Lens Magazine. July 2023. Issue #106 | Outdoor Photography by Art Market - Global Media Company

Fine Art Photography Magazine JULY 2023 #106 Outdoor Travel / Nature / Landscape / Seascape / Wildlife / Documentary / Adventure & Extreme Photography

Dafna Navarro is the CEO and Founder of Art Market – Global Media Company.

Founded in 2013, Art Market is the publisher of two famous international art and photography magazines: Lens Magazine for fine art photography and Art Market Magazine for contemporary fine art. Beyond her many achievements, Navarro is also a curator and an appraiser of art and collectibles. In addition, she serves on the jury panel of international competitions in the contemporary art & photography fields.

Navarro is the current Editor-in-Chief and the main creative driving force behind her magazine’s rise and success. With no signs of slowing down, the magazines feature interviews with the most influential figures in the art and photography fields, coverage of international exhibitions and art fairs and all the latest news regarding fine and contemporary art from across the globe. Both magazines are distributed worldwide in both print and digital media. As a result, the magazines receive the exposure of over 50,000 monthly readers worldwide, including a unique distribution of the GOLD LIST Edition by Barnes & Noble’s book stores in the U.S. and Canada, Steimatzky Bookstores in Israel, and vast appearances in international art fairs. In addition, copies of each published magazine are added to universities’ archive data and academic libraries as learning material for lecturers and students.

2 lensmagazine.net lensmagazine.net Copyright to The International Lens Magazine © Dafna Navarro, 2023. All rights reserved. Art Market - Global Media Company No part of this magazine may be re-used without the written permission of the publisher. This magazine's content is for informational purposes only and is, to the best of knowledge, correct at the time of publication. 132 118

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Founder & Editor: Dafna Navarro

FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: DAFNA NAVARRO

CONTENT EDITOR: JASMIN SUKARY

GRAPHIC DESIGN: ZIV KAY

MARKETING DIRECTOR: ROMAN GUTMAN

ON THE COVER

Lens Magazine

68 82 52 14 38

14/ AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL KORDAN BY ARIEL SU

38/ AUSTRALIA'S LAST FRONTIER BY MARK EDWARD HARRIS

52/ 2 SERIES SALT PANS | MOUNT ATHOS BY PYGMALION KARATZAS

68/ ROMANIAN GYPSY TOWN BY HILA NESS

82/ 2 PROJECTS | STORMY NIGHTS IN THE YARANGA | SAGO PALMS AND THEIR WORMS

118/ HAZARDOUS SHORELINES BY GEOFFREY ANSEL AGRONS

132/ THE LOVE FOR NATURE'S BEAUTY BY RONEN GOLAN

146/ ATTRACTION TO ABANDONED PLACES BY JAMES T GUNDERSON

158/ ODYSSEY TO THE SOUTH: BY JIALU CHENG

172/ THIS PLACE WAS A SHELTER BY LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

132 106 158 146 172 118

organized by with the patronage of cultural partner

"I AM YOU"

INDIVIDUAL AND COLLECTIVE IDENTITIES IN CONTEMPORARY ART AND DESIGN.

14 - 22 OCTOBER 2023 | FORTEZZA DA BASSO, FLORENCE, ITALY

XIV FLORENCE BIENNALE

We are glad to announce the winner and finalists of the PHOTOGRAPHY category at the International Open Call Competition — a unique collaboration of the Florence Biennale, Art Market Magazine, and Lens Magazine.

Artists and photographers who participated in the competition were invited to interpret the theme of the XIV Florence Biennale, which will be held from 14 to 22 October 2021 at Fortezza da Basso in Florence, Italy:

"I AM YOU"

Individual and Collective Identities in Contemporary Art and Design.

The contest winners' works will be used for the integrated communication of the event (mass media, internet, outdoor advertising, etc.) and exhibited in a dedicated space within the XIV Florence Biennale, while the finalists' works will be projected in rotation within the same space. The winners will also receive the Guests of Honour recognition during the event.

WINNER | photography | VIKTORIA ANDREEVA

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

14 - 22 OCTOBER 2023 | FORTEZZA DA BASSO, FLORENCE, ITALY

An exclusive interview with DANIEL KORDAN

BY ARIEL SU

Daniel Kordan is one of the most influential advanture and landscape photographers worldwide.

Daniel is an International award-winning photographer with significant clients such as Apple, Gazprom Neft', S7 Airlines, and RedBull. Currently based in Tuscany, Italy.

Kordan grew up in Moscow and started his photography journey in early childhood while focusing mainly on nature and wildlife photography.

Through his university studies (Physics and Technology), he also gained experience in mountain climbing and hiking, guiding tourist groups in winter and in summer, and became a guide of photo-workshops and the chief editor of "Continent expedition" magazine.

