Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Lens Magazine

One of Mahatma Gandhi’s many illuminating quotes was, "A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people." I will humbly add for this feature "and the souls of its animals." Few, if any, places on this earth are more fascinating to explore camera-in-hand than India. Its streets team with activity with its people often attired in traditional clothing. Its diverse wildlife is fascinating and accessible in various national parks, while its architecture is stunning. As a child, I remember the photographs of the Taj Mahal evoked wanderlust emotions in me. But it would only be well into my photography career on an assignment that I would stand before this incredible complex built by the Moghul Emperor Shah Jehan as a mausoleum for his most beloved…

”WATER IS POWERFUL AND POSSESSIVE. IT CAUTIOUSLY GUARDS ITS DARK ABYSS AGAINST AIR AND LIGHT. WHENEVER ANY OF THE TWO SNEAK IN, THE WATER MERCILESSLY DEVOURS THEM. YET, WATER’S POWER GIVES WAY TO ITS MAJESTY, RELEASING THE ELEMENTS IT ONCE HELD CAPTIVE. WHEN A WEIGHTLESS BEAUTY WRAPPED IN SHIMMERING BUBBLES SHINES BEFORE MY LENS, THE CAMERA TAKES PICTURES ON ITS OWN. I AM JUST HOLDING MY BREATH."- ALEX SHER “Once upon a time, when wheels were made of stone and phones had no cameras, lived my grandma. I loved my grandma and loved her stories about people and places she remembered. There was one story about a photographer grandma was telling in her photo lab. She never mentioned his name - just a guy who could make any woman beautiful…

”THIS SELF-PORTRAIT SERIES EXPLORES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE IMAGE IN OUR MODERN SOCIETY AND ITS DIRECT IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH. A VISUAL METAPHOR OF THE DIFFERENT MASKS WE WEAR SOCIALLY." "Eyes without a Face" - Oct 2021 This self-portrait series explores the importance of the image in our modern society and its direct impact on mental health. A visual metaphor of the different masks we wear socially. Short film and photoshoot inspired by the character of Christiane in the iconic French horror film Les Yeux sans visage - Eyes without a face, by Georges Franju, 1960. Even though the film is classified as horror, the tragedy this character experiences transforms the message. Therefore, it can easily be viewed as a modern drama if approached from a different perspective. This is…

”NATURAL LIGHT OFFERS A UNIQUE AMBIANCE AND ATMOSPHERE THAT CAN VARY GREATLY FROM SET TO SET, CREATING A GENTLER, MORE ELEGANT PORTRAYAL THAT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY." I'm Saif Charaniya, a Toronto - based photographer in Canada, interested in fine art and automotive photography. For the past two years, I've been shooting professionally and have found solace in photography as a means of emotional expression and escape from the daily hustle. Recently, I had the pleasure of shooting with Ira Balan in a beautiful studio loft in Toronto, which boasted a large south-facing window that provided ample natural light. In addition, the moving clouds added an extra layer of diffusion to some of the sets, which only enhanced the mood and atmosphere of the shots. Natural light…

Born and living in Lyon, France, I have always been a traveler on land and sea. I am passionate about all that humanity has done of the most beautiful: painting, architecture, sculpture, and photography…but also about the purest and most spontaneous beauty in nature. Through my vision, I pose this wonder of the fleeting moment of a scene to the millennial remains. Each shot is a story that I would like to tell you. ”THE PASSION FOR ART IS, AS FOR BELIEVERS, VERY RELIGIOUS. IT UNITES PEOPLE; ITS MESSAGE IS OF COMMON HUMANITY. ART HAS BECOME MY RELIGION - OTHERS PRAY IN CHURCH. IT’S A BANALITY, BUT YOU DON'T POSSESS ART; IT POSSESSES YOU. IT’S LIKE FALLING IN LOVE."-FRANCOIS PINAULT ”THROUGH MY VISION, I POSE THIS WONDER OF THE FLEETING…

”I LIKE TO TAKE PORTRAITS OF WOMEN WHO HAVE ALREADY REALIZED WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEY WANT, AND WHAT THEY DON'T WANT. EACH OF MY MODELS IS A LIVING PERSON WITH A STORY OF VICTORIES AND LESSONS. PERSONALITY IS THE MOST EXCITING BOOK. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS STORED IN THE WRINKLES AROUND THE EYES, IN A BURST OF VIVID LAUGHTER. SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T DRAW WITH PHOTOSHOP AND INJECT WITH ANY INJECTIONS. BUT AUTHENTIC SEXUALITY FOR ME IS NOT IN A DEEP NECKLINE BUT IN AWARENESS AND RESPECT FOR YOURSELF. THE FACIAL EXPRESSION OF A WOMAN IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN HER CLOTHES. BEAUTY IS IN THE DESIRE TO BE REAL." Elena Dudar is a Ukrainian-based portrait photographer focusing mainly on mature, inspiring women. She aims to express the…

