Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Lens Magazine

How does one capture the essence of a place with a camera? I have been tasked to do that throughout my career on assignments that have taken me to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. Success in the past doesn't guarantee the same results in the future, however, so I go into every project with the same degree of focus and determination. My latest project is taking me back to and through Japan’s magnificent Nagano Prefecture, a place I have had the good fortune to work in numerous times. This includes documenting the Nakasendo, one of two historic routes that connected Kyoto with Edo (now Tokyo) for Walk Japan, illustrating a brochure for Backroads' Japanese Alps hiking tour, and leading several photography workshops that included Yudanaka and Jigokudani.…

SOME PLACES DON'T JUST ASK TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED—THEY ASK TO BE FELT. MYANMAR IS ONE OF THOSE RARE PLACES THAT DOESN'T REVEAL ITSELF ALL AT ONCE. IT UNFOLDS SLOWLY, LIKE A WHISPERED PRAYER, AND IF YOU'RE PATIENT, IT SHOWS YOU SOMETHING SACRED. AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT THE MOST POWERFUL IMAGES ARE THE ONES THAT CARRY EMOTION, NOT JUST COMPOSITION. LIGHT CAN GUIDE THE EYE, BUT IT’S FEELING THAT REACHES THE HEART. MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE TEMPLE-STREWN PLAINS OF BAGAN AND THE MIRRORED WATERS OF INLE LAKE WAS NOT JUST ABOUT CHASING LIGHT—IT WAS ABOUT CHASING MEANING.- XAVIER AYME INLE LAKE: WHERE WATER TEACHES GRACE Inle Lake felt like a poem written on water. Life here doesn't rush—it flows. Every moment on the lake felt intentional and filled…

I SEEK CONNECTION-TO EVOKE EMOTION, PROVOKE THOUGHT, AND OFFER VIEWERS A MOMENT TO PAUSE AND SEE THE WORLD NOT JUST AS IT IS BUT AS IT COULD BE IMAGINED."- INBAL KRISTIN Transcend Traditional Boundaries As a multidisciplinary artist and photographer, my work is driven by a desire to explore the world through a deeply personal lens. I am drawn to the emotional landscapes beneath the surface of everyday life-expressions, shadows, color, texture form, and fleeting moments- and I strive to capture them in ways that transcend traditional boundaries. Over the years, I have been honored to receive recognition in international photography competitions, with awards from cities such as Milan, London, Prague, Barcelona, Paris, Florence, Turin, Rome, and Budapest. My work has been showcased in group and solo exhibitions worldwide, including…

EAGLE HUNTER FAMILY AUTUMN HAD BEGUN ITS SLOW CREEP ACROSS THE LAND WHEN I FIRST FOUND MYSELF NEAR LAKE ISSYK-KUL, CHASING WHISPERS OF THE BERKUTCHI—THE LEGENDARY EAGLE HUNTERS. THE AIR CARRIED THE BITE OF WINTER’S APPROACH, AND THE HILLS ROLLED ENDLESSLY, DOTTED WITH YURTS, THEIR SMOKE CURLING INTO THE COLD SKY.- ROSHI ABA We are thrilled to present an exclusive interview with Roshi Aba, a British-Iranian multifaceted adventurer, talented photographer, and passionate theatre enthusiast. Originally from the colourful landscapes of Iran, Roshi is now based in London, United Kingdom. Throughout her vibrant career, she has traveled across the globe, using the art of photography to capture and document the rich tapestry of life and the ever-evolving essence of humanity. At the heart of Roshi’s journey lies a deep commitment to…

Toward the end of 1913, on the eve of the Second World War, a young Danish aristocrat, Karen Dinesen, joins her Swedish fiancé, Baron Bror von Blixen, in British East Africa (now Kenya). The young couple, having just acquired a coffee plantation thanks to a family inheritance, dreams of making a fortune in Africa. A new life, full of hope, is taking shape. Karen Blixen is 28 years old and has so far led a well-ordered life between Copenhagen, Paris, and Rome, where she was pursuing studies in art. She is passionate about painting and literature. An original and curious personality, she has great imagination and let herself easily fall to the power of dreams. When she arrives in Africa, an immense world - much vaster, more beautiful, and more…