Today, Daniel is considered one of the most influential photographers globally by many social media followers (over 1 Million). His successful workshops continue to be the rising star in Nature and landscape fields. During the past ten years, Kordan received respectable international awards, including the Golden Turtle' 13 Nature nomination winner, National Geographic Russia contest 2013 winner, Best of Russia'13, '14 '15 winner, bestphotographer'13, Trierenberg Super Circuit award (best landscape photographer). His work has been published in many international publications, including Digital SLR Magazine, U.K., Photography week, Photography MasterClass, National Geographic, Discovery, Photoworld China, Digital Photo (Bauer Media) magazines. Daniel Kordan is an official Nikon. Gitzo and Lucroit ambassador.

It is a great pleasure to feature an interview with such a fascinating photographer!

Your journey is not only a trip to a location. Instead, try to create it as a longlasting project with several goals and ideas to be tested. The goal might, for instance, be an album, an ecological project, or an exhibition."

- Daniel Kordan

An exclusive interview with DANIEL KORDAN

Lens Magazine: Thank you, Daniel, for this interview. We have so many questions about your future photography traveling workshops, but first, let's focus on your background. Through your university studies in Physics and Technology, you also started your professional journey as a nature photographer. What led you to become one of the most experienced photographers in the world? What was your career path?

Daniel Kordan: Thank you, It's a pleasure having an interview with Lens Magazine. In my early years, I attended an Art school. I was a student at this school for six years. I learned painting techniques, which undoubtedly extended my understanding of beautiful compositions and harmonious color palettes. I also learned to understand that finding and presenting unique moments depends on much more than pure technique. I learned to understand the value of intuition. It's a central key to achieve impressive results. The Art studies really helped me to evolve

this property. I'm grateful for this. In addition, my Art teacher told me to be bold with colors. He told me never to use black. I listened to him, so I actually never used black in my painting. Instead, I learned to bring out hidden details in dark parts of pictures. When I had spare time, I was always eager to be in Nature with my friends. We were often driving on bicycles and swimming in the lake. Today, it's strange to think about how different life was in these days. So much has changed since.

About 10 years ago, I started as a guide in a mountain club. This gave me the opportunity to travel to amazing places. Many of these guiding tours enabled me to experience beautiful sunrises (above the clouds). This made a significant impact on me.

I had a desire to document and share these beautiful moments with others.

In addition, I met a lot of wonderful people and experienced different cultures. And that's precisely what I love about it: your camera brings you to meet other people and new places.

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It was hard for me to choose between working with science or photography. My strongest passion had always been science, and I admired doing scientific work. Compared to this, photography was more like pure passion. After thinking thoroughly about the matter (working with physics or photographing as an occupation), the decision was made. I choose to photograph and travel. It had become what I love most in my life. Now that I've become a full-time landscape photographer (and a Nikon Ambassador), I still don't consider my photography workshops as work. It's because I'm so emotionally involved. Photographing has become an essential part of my life.

L.M.: Tell us about your traveling photography workshops, are they mainly focused on the Lofoten Islands, Norway?

D.K.: I'm a partner in Iceland's photo tours company. We have workshops in about 45 countries around the world listed on our website, making our company the biggest official tour operator focused primarily on photography tours and masterclasses. My most favorite ones are in Antarctica and Greenland. In Antarctica, we charter a 100 passengers Greg Mortimer supermodern vessel for our 2-week itinerary. In Greenland, we have our 2 sailing boats with a red sail. Our guests navigate under red sails in the midnight sun with infinite 4-5 hours sunset and stay in a fantastic 4-star hotel. We always focus on comfort and maximum education possibilities for our guests.

L.M.: Where was your latest photography workshop, and what kind of experience do you try to give the participant's photographers?

D.K.: My latest photography tour happened in Russia, Baikal lake, in January 2021. We traveled on ice by particular vehicle called Khivusbasically, it's a soft base boat with a massive propeller on the backside, which allows you safely travel on ice. Baikal lake is a famous lake in Siberia with the clearest ice in the world - we always look for ice caves, bubbles, cracks, and small islands on the ice.

L.M.: If you had to choose your most favorite photography location in the world, what would it be?

D.K.: My most favorite place ever is Greenland. Small colorful villages

with toy-like houses, whales, and enormous icebergs like giant ice castles. Moreover, ice is always changing and melting due to global warming. So it's essential to be able to document it and bring this problem to the world.

L.M.: Your major key clients are Apple, Gazprom Neft', S7 Airlines, and RedBull; what kind of projects did you work on for them?

D.K.: Apple used one of my photos from the Lofoten Islands in one of the global campaigns to launch the MacBook Pro. Gazprom Neft involved me as a freelance journalist to document people's lives in the northern cities working on social projects helping improve people's living conditions. Other brands are my permanent partners to support with photography.

