le Chariot de Farah", edited in 2018 and an exhibition. I love this place, it speaks very well about this city that is passing through a lot lately. I love sceneries, skies, sea (always the sea) but with people, faces, attitudes that can give emotions. CARLA HENOUD be inspired Gallery // ARTIST'S STATEMENT // I am a journalist and a photographer and work in a French Lebanese daily newspaper L'Orient - Le Jour. My pictures for the last three years were specially about the Coniche (Front Sea) in Beirut. I even did a book about the subject with a story (fiction) called "Le Chariot de Farah", edited in 2018 and an exhibition. I love this place, it speaks very well about this city that is passing through a lot lately. I love sceneries, skies, sea (always the sea) but with people, faces, attitudes that can give emotions. LOCATION Beirut LEBANON CAMERA Leica D Lux, Fuji X T1 CATEGORY documentary, street @CARLAHENOUD FEATURES //

PICTORIAL STORY PICTORIAL STORY February 25, 2020 DOMESTIC WASTELAND Photography by Vin Sharma Timon Story by Karen Ghostlaw Pomarico The urban spaces of New York City changed significantly during the Global Pandemic. Sidewalks once filled with pedestrians not afraid to knock elbows with a friendly smile, became vacant solitary spaces where distance was mandated and the masked smile became the ‘New Normal’. As spaces once open for public use began to close, more restrictions were imposed and city dwellers had to adapt to these changes. Everyone deals with change in different ways, some finding it more challenging than others. For Vin Sharma Timon, one particular day marks the beginning of her photographic documentary ‘Domestic Wasteland’. An authentic portrait of a family and their personal journey. It is a visual diary of the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, they shared, and how that strains the best of relationships. Vin depicts with complete candor the emotions and feelings her family confronted and had to learn to manage in new and difficult times of uncertainty. I asked Vin to paint a picture of what it was like at home prior to the restrictions and confinement of the Pandemic. What was the ‘New Normal’? What was a day in the life of the Sharma-Timon family like on any given day before the pandemic. “I often wonder what the norm was before the pandemic. Or if there is such a thing. Sometimes we feel like your typical Brooklyn family. We have a pet, we walk everywhere we need to go. We are a mixed race family and we encourage our children to be open. Normally, we stop to chat with our neighbors and are thankful for the local bodega. We have books in every room, we have a quaint stoop for outdoor people watching. We dance in our kitchen and manage to share our evening meals together.” Vin may have had trouble describing ‘Normal’, but she easily depicted what was normal and what was not! Sometimes this is the best way to understand change. “I know what the norm was not. Before the pandemic, It was not dreading getting out of bed every morning. It was not crying late at night with an empty bottle of wine (or two) in a bathroom with the lights turned off. It was not binge watching reality shows on a Monday evening, ordering cases of evaporated milk and toilet paper. The norm was not wiping down groceries (I did this) and ordering 50lb bags of flour because suddenly, I became a bread maker. In the last 23 months, I have baked bread twice and refuse to discuss sourdough starters. Though I still dance in my kitchen with my children.” Vin found one change in their living patterns and daily routines and customs to be perhaps the most profound. Once real connections were made with physicality, playing, hugging, touching. These connections are now made virtually, where an image on a screen replaces the hug, and is the hand you hold. For Vin, “The norm before the pandemic was not being separated from extended family members, unable to visit them, unable to grieve with them. Suddenly, our local friends and our neighbors became a lifeline.” Vin remembers this day, “March 16th, 2020, was the day I began documenting life at home with my family. NYC schools officially closed their doors due to the global pandemic and our lives were hurled into an abyss of madness. Lockdown, shelter in place, quarantine, remote learning - these became commonplace concepts in an ocean of uncertainty.” These new daily living adjustments are not small and insignificant, but require much patience and diligence to practice. A family must find the resources to help establish new processes and routines. Combine this with different personalities and the dynamics of relationships between family members, it can create an atmosphere of frustration, and agitation leading to discontent. Vin shares with us her genuine experience and thoughts during this time. “Sometimes, I don't like my family. Mostly I love them, even admire them. We are a group of four who have become so intertwined in a very complex way during the last 33 months. What has happened during this time? Need I ask? The pandemic paved the way for puppies, plants, kitchen gadgets and a complete loss of self. I have become so wrapped up in the lives of my family, that I no longer understand where I fit in. I observe, I record. Yet I am not in the frame. My perceptions are there, stamped on every single moment, but the visual sense of 'me' is absent, except in the