ETHNIC GROUPS LIKE THE UYGHURS EXPRESS A CULTURAL WORLDVIEW THAT DOES NOT NEATLY FIT INTO THE FREE-MARKET CAPITALISM PARADIGM THAT CHINA HAS ADOPTED. TECHNOLOGY IS CERTAINLY MAKING INROADS INTO THE DAILY FABRIC OF UYGHUR LIFE, YET THEIR ANCIENT CUSTOMS AND CULTURAL BELIEF SYSTEMS PERSISTENTLY "HANG ON."- MICK STETSON Since ancient times, the Imperial power of China has tried to contain its nomadic neighbors. The most notable attempt was the construction of the Great Wall between 220 and 206 BC. Today, this containment continues, but not in the form of stone walls. The walls that exist today are built on the idea that our social world should be absolute, not diverse, multifaceted, or evolving indeterminably. Since 2014, after a series of violent anti-government attacks in the western autonomous region of Xinjiang,…

I AM A "ROMANTIC OLD SOUL" WITH INTELLECTUAL CRAVINGS NOW LIVING IN A DIGITAL WORLD."-KAREN SAFER. I've always been an artist. My passion for art and photography began early in my teens. I embrace the natural and man-made worlds. I am influenced by everything from the ancient Assyrians to the conceptual works of Cindy Sherman, and while I embrace color, I revere black and white – realistic and abstract. I am a student of the universe, history, art, architecture, music, literature, and all the arts – sensual and all senses. My images are for people to embrace and enjoy the entire world through my lens of everyday life-places, people, and things. "A PHOTOGRAPHER HAS THE WHOLE WORLD, BIG AND SMALL, TO CAPTURE."- KAREN SAFER. I GOT A CAMERA, AND SOME…

ECUADOR A cross dozens of stories, I hope to have done my part in bringing our world together, an action that helps protect our cultural heritage. The proudest moment of my life was discovering that my images of the Huaorani were instrumental in the community’s winning their court case against the international petroleum companies encroaching on their land and destroying their world. I hope my future holds more such amazing moments. I am unorthodox in many ways. I research my subjects, the stories I want to tell, and the visuals I hope to create, and I prepare extensively for everyday assignments and every image. My choice to bring a studio environment out into the world is not a stylistic one. It is borne out of my desire to actively and purposefully involve…

I DECONSTRUCT AND FRACTURE REALITY TO BUILD MY OWN AND NEVER FORGET WHAT I WITNESSED. MY ARTWORK ISN'T ABOUT WHAT I SAW AND CAPTURED BUT RATHER WHAT I MAKE FROM WHAT I REMEMBER—WHAT IS LEFT AND LIVES WITHIN ME FROM PLACES, PEOPLE, MONUMENTS, OR OBJECTS. MY IMAGES REVEAL UNSEEN MEMORIES AND EMOTIONS FROM MY TRAVELS AND EXPLORATIONS.- CHARLOTTE FONNE MY STORY BREATH My journey began when I was a child, snuggled up in the back of my parents' Volkswagen van. My mum was my partner in crime, taking me on wild adventures during our vacations. Each trip was filled with the thrill of exploring new lands and immersing myself in vibrant cultures. A spark for photography ignited in me during these travels. I felt compelled to capture the world around…

"Good food is a silent storyteller—every detail on the plate speaks of passion, patience, and purpose."- Bogdan Andonov Photography is my language—my way of interpreting and elevating the everyday. Through my lens, I aim to capture not only how something looks but also how it feels. Whether I'm shooting handcrafted desserts, polished products, or a spontaneous scene on the street, I always focus on telling a story with clarity, depth, and a touch of elegance. My approach is grounded in adaptability. I choose my gear and editing style based on the emotion and intention behind the image, not a fixed formula. While primarily shooting digitally, I continuously explore new visual textures and lighting techniques to match the subject’s character. For me, editing is about refining the message—enhancing the mood of…

Yasser Alaa Mobarak (b. 1993) is an award-winning photographer from Alexandria, Egypt. He has won photography prizes from Travel Photographer of the Year, National Geographic, Sony World Photography Awards, The International Photo Awards, Paris Photo Award, Vienna Photo Award, Egypt Press Photo, Royal Photographic Society, International Federation of Photographic Art, and Photographic Society of America. Yasser’s works have been featured in CNN Arabic, National Geographic, The Guardian, VICE, Deutsche Welle, Digital Camera World Magazine, Street Photography Magazine, and PBS NewsHour. Yasser’s works have been exhibited in State Hermitage Museum (Russia), Image Festival Amman (Jordan), Xposure International Photography Festival (UAE), Format International Photography Festival (UK), Getxophoto International Image Festival (Spain), Malinski Photo Festival (North Macedonia), Shenzhen International Photography Exhibition (China), Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt), Goethe-Institut Alexandria (Egypt), Rope Street Museum (Romania) and…