L.M.: You are the

Tell us about this collaboration with these influential brands and what led you to this position as the ambassador?

D.K.: These mentioned brands involve me in campaigns promoting new products. Basically, before the new lens or tripod is released, I test it in some challenging conditions and bring back extraordinary images, reviews, and films. Later on, the brands using these media to promote the product on the release date or receive feedback from me about possible improvements. Brands contacted me themselves; I believe it depends on overall reputation and marketing abilities besides photography - social reputation following is also involved.

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L.M.: Here on Lens Magazine, we almost don't focus on the gear, but now, in Nature/ Wildlife and Landscape fields, we see it as a must question. What equipment are you using? Do you have a unique technique? Can you describe your post-processing workflow?

D.K.: Actually, I am not a gear lover. I talk much either about compositions, light, and processing techniques. Still, it's a fact that I am totally dependent on wellfunctioning high standard equipment, which helps me in most challenging conditions.

Here are some facts:

I mainly use only three lenses in my photography (and I'm thrilled with these lenses). It can be entirely appropriate to use expensive equipment. But not at any cost or at any time.

I often get surprised when I see people use top-notch gear just to publish mainstream photos on social

networks. If you use expensive gear, I think you clearly need to understand why.

For my own sake, I use top-notch gear to produce high-quality prints in large formats. However, if you are a reporter and, for instance, only publish pictures in magazines or at your blog, then (I think) it's more adequate to use a small mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses.

The final result will be satisfactory.

For my choice of equipment, reliability is one of the most important criteria. That's why I use Nikon in the most challenging conditions around the world.

CAMERA BODIES, LENSES, FILTERS, ETC Bodies: Nikon D810 and Nikon Z 7 Lenses: Nikkor 14-24, 24-70, 70-200 mm

Favorite lens: If I had to choose, my most favorite lens would be a Nikkor 14-24, f/2.8. In my opinion, this is a marvelous piece of photographic equipment.

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Favorite filters: I like to use filters, which allow me to do a bit less work and participate in contests (which prohibit composite images (i.e., bracketing)). I use ND 3,6,10 stop and GND 4 stop soft, polarizer. For my 14-24 Nikkor, I use the Lucroit 165 mm system.

Other equipment: Gitzo tripod and Gitzo backpack. Besides, I use an L-plate + nodal slide rail for my panoramic images (or panoramic head).

Preferred protection bags: For safe storage of my cameras and lenses, my favorite is Gitzo Adventury.

For tripods on hikes and light conditions, I use Gitzo traveler.

In addition, I use Gitzo systematic for harsh conditions. (for instance, I used it to protect against the winds of Patagonia and the North Sea waves in Lofoten).

L.M.: Did you have any dangerous experience during a photography traveling / workshop?

D.K.: I always keep out of dangerous countries or adjust my itinerary not to go in the storm. So the trips I take are very adventurous but still very safe. Our company always has a safety-first policy and never puts people at risk; not a single photo worth the risk.

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Lens Magazine

L.M.: On your website, we can find a large selection of photographs for purchase, in various sizes and different print techniques. Is it a significant part of your income? are you featuring your art in galleries and art fairs worldwide?

D.K.: Yes, I have my own print shop on my website with very highquality images and a selection of photos from Mongolia and Kenya as signed limited edition prints, also featured at Lumas galleries worldwide.

L.M.: Do you have any advice or a tip to give to our emerging/young photographers trying to succeed in the field?

D.K.: Your journey is not only a trip to a location. Instead, try to create it as a long-lasting project with several goals and ideas to be

tested. The goal might, for instance, be an album, an ecological project, or an exhibition. Work at a particular location for a long time (returning there in different seasons or different years). You'll soon get the advantage of being more recognizable by both photographers and local people. I think this is something you should think about. You should publish as much as possible. For instance: Try to write interviews, post your work on social media, popular blogs, and photography websites. By exposing yourself, you will get more feedback. Also, request critique from fellow photographers. Sadly, (nowadays) I think it is almost impossible to get constructive comments. For that reason, it's essential to find a person who'll kick you if you get stalled.

Finally, I would like to remind you that it takes a long time to make your portfolio "work." Therefore you have to work very hard every day to achieve your dream.

L.M.: What kind of workshops are scheduled for 2021? Where will you travel in the upcoming workshop, and what experience is waiting for the participant's photographers?

D.K.: You can always check Danielkordan.com or Iceland-photo-tours.com for upcoming workshops. In 2023-2024 I planned to lead our Antarctica Fly/Sail Photography, Red Sails in Greenland and many more. Everyone is very welcome to join!