way I perceive the people closest to me.” Vin’s story investigates feeling lost and alone even when surrounded by people. Like a super colony, it is hard to move or think independently. For every action, a reaction. Like a pebble cast in water, the ripples spread far and wide, affecting far more than the spot it dropped. Loneliness can be experienced in many different ways as Vin describes the beginning of her day. “Waking up, placing our feet on the ground and beginning the walk that leads us to the day is no longer a mundane routine. It is a feat of greatness, an act of courage. Anything more than that is a bonus.” Vin shares her honest opinion, thoughts that are not always nice, but unavoidable when confronted with the intricacies and complexities of ‘Shelter in place’. “It cannot be normal to live with the same humans every minute of every day, every week, every month, every year. With little relief. I am so tired. We are all so tired. Yet, within the uncertainty, there is a deep appreciation for life and for contemplation.” Another huge adjustment Vin and her family had to make was remote learning, new home schoolers. Confronted with a new set of challenges, their home became their new schoolhouse. “Our entire apartment functioned as a school room. Literally, Brooklyn apartments do not always offer families the generosity of indoor space. I have seen our bathroom floor serve as a reading space, wiped the kitchen table down after a science experiment, seen my 12 year old check in for attendance from the comfort of his bed. I’ve watched my 9 year old, lying face down on the floor with an open laptop, her camera off while eating lollipops for breakfast. Welcome to pandemic schooling.” Roles in the family changed, one day Vin was a mother, the next day she was a teacher. Her children were just siblings, playing and quarreling like siblings often do, until the school day began and then they became classmates. This brought new complexities and challenges for her two young children. Vin tells us what it was like for her, and her children transitioning between roles. “Becoming a teacher and managing remote learning was a disaster. ‘Shitshow’ is the word that comes to mind. The constant questions of ‘when can we meet for a zoom call’? became tedious. Sure, anytime is a good time because everytime is a bad time. No certainty of schedule, no idea about how many apps would be required in order to read a single day’s homework, no clue as to how to connect with peers. No one hated remote learning more than parents and guardians who stayed at home with their little people, all day, every day. As classmates, my children were either embracing each other or screaming at the top of their lungs. We did our best to give them space and a chance to take a break when they needed to. Who knows what the long term effects of remote school are.” In the middle of the chaos, there is the rock, the sound of reason. When everything is going wrong, there is always one person that stands in front of the fan, catching all the debris. This was her husband’s role. For Vin and her family, he was the person they relied on to keep the peace, to mend any fences, and to be the voice of reason in a time that seemed to have none. “My husband’s role was honestly much the same as it always was - a source of support, a foundation. He really does insist that he carried on much the same way as before the pandemic. Interestingly enough, I agree with him. The only major change was that we somehow reconnected. We had begun to rely on our own separate schedules before the pandemic, busy with our own activities - him with his work and, oftentimes, me with the children. The pandemic offered a change to that, as well as presenting us with a challenge. For the first time since our first child was born, we were thrust together in close quarters. It has been a simple connection that we somehow lost along the way.” Life changed for Vin and her family, but these changes brought some unexpected connections. The table has become an important place for the family during the pandemic. Vin and her family now share their table embracing the importance of this simple but intimate gesture, of sharing food, nourishment, and family conversations. Vin talks about the ‘value of silence and reflection’. I asked Vin how this applies to their time together during confinement. What did Vin and her family learn, what was their take away as a family? “Before the pandemic, we were always busy. There was always something to do, somewhere to go, someone to talk to. Now, that value of silence and reflection has become meaningful, not to mention essential. Particularly when it’s applied to our sense of well being. What was once taken for granted is now sought after - moments of quiet, time to sit and read a book or pick up a real newspaper, time to enjoy nothing but being present. Taking the time to accept the value of being alone at times. In terms of how this all applies to our time together as a family, it’s allowed us to trust each other. It’s given us time to allow for individual space, to respect personal boundaries and to help each other without having to speak. An embrace, a kiss on the cheek, a squeeze of the hand - I have learned how wonderful and heartfelt these gestures can be and how much more important they are now.” What is the reflection that helps them move forward? “We move forward