Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Lens Magazine

”WE HAVE JUST LANDED IN NORILSK. IT IS 8 A.M., AND THE FIRST RAYS OF SUNSHINE ARE ALREADY HITTING THE SNOWCOVERED RUNWAY. IT IS EARLY APRIL, AND THE DAY PROMISES TO BE FROSTY. ”HALF AN HOUR LATER, WE ARE SITTING IN A TAXI AND DRIVING 45 KM TO THE CENTER OF THE LARGEST INDUSTRIAL CITY IN THE NORTH, WITH A POPULATION OF 175,000. ON THE WAY, WE GET OUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF WHAT NORILSK IS FAMOUS FOR: WIND AND AIR POLLUTION. The Taimyr Peninsula to the northeast is considered the “graveyard of cyclones.” All Atlantic hurricanes end their life cycle here. That’s why there is always a biting wind that can reach speeds of up to 40 meters per second. In front of our car, it whips the snow across…

”MY LIFE STRETCHES OUT IN FRONT AND TRAILS BEHIND ME LIKE RAILROAD TRACKS. I AM THE TRAIN, ITS PASSENGER, AND THE ENGINEER. THE WAY I HAVE ELECTED TO LIVE, AND THE GOALS I HAVE WORKED TOWARD, HAVE BEEN MY ROUTE AND MY DESTINATION. AS A PASSENGER ON THAT TRAIN, I COULD GET OFF, CHOOSE A DIFFERENT ROUTE, OR PAUSE JUST TO CHECK OUT THE VIEW. BUT SUCH IS NOT THE CASE WHEN YOU ARE A COMMUTER PASSENGER, TAKING A SINGLE ROUTE OVER AND OVER, PERHAPS TO A JOB, OR SCHOOL, OR, AS IN MY CASE, TO CARE FOR MY MOTHER AT THE END OF HER LIFE.- LILYAN ALOMA ”AS MY MOTHER DESCENDED INTO DEMENTIA, WHICH ULTIMATELY BROUGHT HER TO A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, I FOUND MYSELF TRAVELING REGULARLY ON THE…

"Documentary photography is the art of telling a story through images. It involves creating a connection between the photograph’s subject and the viewer; in a way, the photograph conveys its message. These images of homeless individuals are expressing something to you. How you interpret their message is entirely your own decision."-JM Simpson My documentary photography is not about perfection but about connection to and emotion about homeless individuals. In photographing the homeless in downtown Olympia, Washington, my connection to them begins by treating them with respect. I sit, talk, walk, and learn about and from many of these fellow human beings. Once I have established a connection, I will ask their permission to take several photographs. Given my personal—and sometimes fleeting—connection with the homeless, I intend to deepen this connection…

ON SEPTEMBER 9, 2025, PRESIDENT TRUMP LAUNCHED OPERATION MIDWAY BLITZ, A FEDERAL CRACKDOWN ON UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS IN CHICAGO THAT QUICKLY EXPANDED ACROSS ILLINOIS AND INTO LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA. LED BY ICE, THE OPERATION TARGETED UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS IN SANCTUARY CITIES. ITS EPICENTER WAS THE ICE PROCESSING FACILITY IN BROADVIEW, A VILLAGE OF FEWER THAN 8,000 RESIDENTS WEST OF CHICAGO. The facility drew weekly protests, which intensified after ICE fatally shot Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez on September 12. Clergy, activists, and community members converged, and clashes escalated. Federal agents used tear gas and pepper bullets, some fired from rooftops, against protesters and journalists. In response, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson issued an executive order limiting protest hours to 9AM–6PM and installed concrete barriers to create “safety zones.” By October, Broadview police coordinated…

On January 1st, 2025, New Year’s fireworks started a small blaze along the Temescal Canyon Trail near Skull Rock in Pacific Palisades. Firefighters thought it was out, but they never used thermal detection equipment to confirm it was. IT WASN'T. One week later, on January 7, strong Santa Ana winds reignited the fire, which exploded and led to the 10th-deadliest and third-most destructive wildfire in US history. 100% containment was declared on January 31, 2025, after 24 days. The Palisades Fire burned over 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures, and resulted in 12 deaths. Along with the Eaton, Lidia, Archer, Woodley, Sunset, Kenneth, Hurst, Auto, and Hughes fires, the January Los Angeles fires burned over 57,000 acres in 24 days. Southern California experienced a record dry fall and winter. In the…