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My most favorite place ever is Greenland. Small colorful villages with toy-like houses, whales, and enormous icebergs like giant ice castles. Moreover, ice is always changing and melting due to global warming. So it's essential to be able to document it and bring this problem to the world."

- Daniel Kordan

DANIEL KORDAN

website: danielkordan.com

instagra: @danielkordan

facebook: @dk.scape

FRONTIER Australia's Last

BY MARK EDWARD HARRIS

There are places on this planet that are off the beaten track, then there are others that are so removed that there are few, if any, tracks at all. The northwest coast of Australia, an area known as "The Kimberly," is one of them.

I join an Abercrombie and Kent expedition cruise to explore this vast region from Broome in the state of Western Australia to Darwin in the continent's Northern Territory.

In terms of equipment, since I'll be working out of a floating luxury hotel, I can bring what I need for a particular expedition and leave other pieces in my cabin, for instance, my Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8, when hiking to an aboriginal cave painting site.

Idecided on the Think Tank Airport TakeOff V2.0 bag to be entrusted with my gear for the trip. I can roll it around airports and streets before we depart Broome, then convert it into a backpack for excursions into the outback. Inside are two Nikon Z9 camera bodies, Z 14-24mm f/2.8, Z 24-70mm f/2.8, Z 70-200mm f/2.8, and Z 400mm f/2.8 lenses, as well as an extra battery, Delkin Devices BLACK CFexpress cards, a Tiffen variable ND filter and polarizer. A separately packed Stella CLx10 helps with illumination when needed, as does a Westcott 20-inch Silver/White reflector.

Depending on how much equipment I will take with me on a given assignment, I will also often turn to the slightly more demure ThinkTank StreetWalker rolling bag/backpack. Either way, when they're in the rolling mode, I detach all my lenses to eliminate vibration between them and my camera bodies.

The Kimberley is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean and the north by the Timor Sea, with much of its coastal areas only accessible by sea. Extreme tidal changes are evident on its dramatic cliffs.

Our first expedition sets the stage for the journey ahead. We dock off the Lacepedes and board Zodiacs to explore these four lowlying cays set atop a coral reef that are an important nesting site for green sea turtles and seabirds, including brown boobies, red-chested frigate birds, crested terns, and speckled ruddy turnstones. The Lacepede skies are filled with flapping wings and a cacophony of bird calls. Also on our itinerary is Ashmore Reef, a designated Marine Nature Reserve classified as an IBA (Important Bird Area). My extra reach with the built-in 1.4x teleconverter employed on my Nikkor Z 400mm f/2.8 is extremely useful when focusing on specific birds.

I turn to my Z 14-24mm f/2.8 and Z 24-70mm f/2.8 on geology-focused explorations of the Kimberly, including on a Zodiac excursion to and through Horizontal Falls, described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the greatest natural wonders of the world." Set within Talbot Bay, the horizontally flowing waterfalls are created when massive tidal currents squeeze through two narrow gorges.

The diversity of The Kimberly reveals itself on a bushwalk from Freshwater Cove to a cave depicting indigenous rock art with local Australian Aborigines as site interpreters. These ancient paintings of Wandjina figures reveal the myths and traditions of the Worrorra people.

The diversity of The Kimberly reveals itself on a bushwalk from Freshwater Cove to a cave depicting indigenous rock art with local Australian Aborigines as site interpreters.

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These ancient paintings of Wandjina figures reveal the myths and traditions of the Worrorra people. Also on the itinerary is Bigge Island, sacred to the indigenous Wunambal people for more than 20,000 years."

Also on the itinerary is Bigge Island, sacred to the indigenous Wunambal people for more than 20,000 years. Caves on the island contain well-preserved Wandjina paintings, including a visual record of the European ingress into their ancient way of life. Another form of art, this one created geologically, is a spectacular array of sandstone pinnacles on Langgi Beach.

One of the most thrilling photographic highlights in the Kimberly is a doorless helicopter flight over the vast Mitchell Plateau to Mitchell Falls and, after landing, a hike to some spectacular overviews. The North Face FutureLight hiking boots were definitely something I was glad to have added to the packing list to navigate this rocky and unforgiving terrain.

Top: Aboriginal Rock Art, Freshwater Cove. Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved. Montgomery Reef. Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved. Right Page Top: Sailing Ship, Cable Beach, Broome. Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved. Right Page Bottom: Sunset, Kimberly. Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.

Wyndham is the first location since Broome where we are able to dock the Le Laperouse rather than depart the ship by Zodiac. I board a small boat to explore the Ord River, one of the most stunning river systems in Australia. In addition to an array of flora and fauna, including freshwater crocodiles, hundreds of bird species here make this region a must for amateur twitchers and professional ornithologists.