”BREAST CANCER IS MORE THAN A BRIGHT PINK SHADE. BREAST CANCER BRINGS FEAR, SADNESS AND DESPAIR WITH IT. BREAST CNASER CAN ALSO BE UNDERSTOOD AS A REBIRTH!" NEW EXHIBITION OF MANFRED BAUMANN CITY GALLERY, VIENNA | 04.04.2023 TO 30.04.2023 INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PHOTOGRAPHER MANFRED BAUMANN SHOWS THE FACES AND BODIES OF OVER 20 WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH BREAST CANCER – IN VARIOUS DIMENSIONS: AS THE FIRST TIME, RELAPSED OR METASTATIC, INCURABLE SUFFERERS. THE PHOTOGRAPHS GIVE VISIBILITY AND TELL THE PERSONAL STORIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS. Leica photographer Manfred Baumann aims to raise awareness of breast cancer and public awareness of the disease through this unique series of works. Under the title "Rebirth," this exhibition is dedicated to the survivors and the permanently ill. The portraits are intended to express that…

My wife and I first visited the Naga people in 2007 on the Indian side. Years later, I saw on Google Earth that there are numerous intact villages on the Burmese side of the Naga Hills, which can take up in their originality with the most beautiful in India. They are mainly located on a ridge of the 4500 to 5500 feet high hills and consist of 100 to 250 longhouses covered with palm leaves. It took several years of intense effort before we received permission from the Burmese government to visit these villages. Thus, we are often the first Western visitors and are given a correspondingly warm welcome. The only way to reach the Naga villages of the Layong and Konyak people in Burma is by motorcycle. Often the…

My relationship with monochrome photography goes back to childhood when my Father taught me to process my own films and make prints. I was immediately captivated by the alchemical magic of seeing images slowly materialize on paper and eagerly learned and experimented with the art and craft of photographic printmaking. Although I now rarely work with film, in this digital age, the skills I acquired in the darkroom still influence how I approach the post-production of images today. I seldom do much more to an image digitally than I might be able to achieve in a darkroom. Although I produce colorful abstract and minimal photographic artworks, black and white photography has always been a constant in my work. It removes the distractions of color; it is an abstracted, less literal…

”IN THIS SERIES, PAST THE POSTCARD SHOTS OR THE STREET, WE ACTUALLY SEE OR KNOW MORE PROFOUNDLY ABOUT THE DIVERSE AND HISTORICALLY RICH CITY; COMBINING PORTRAITS FROM VARIOUS PLACES ALSO REFLECTS ON DIVERSITY WITHIN AND ACROSS CONTEMPORARY SOCIETIES." Brice Gelot, aka NSD51/50, is a french photographer who has gained a strong reputation for his raw and powerful photography, known for his photojournalism, documenting the street culture. His photojournalism work focuses on capturing the essence of street life through his unique vision. His photographs often reflect the gritty reality of life on the streets, including portraits of people on the margins of society, the world of tattoos, and the darker side, such as homelessness, drug addiction, and gangs. Brice highlights the stark contrast between the beauty and the ugliness of street…

Embera means "people" Embera are semi-nomadic indigenous people in Panama living in Darién Province on the Chucunaque, Sambú, and Tuira Rivers shores and their waterways. In the late 1700s, the Emberá began migrating from the Choco region to modern-day Colombia and the Darién province of Panama. This migration was prompted by the Spanish and took the form of a conflict between the Emberá and the Kuna, moving the latter into the lands along the Caribbean coast, which now form the Comarca Guna Yala and San Blas Islands. The Darién has subsequently become recognized as the homeland of the Emberá in Panama. The Emberá are a riverine people who historically build their houses along river banks. A traditional Emberá house is an open-air dwelling raised 6–12 feet off the ground on…

”MY APPROACH TO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY IS TO BE WELCOMED IN BY THE LOCALS AND SHARE A MOMENT BEFORE TRYING TO SHOOT THEIR PORTRAIT."- JENNY BATEMAN I LOVE LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE. DO THEY HAVE A FAMILY? WHAT MAKES THEM LAUGH? AND WHAT TALES DO THEY HAVE TO SHARE FROM THEIR LIFE LIVED? It’s essential for me to meet locals of the land I'm traveling to; it gives me a better glimpse into what the country is truly about. My approach to travel photography is to be welcomed in by the locals and share a moment before trying to shoot their portrait. This allows me to better understand who they are and capture their story when I look into their eyes. Being able to travel is an incredible gift I have been…