as we have been the last two years - one day at a time. Doing our best not to rush, not to worry. Which of course, is nearly impossible when you are living through a pandemic. Most of all, I am confident in accepting that we need each other. I need the people I love. My family needs me. We are connected and that connection extends to friends who I miss terribly. I miss the kisses on soft cheeks, I miss the warmth of my friend’s arms and the sound of their laughter in my ears. We move forward with the promise that new kisses, new embraces and new found laughter will be waiting for us. As the story continues to unfold, I find myself holding on to a tremendous love of life and all that we hold dear. What was once mundane is now a point of interest. What we took for granted is now in the spotlight. This is an unraveling of our collective domestic wasteland.” Life continues, and so will the Sharma-Timon’s stories. The obstacles along the way will be hurdled and they all will cross the finish line one day. For the Sharma-Timon family, it is the journey that will create the landscapes of their future, and make the connections that will last a lifetime. view Vin's portfolio Read an interview with Vin >>> 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 >>>

I am a photojournalist and a street photographer. I was born in Malta in 1966 and from a young age took an interest in photography with the only available medium at the time which was film. When I was 18 I joined the armed forces. In 2008 I decided to take my photography to another level by enrolling for courses organised by the local photographic societies. In July 2009, soon after passing an accredited course in photography, I was appointed the Official Photographer for the Armed Forces of Malta. On retiring from the Armed Forces of Malta in 2010, I began a career as a freelance photographer and as a photojournalist for a leading newspaper. I have been shooting street photography for over ten years, organising street photography workshops since 2015. I also lecture locally on Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. In November 2016 I organised my first solo exhibition called ‘Malta Street Life’ and also have had my works exhibited in Egypt, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, and in 2020 Japan. MARTIN AGIUS be inspired Gallery // ARTIST'S STATEMENT // I am a photojournalist and a street photographer. I was born in Malta in 1966 and from a young age took an interest in photography with the only available medium at the time which was film. When I was 18 I joined the armed forces. In 2008 I decided to take my photography to another level by enrolling for courses organised by the local photographic societies. In July 2009, soon after passing an accredited course in photography, I was appointed the Official Photographer for the Armed Forces of Malta. On retiring from the Armed Forces of Malta in 2010, I began a career as a freelance photographer and as a photojournalist for a leading newspaper. I have been shooting street photography for over ten years, organising street photography workshops since 2015. I also lecture locally on Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. In November 2016 I organised my first solo exhibition called ‘Malta Street Life’ and also have had my works exhibited in Egypt, Greece, Italy, the United Kingdom, and in 2020 Japan. LOCATION MALTA CAMERA Canon R6 CATEGORY street WEBSITE https://martinagius.com/ @MARTINAGIUS_STREETPHOTOGRAPHY FEATURES //

As a child, I was always intrigued by the camera that my father used to make pictures. I soon received my own, a Konica pop in 1982. Ever since I have been photographing wherever I go and always carry a camera with me. I try to be aware of my own experiences in life and connect them to my photography in several different projects. Atmosphere and emotions are the most important for me. FANJA HUBERS ARTIST'S STATEMENT // As a child, I was always intrigued by the camera that my father used to make pictures. I soon received my own, a Konica pop in 1982. Ever since I have been photographing wherever I go and always carry a camera with me. I try to be aware of my own experiences in life and connect them to my photography in several different projects. Atmosphere and emotions are the most important for me. LOCATION Utrecht THE NETHERLANDS CAMERA/S Fuji X100vi CATEGORY street WEBSITE https://www.fanjahubers.nl @FANJAHUBERS FEATURES //

I vividly remember that one special moment when I first stumbled upon photos of candid human expressions and stylish contrast street work of some of the best photographers out there. The thought of capturing moments whilst playing with light and composition elements hit me. I'm Adrian, a passionate street photographer living in Singapore. Fascinated by the playful shadows and intentional blown out highlights of Trent Parke's photography and the aesthetically brilliant work of Thomas Leauthard, I headed out to the streets with an old camera in hand and never stop learning. ADRIAN TAN be inspired Gallery // ARTIST STATEMENT // I vividly remember that one special moment when I first stumbled upon photos of candid human expressions and stylish contrast street work of some of the best photographers out there. The thought of capturing moments whilst playing with light and composition elements hit me. I'm Adrian, a passionate street photographer living in Singapore. Fascinated by the playful shadows and intentional blown out highlights of Trent Parke's photography and the aesthetically brilliant work of Thomas Leauthard, I headed out to the streets with an old camera in hand and never stop learning. LOCATION SINGAPORE CAMERA Olympus EM10 and Fujifilm X-Pro2 CATEGORY street, fine art @ADRIANO.RH FEATURES //