A final day at sea to complete the 1270 nautical mile journey to Darwin is capped by a stunning sunset I record with the Nikkor Z 400mm with the built-in 1.4x teleconverter engaged and in the DX crop mode to give me in-camera even more outreach. It's a magnificent way to complete an exploration of Australia's last frontier.

Afinal day at sea to complete the 1270 nautical mile journey to Darwin is capped by a stunning sunset I record with the Nikkor Z 400mm with the built-in 1.4x teleconverter engaged and in the DX crop mode to give me in-camera even more outreach. It's a magnificent way to complete an exploration of Australia's last frontier. "

MARK EDWARD HARRIS

Assignments have taken Los Angeles and Tokyo-based photographer Mark Edward Harris to more than 100 countries and all seven continents. His editorial work has appeared in publications such as Vanity Fair, LIFE, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, GEO, Newsweek, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler, AFAR, Wallpaper, Vogue, Architectural Digest, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The London Sunday Times Travel Magazine as well as all the major photography and in-flight magazines. Among his numerous accolades are CLIO, ACE, Impact DOCS Award of Excellence, Aurora Gold, and IPA awards. His books include Faces of the Twentieth Century: Master Photographers and Their Work, The Way of the Japanese Bath, Wanderlust, North Korea, South Korea, Inside Iran, The Travel Photo Essay: Describing A Journey Through Images, and his latest, The People of the Forest, a book about orangutans.

Instagram: @MarkEdwardHarrisPhoto Website: www.MarkEdwardHarris.com

2SERIES Salt Pans | Mount Athos

Pygmalion Karatzas

SALT PANS

The Messolonghi-Aitoliko lagoon complex is located in the north part of the Gulf of Patras on the central west coast of Greece. With its shallow area of 150 sq. km. extended between the Acheloos and Evinos rivers, it is one of the most important wetlands in the Mediterranean. The ecosystem comprises six lagoons that are part of the Natura 2000 network protected by the Ramsar Convention.

The open and closed type lagoons communicate with the sea along channels and receive fresh water from the drainage pump system of the region, creating a unique aquaculture environment. Fishing is mainly done with traditional methods by local fishermen in fish-pools called 'divaria'. The area is also rich in black salt marsh and hosts one of the biggest salt factories.

The mineral mud and sea salt make Agia Triada and Alikies beaches ideal natural spas, a daily ritual for locals.

The name of the settlement, 'Tourlida,' was given after the marine bird species that were found in the area, the tourmalines (Eurasian curlew). This islet connects to Messolonghi by a causeway stretching 5 km.

This self-initiated photographic project exploring the wider area of the lagoon started a few years back with a set of longexposure images of the 'blades' stilt fishermen's houses. It became part of the collective fine arts exhibition 'Lagoonsthose fragile entities' curated by Nina Fragopoulou at the Fethiye Mosque in Nafpaktos and later at the Museo del Territorio in Cormons, Italy, as part of the Trieste Photo Days Festival.

'Salt Pans' series presents a more recent second exploration using aerial photography to focus on the region's Salt Pans, continuing to fuse the boundaries between topographic/representational and expressionistic/pictorial iconography in its exploration of the integral perspective. Salt has played a crucial role in the history of civilization, enabling food to be preserved over the winters until the modern era of refrigeration and preservatives. Salt was even used in the slave trade in antiquity.

The ancient expression "not worth his salt" came from this practice. With tales of its usage during sacrifices and religious rituals, the history of salt is as exotic as the amazing 'Alykes,' the salt marsh gardens that extend for miles on end in Messolonghi. The region is said to produce 60% of the country's salt. Similarly to the Mount Athos series, planar views explore the unique formalistic elements of the terrain. The minerals and salt flats color palette create natural abstractions evident only from this bird's eye point of view.

Salt has played a crucial role in the history of civilization, enabling food to be preserved over the winters until the modern era of refrigeration and preservatives. Salt was even used in the slave trade in antiquity. The ancient expression "not worth his salt" came from this practice."

Pygmalion Karatzas MOUNT ATHOS

The Athos peninsula is located in northeastern Greece and is governed as an autonomous region by the monastic community. Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its long Christian presence and historical monastic traditions, dating back to at least 800 AD during the Byzantine era. Because of its long history of religious importance, the well-preserved agrarian architecture within the monasteries, and the preservation of flora and fauna around the mountain, Mount Athos was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.

The photographic series was taken during an expedition for the Athanasios C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation. The Typhoon is the only vessel in the Mediterranean with the sole purpose of cleaning up the most inaccessible Greek coastlines, which has become, unfortunately, in some places, a waste concentration. This initiative is within the ACLCF "Project Typhoon" (www.aclcf. org), an important and indeed ambitious initiative for the maritime environment and its maintenance.