Outside the small town of Mahabalipuram in India’s southernmost state of Tamil Nadu, the settlement of Poonjeri is home to around 40 Narikuravar families. The Narikuravar are a seminomadic community of around 30,000 people that are spread in small groups across the state. Historically, their main source of livelihood was hunting, but this has become almost impossible since laws were tightened to protect wild animals. Today, the Narikurava make a living primarily from making bead necklaces and other jewelry which they sell on the streets, in front of temples and at festivals. The Narikuravar people have experienced discrimination ever since ancient times and were long considered "untouchables." During British rule in India, they were placed under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 and, as a result, were stigmatized for a…

A person’s favourite place is one that can be chosen at will. The person’s freedom is presupposed. Freedom, however, is not granted to all. Those who do not have it must adjust to whatever opportunities exist and strive to create their own place. A cell is perhaps the smallest possible space for habitation that a person can have. Personal and functional items are all accommodated in the tightest space. The spaces are represented as they are found. The proportions of the photographs match those of the rooms. All details in the rooms are shown orthogonally from above; nothing has been altered. ”PERSONAL DETAILS FROM THE LIFE OF PRISONERS, BUT EVERYTHING WITHOUT THE INDIVIDUALS TO WHICH THEY BELONG. A DEHUMANIZED WORLD WHICH NARRATES THE WORLD OF HUMANS. THEY ARE SUFFOCATING PHOTOGRAPHS, DESPITE…

The global waste crisis is inseparable from urbanization. The more urbanized a country becomes, the more waste it generates. Cities concentrate people, economic activity, and consumption, all of which produce refuse at scale. In rapidly urbanizing regions of Asia and Africa, waste generation is expected to double in the near future. These cities often expand faster than infrastructure can be built, resulting in informal settlements without regular waste collection services. Consequently, waste accumulates in streets, waterways, and open dumps, creating severe environmental and public health risks. ”PLASTIC WASTE EXEMPLIFIES THE IRRATIONALITY OF CURRENT CONSUMPTION SYSTEMS. GLOBALLY, APPROXIMATELY 1 TRILLION SINGLEUSE PLASTIC BAGS ARE USED EACH YEAR—ABOUT 2 MILLION EVERY MINUTE. THE ENERGY REQUIRED TO MANUFACTURE JUST TWELVE PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS COULD DRIVE A CAR FOR 1.5 KILOMETERS, HIGHLIGHTING THE INEFFICIENCY…

American ranch rodeos are a vibrant spectacle, a living testament to the cowboy way of life, steeped in a rich tapestry of culture and tradition. Unlike the more flamboyant professional rodeos, ranch rodeos celebrate the authentic skills and daily tasks of working cowboys. Here, the emphasis is on teamwork, horsemanship, and the practical abilities required on a sprawling cattle ranch. At the heart of every ranch rodeo is the unbreakable bond between cowboy and horse. These aren’t just animals; they are partners, meticulously trained and intrinsically connected to their riders. The intelligence, agility, and sheer power of these equine athletes are awe-inspiring as they skillfully navigate events such as wild cow milking, team branding, and ranch horse competitions. Photography particularly excels at capturing the raw emotion and timeless elegance of…

Over 300 families live in Phnom Penh’s "Kilometer 6" commune, which is located alongside railway tracks that stretch from the districts of Tuol Kork to Daun Penh and Russey Keo (hence their name, the Railway Community). The families live in self-built shacks, usually consisting of a single room. The people here—some of the poorest people in the city—often run small businesses in the form of mini-kiosks in their community. They arrange individual products on cloth in front of their houses. Because of the lack of space, the residents spread out over the train tracks during the day. Whenever they hear the train horns, they quickly gather their cooking utensils, chairs, sunshades, and children to clear the track. Just seconds after the freight trains have passed, the railway track becomes the…