These pictures have all been shot during a camping trip through Croatia, where I explored the fascinating contradictions of a country split between the evident desire to transform its international image to EU standards (in hope that this strategy will higher their chances to become a member of the Union) and the chaotic energy of centuries of Balkan traditions that so naturally emerges from these people. In my work I generally look to cause a reaction in my subjects instead of just being a witness of the scene. I like to go very close and impose my presence on them, see what evolves, all while trying to maintain a humoristic look. MATTIA BULLO be inspired Gallery // ARTIST'S STATEMENT // These pictures have all been shot during a camping trip through Croatia, where I explored the fascinating contradictions of a country split between the evident desire to transform its international image to EU standards (in hope that this strategy will higher their chances to become a member of the Union) and the chaotic energy of centuries of Balkan traditions that so naturally emerges from these people. In my work I generally look to cause a reaction in my subjects instead of just being a witness of the scene. I like to go very close and impose my presence on them, see what evolves, all while trying to maintain a humoristic look. LOCATION ITALY CAMERA Canon EOS M10 CATEGORY documentary, street WEBSITE http://www.mattiabullofilm.com @MATTIABULLOFILM FEATURES //

I grew up and spent most of my early life life living in, and photographing around Melbourne, often shooting on the street. My photographs are mostly candid shots reflecting element of everyday life. I also enjoy the occasional seascape, landscape, or art project. These photographs are part of a larger series I am currently working based on the Australian flag. ALAN THEXTON be inspired Gallery // ARTIST'S STATEMENT // I grew up and spent most of my early life life living in, and photographing around Melbourne, often shooting on the street. My photographs are mostly candid shots reflecting element of everyday life. I also enjoy the occasional seascape, landscape, or art project. These photographs are part of a larger series I am currently working based on the Australian flag. LOCATION Melbourne AUSTRALIA CAMERA Fuji X Pro1, Canon EOS R CATEGORY street, documentary WEBSITE http://www.athexphotographs.com/ @ATHEXPHOTOGRAPHS FEATURES //

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW June 26, 2020 ORDINARY INTIMACY Photography by Claudia Orsetti Interview by Karin Svadlenak Gomez Italian Photographer Claudia Orsetti is an architect, but as long as she can remember has been photographing "things". She has lived in Switzerland, Tokyo, New York, and London, before moving to Amsterdam at the beginning of 2020. Photography for her is a way of knowing places and people and their stories, but also knowing herself. She is most interested in the "obvious things", the imprecise moments without expectations, the reality where you think there is nothing to see. She is attracted by contradictions and those often become the centre of her work. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better. - Samuel Beckett “I remember I printed it and hung it over my desk, when I was doing my master diploma and somehow it stuck with me in everything else afterwards. I am someone who jumps into the high water and just does. Sometimes...a little bit too fast! But I would say that this attitude of not being afraid of doing something (therefore potentially failing at it) has been proven to bring very interesting and unexpected turns in my life!” IN CONVERSATION WITH CLAUDIA ORSETTI THE PICTORIAL LIST: Claudia, when did you start getting interested in photography? CLAUDIA ORSETTI: Honestly, I don’t know...I don’t remember. I think it must have been at the beginning of highschool, my parents got me a camera for me to play around, but back then it was not a priority. I guess when I was around 20 and I started travelling for real, that was the switch: seeing realities so different from mine pushed me to somehow find a way to express what I was seeing. Photography was my way of telling back the stories of people and places I encountered. TPL: Where do you find your inspiration? CO: I find that a very difficult question and the most honest answer (probably also boring!) is that I find my inspiration everywhere. I am an eager observer and a good listener, and I think that is always the beginning of a story. So if by inspiration you mean how do I start any project, I would say that is it. TPL: Do you have any favourite artists or photographers you would like to share with us, and the reason for their significance? CO: I am in love with the photos of Luigi Ghirri and Guido Guidi. That minimalism way before the instagram square, which was almost ermetic is super poetic for me, and allows the viewer to complete the image the way he wants. I find incredible the frame cutting of Alex Webb, the genuine and disarming honesty of Sebastiao Salgado