MOUNT ATHOS

Typhoon operates in the Greek waters as the catalyst for the protection of the environment from pollution and fulfills the scope of the mega vision and mission set by the Foundation's founder; to contribute with determination to the clean-up of Greece's coastlines as well as that of its thousand islands – small and big ones, from any type of pollutants.

Drone aerial photography was used to capture the extended locations and broaden the scale of the documentation even further. Extra attention was given to planar images that are a product of a more meticulous and intuitive terrain investigation. Such images looking straight down from different heights capture the scope of the operations in various scales while simultaneously bringing out the

unique formalistic elements of this majestic environment.

I would like to thank the ACLCF for entrusting me with the Typhoon Project assignment, the vessel's whole crew for assisting in the field, and the Secretariat of Athos Holy Community for allowing us to document the cleaning operations and landscapes.

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Pygmalion Karatzas

Pygmalion Karatzas studied Architecture at the Technical University of Budapest (1991-95), Urban Design at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh (1995-97), and practiced architecture for 12 years. In 2006 he participated in the first 'Ecovillage Design Education' training-of-trainers course in Findhorn, organized by the Global Ecovillage Network and endorsed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. Since 2013 he has been focusing systematically on architectural and fine art photography, producing a portfolio of 250+ architectural, commercial, and artistic projects from Europe, the USA, and the Middle East.

His images are regularly featured in Greek and international media, and they have received over 100 distinctions from leading global photographic competitions. He has participated in exhibitions in Greece, Italy, France, the UK, and the USA, with fine art prints being part of public and private collections. Between 2014 and 2019, he served as the photo editor for the Danish Architecture Center at their ezine arcspace.com. Divisare Atlas of Architecture ranks him among the top 100 architectural photographers worldwide. He is a contributing photographer to Arcaid Images London, iStock Getty Images, and Adobe Stock.

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MOUNT ATHOS

Karatzas' book collection

'Integral Lens' received 3rd place in the PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris 2018, and 'Nortigo' received 2nd place in the Moscow International Foto Awards 2019. Between 2015 and 2016, with the prestigious Fulbright Artist Scholarship award, he traveled for 5 months across the United States, where he conducted the project 'Integral Lens' - an integral approach to the study and representation of the built environment through the photographic medium. Other noteworthy photo-reportage include the architectural boom in Doha, Qatar; the national pavilions at the EXPO 2015 in Milan; the Oceanus scientific expedition of the University of Patras in Lebanon; the coverage of Attiko Metro constructions in Athens and Thessaloniki for the Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport; the

environmental expeditions of the A.C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation around Greece with the Typhoon Project.

In collaboration with professor of architecture Mark DeKay and in affiliation with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, their paper on a multi-perspectival approach to architectural photography was presented at the 3rd Integral European Conference in Hungary, at the 5th Trieste Photo Days Festival; and at the Integral Design & Research Lecture Series of the University IUAV of Venice. Since 2019 it has become part of an academic mini-term curriculum. 'Capturing the Human Experience in Place' was developed and conducted by Mark DeKay, Pygmalion Karatzas, and Susanne Bennett as a traveling photographic workshop for students from various faculties.

Mount Athos has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its long Christian presence and historical monastic traditions, dating back to at least 800 AD during the Byzantine era. Because of its long history of religious importance, the wellpreserved agrarian architecture within the monasteries, and the preservation of flora and fauna around the mountain, Mount Athos was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988.

WEBSITE: WWW.PYGMALIONKARATZAS.COM

INSTAGRAM: @PYGMALIONKARATZAS

Romanian Gypsy Town HILA NESS

NESS

In this article, I exhibit one of the latest projects, where, as part of the trip to Romania, we visited rural areas and focused on the gypsy population and their way of life.

Usually, when we arrive at one of the villages, we stay for several hours, and the first to greet us is the children playing in the street. Within minutes, through smiles (and some sweets) and without knowing the local language, immediate connections are made with

the children, and a conversation is being developed with their parents, mainly in sign language and a little English.

On this exciting trip to Transylvania, and thanks to this approach of talking and making connections without rushing and pressing the camera button while maintaining the dignity of the local population, we were invited to the houses. We got an authentic and close look at the local lifestyle and permission to take pictures with almost no restrictions.

HILA

Hila Ness

I PHOTOGRAPH WHAT I SEE THROUGH THE LENS, DON'T JUDGE OR STAGE SITUATIONS, AND DON'T CHANGE REALITY TO FIT SPECIFIC AGENDAS."

HILA NESS

My name is Hila Ness, and I am a professional content editor and photographer in my heart and soul.

I've been taking pictures for over fifteen years and believe one picture is worth a thousand words, especially in this era of social networks and an abundance of messages and information.