and the irony of Tony Ray Jones. TPL: Has your style of photographing changed since you first started? CO: Absolutely and necessarily. I’d like to think I constantly grow and evolve as a person, and that brings me to new perspectives and more banally new knowledge and technology. Therefore my focus on things shifts and so does the way I portray them. Also I believe that one develops a style through time; I think your own style is not just the same pinkish filter you add to your shots, it’s something deeper, an overarching theme or mood which at some point you’ll realize is your own. TPL: Where is your favourite place to photograph? CO: Iceland. I adore that place and I keep going back every other year. I just feel good there and I love driving so...it’s my perfect place. It’s surreal, primordial, moody, extreme, and it’s different every time. It is mainly about landscape obviously. I also love shooting on the streets, when travelling especially. Somehow my mind gets into a different dimension and I feel open and receptive to many more things, which consequently allows me to get closer to people and their stories. I am an eager observer and a good listener, and I think that is always the beginning of a story. TPL: What characteristics do you think you need to become a better photographer? What are your tips or advice for someone in your genre? CO: Be curious. Be open and generous, meaning be ready to open yourself up to others and listen, and let unexpected circumstances drive you on different paths that you haven’t considered. In that sense also be very resilient, be able to adapt and yet be stubborn in pursuing what you want. Allow a lot of time. Shooting is just a part of a photographic project, then you need time to reflect, to research, to think, to write perhaps, and most probably to shoot more. TPL: Do you think equipment is important in achieving your vision in your photography? What would you say to someone just starting out? CO: This is the classic tricky question as I guess everyone will tell you that a good photographer is good regardless of the equipment. It’s the mind and the eye that makes the photographer. Nonetheless, the right equipment does allow you to reach the level of expression that you aspire to, so yes it is important, but, if we reverse it, an amazing camera doesn’t make you a good photographer! To someone starting out I would say experiment and explore a lot. Try different cameras, old, new, film, digital, colour, b&w, anything. But do go out a lot to take a lot of pictures. That is essential. TPL: Have you ever been involved in the artistic world before photography? CO: Well, I am actually an architect by training, so yes! Although architecture is an incredible mix of science, art, technology, business, sociology, and communication. But hey....so is photography. TPL: Are there any special projects you are currently working on? CO: I’m currently working on a few things. One project is called IRAN IS PINK, and it is using the colour pink as a thread to talk about the women in Iran. Pink is a colour that has gone from being a symbol of fragile femininity to being punk and strong: it has become feminist. And the story starts on the Maharlu Lake, which is a salt lake (hence pink) south of Shiraz. The project is still evolving, not sure how, but will definitely become more rich than what it is now...at least I hope so! I’m also working on a self-published book called ORDINARY INTIMACY, which is a project born during the quarantine. Nothing to do with photos in the domestic environment...instead it is a collection of photos of ordinary things and moments without expectations, which I found by looking back into my archive. They were shots I didn’t remember, and lots of them I didn’t remember when or where I took them, but those things or moments were so ordinary, so easily identifiable, that you could project any similar memory into that. So that process became the project...which is also still in evolution! Last but not least a series called SUSPENDED, which is ongoing. TPL: “If I wasn't photographing what would I be doing? CO: As I said before, I am also an architect, so that is what I am actually doing together with photography! I’d like to be an event organizer, to be honest, which I do sometimes, but not professionally. Nonetheless I always say that if I had to choose something else completely, I would grow and sell plants and flowers. My house is a small jungle!” Photography is a way for Claudia to gain an understanding of places, people, and their stories, but it is also a way for her to gain an understanding of herself. Follow Claudia on her photography journey through the links below. VIEW CLAUDIA'S PORTFOLIO Read INFORMAL REALITIES by Claudia Instagram >>> read more interviews >>>

I first started photography around six years ago with a DSLR camera. But I only got seriously into this medium when I entered the world of film photography late 2017, by getting my first film camera the Canon AE1. Since then, I've let my passion guide me in this whole journey, mostly doing street photography. I chose a series of black and white images to share within the community of photographers. When I take black and white images, I like to play with the contrast, leading lines and isolated subject. I want to tell a story with my pictures and love to transmit emotions through my images. The series that I am presenting is the illustration of what I like to do, playing with the scenery, contrast and light. And just like how many photographers inspires me, I hope I can transmit emotions and inspire other people. Even more since that Covid-19 outbreak we need to all stay strong in this great photography community. KAREN MIKI ROHEE be inspired Gallery // ARTIST STATEMENT // I first started photography around six years ago with a DSLR camera. But I only got seriously into this medium when I entered the world of film photography late 2017, by getting my first film camera the Canon AE1. Since then, I've let my passion guide me in this whole journey, mostly doing street photography. I chose a series of black and white images to share within the community of photographers. When I take black and white images, I like to play with the contrast, leading lines and isolated subject. I want to tell a story with my pictures and love to transmit emotions through my images. The series that I am presenting is the illustration of what I like to do, playing with the scenery, contrast and light. And just like how many photographers inspires me, I hope I can transmit emotions and inspire other people. Even more since that Covid-19 outbreak we need to all stay strong in this great photography community. LOCATION Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur FRANCE CAMERA Canon AE1 CATEGORY street WEBSITE https://kmanalog.darkroom.tech/ @KM_ANALOG FEATURES //

My way of seeing the world is strongly influenced by my passion for literature, poetry and music. As a kid growing up, I immersed myself in fairy tales, novels, song lyrics and every other piece of writing I could get a hold of. I have been expressing my thoughts in written form ever since. Over time, my visual language became more and more dominant though and I still enjoy the process of learning, experimenting and improving my photographic skills every day. ISABELLE COORDES ARTIST'S STATEMENT // My way of seeing the world is strongly influenced by my passion for literature, poetry and music. As a kid growing up, I immersed myself in fairy tales, novels, song lyrics and every other piece of writing I could get a hold of. I have been expressing my thoughts in written form ever since. Over time, my visual language became more and more dominant though and I still enjoy the process of learning, experimenting and improving my photographic skills every day. LOCATION Münster GERMANY CAMERA/S Lumix GX 80, Ricoh GR IIIx CATEGORY fine art, documentary, conceptual, street WEBSITE https://www.isabellecoordes.com/ @ISABELLECOORDES @ISABELLE-COORDES FEATURES //

I started my photography journey only a few of years ago. Until then I basically took pictures or rather snaps with my iPhone and in April 2017, I felt ready to purchase a 'real' camera, the Lumix GX80. As from then I started taking photography more serious, started reading/studying about photography and took a couple of online courses to learn the basics. With an engineering background learning the basics of the technology was not so complicated, but at the same time I also discovered that photography is not about technology. I found at some point in time a sentence that summarizes it all: 'It is not the camera that takes the picture, it is the person behind the camera that makes the picture.' Since then I am basically experimenting with colors, light, shadow, composition, and moods. Although 'finding your style' is a never-ending journey, I have a tendency towards street photography. Street photography, but of the slow type with pictures where there is a human aspect present. Very often the human element is only present in the background to add to the mood or even only as a silhouette. Although I like to travel, I really enjoy taken pictures in my own hometown Antwerp. The biggest advantage here is that you can go at the same place over and over again as different light makes a scene completely different. YVES VAN TENTE be inspired Gallery // ARTIST STATEMENT // I started my photography journey only a few of years ago. Until then I basically took pictures or rather snaps with my iPhone and in April 2017, I felt ready to purchase a 'real' camera, the Lumix GX80. As from then I started taking photography more serious, started reading/studying about photography and took a couple of online courses to learn the basics. With an engineering background learning the basics of the technology was not so complicated, but at the same time I also discovered that photography is not about technology. I found at some point in time a sentence that summarizes it all: 'It is not the camera that takes the picture, it is the person behind the camera that makes the picture.' Since then I am basically experimenting with colors, light, shadow, composition, and moods. Although 'finding your style' is a never-ending journey, I have a tendency towards street photography. Street photography, but of the slow type with pictures where there is a human aspect present. Very often the human element is only present in the background to add to the mood or even only as a silhouette. Although I like to travel, I really enjoy taken pictures in my own hometown Antwerp. The biggest advantage here is that you can go at the same place over and over again as different light makes a scene completely different. LOCATION Antwerp BELGIUM CAMERA Lumix GX80, G9 CATEGORY street FEATURES //