I mainly shoot documentaries and street photography and prefer to focus on people, their personal stories, different social situations, and the subject's profound emotional state, usually unseen by the eyes. I photograph what I see through the lens, don't judge or stage situations, and don't change reality to fit specific agendas.

When I go out to shoot a new project, I don't take tripods or flash but only the camera and one or two lenses. I shoot with wide lenses and not with telephoto lenses, and instead of shooting from afar and using the camera's zoom, I use my feet as a zoom and get closer to the objects I'm photographing so that I can make eye contact with them, smile at them and have a conversation.

Over the years, I've learned that in this way, people will express less resistance to being photographed than with remote or stealth photography.

I usually shoot in black and white, which, in my opinion, reflects reality without filters and distractions and allows you to see the real story; as the Canadian photojournalist Ted Grant said, "When you

photograph people in color, you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in Black and White, you photograph their souls!"

Over the years, I have presented in solo and group exhibitions and participated in numerous photography trips. The last of them, in May 2023, in Transylvania, Romania.

All

Hila Ness ©

rights reserved.

I USUALLY SHOOT IN BLACK AND WHITE, WHICH, IN MY OPINION, REFLECTS REALITY WITHOUT FILTERS AND DISTRACTIONS AND ALLOWS YOU TO SEE THE REAL STORY".

I'VE BEEN TAKING PICTURES FOR OVER FIFTEEN YEARS AND BELIEVE ONE PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS ERA OF SOCIAL NETWORKS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF MESSAGES AND INFORMATION."

FACEBOOK: /HILA NESS

INSTAGRAM: @HILANESS1

| STORMY NIGHTS IN THE YARANGA | SAGO PALMS AND THEIR WORMS

2 PROJECTS

Holger Hoffmann

Stormy Nights in the Yaranga HOLGER HOFFMANN

In the winter, the days are short in Chukotka, and stormy winds sweep across the wide tundra in the far east of Siberia. The yaranga has provided the reindeer nomads with protection for centuries. It is kept open during the day and does not provide protection against the cold, but only against the wind. The structure's concept is very old and stormproof. It consists of three thick wooden main posts, four shorter T-shaped poles, and a wooden ring attached at half height. About 50 reindeer skins, sewn together, are stretched over it. The tensioning ropes are additionally secured with weights against the strong storm winds.

Overnight, the yaranga is locked, and a bucket is available for urgent needs.

Once a day, a fire burns in the center of the yaranga for cooking. Even in extreme weather conditions, wood has to be collected from small, widely scattered bushes every two to three days, which can take several hours.

There are many devices and utensils lying around in front of the yarangas, and sledges are leant against the tent walls, where they also serve to stabilize against the storm winds. Reindeer skins are hung on a taut rope between the yarangas.

Two snowmobiles are currently unusable and waiting to be repaired. We don't see any reindeer, but there are six dogs in the camp.

Ilya will spend the night alone with the reindeer in the tundra to protect them from the wolves, beginning with a 2 to 3 hours trek to reach them. He carries some food in his backpack, a thermos, wood, and furs. It would be unimaginable for us to spend a night alone in the wilderness, bereft of weapons and shelter in such a cold. However, for the nomads, this seems to be everyday life.

"We need the reindeer, but the reindeer also need us."

Marina called for us when the reindeer appeared on the horizon the next morning. Sergej ran towards Ilya with the dogs and was now driving the flock of 1,700 animals toward the camp. Ilya appears to us like a hero after a long, cold, lonely night in the wilderness. He takes it easy because the walk has warmed up his cold limbs. Many large animals are in the flock, and most of them still have impressive antlers at this time of year. Two animals are to be captured and slaughtered.

Four men swing the lasso, and Marina approaches the first of the captured reindeer with a knife. I expected her to stab it, but one of the men had already done so without my noticing. He stepped next to the trapped, calmly standing animal and rammed the knife invisibly into its heart.

The animal freezes, distraught as if it hadn't processed what just happened. Its knees buckle, but only after a few seconds, as it bleeds to death inside. Agony and convulsions last only for seconds. The woman immediately set about removing the fur from its legs and body. Then the carcass, still steaming in the cold, is dragged into the yaranga, and there expertly dismembered. The head is severed, and the skull is opened. Marina divides the brain into six parts and holds one out to me. Uncomfortably, and with a secret wish to refuse, I accept and dig into the soft, stillwarm mass. The consistency and taste are fine and delicate.

With anticipation, I watch Sergej as he splits the bones and extracts the marrow.

Every bit of the reindeer is put to good use; the fresh blood soup is amazingly tasty, even the already gnawedon bones are made into flour, and the reindeer feet are stored and subjected to a week-long fermentation process in the spring. Anything that cannot be eaten immediately is placed on a plastic sheet and frozen within a few hours.

Marina climbs onto the yaranga every morning with a bent piece of wood and knocks off the accumulated snow. Even with temperatures currently being mild for local conditions, only a harmless -15 to -20 degrees Celsius, the snow is very fine and swirls around in the rising sun. The fur clothes and shoes are also knocked out regularly so that the sweat, which has turned into ice crystals, does not impair the cold protection. After that, water is fetched in the form of ice from the nearby frozen pond and melted in kettles by the fire. Snow, on the other hand, is not used as the water from the lake is healthier owing to the minerals it contains. The closest neighboring brigades are 20 km and 70 km away. Marina exchanges news with the brigades three times a day using a radio that must date from the Soviet era.

Today the sun doesn't want to shine through the layers of clouds. The weather forecast announces a blizzard. During the day, the storm is so strong that I can't handle it and quickly seek refuge in the yaranga again. During the night, the yaranga trembles, and ice formed on the inside now falls like snow onto the permafrost ground.

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HOLGER HOFFMANN

Holger Hoffmann is a Swiss travel and documentary photographer. To date, he has traveled to over 100 countries. He has visited Siberia nine times, mostly in winter, visiting reindeer nomads. He is particularly fascinated by the customs and daily life of people who have preserved their traditional culture. He is deeply impressed by how they cope and adapt to the advances and pressures of the modern world. He has published numerous travel and photo reports in various magazines.

"We need the reindeer, but the reindeer also need us."

Sago Palms and their Worms

Holger Hoffmann

Sago Palms and their Worms

Our ten companions enter the clearing. Barefoot, the Korowai skillfully balanced over the felled tree trunks overgrown with plants. On the other hand, although well shod, I have to concentrate strongly on the path. Nevertheless, I notice that the usual welcoming yodel is missing this time, with which the visitor announces the peaceful intention of his coming. Usman, our guide, answers my question by saying that no one lives in this clearing. My searching look up into the tree houses seems to confirm this. Wait, didn't something move up there at a height of 15 meters behind the house wall? I share my observation. Now everybody looks up to the tree house, which I suspect is a human being. It doesn't take long until one of our porters also thinks he has seen a movement from another angle. Now they all start to shout and yodel loudly.

They want to lure the inhabitant out of his hiding place. But the Korowai do not build 10 - 20 meter high tree houses for no reason. The only way to get to the platform is via a swinging tree trunk suspended from the top, into which notches have been cut for climbing up. The tree trunk can be pulled up at any time in case of danger. And dangers lurk everywhere: neighborsusually living half a day's walk through the jungle away - can be deadly enemies.

So, we missed applying the welcome yodel at the edge of the clearing as a sign of our peaceful intentions. Now good advice is needed, because we can only spend the night here if the inhabitants allow it. The alternatives - spending the night in the jungle or walking to the next clearing - are not very tempting. For us, the path is already a challenge during the day, although we have practiced balancing on felled tree trunks at home.

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Only here in the swamp, they are slippery, overgrown by plants, and often serve as the only way to cross a stream into which one does not necessarily want to fall. However, we are richly rewarded for our efforts by the lush nature and by the anticipation of meeting the Korowai.

The majority of the 2900 Korowai recorded in the last census do not live in village-like settlements, but instead, each family clan builds a tree house in the middle of a clearing a few hours' walk from its neighbor. This is located close to the sago palms, which are vital to them.

Once these are felled, the Korowai plant new ones, move on, and do not return until the palms are fully grown. This shifting cultivation has been practiced for thousands of years.

The largest virgin forest on earth, which is difficult to access due to its marshlands, offers enough space for this practice.

The Korowai accompanying us do not give up in the clearing and call up to the tree house incessantly at a respectful distance. Incredibly fast, almost falling, a man dressed only with a leaf around his penis comes down the ladder and instantly disappears into the dense jungle without us having been able to make contact with him. And now? What does this mean? What should or can we do? All possibilities are discussed. We have no idea how to interpret what has happened, and no one can relieve our tension. About 20 minutes pass, and the man reappears at the edge of the clearing. In his hands, he holds three pineapples. Incredibly, I could hug him. Right away, we take the pineapples from him and peel them. Everyone is happy and relaxed; I have never eaten such aromatic pineapples as here.

We have been traveling with our companions for five days in the swamps of the lowlands of West Papua from one Korowai clearing to the next. From Kepi, we have previously traveled for two days by boat to Basman. From there, the walk should take nine days. Our porters carry the food for the whole time because there is nothing to buy on the way. The Korowai feed mainly on sago and whatever else the rainforest has to offer in the way of animals, roots, and fruits.

We still have a few bananas. Sleep in the tent at the foot of the tree house comes only when the ears have become accustomed to the concert of the rainforest. I fall asleep, hoping there will be fried bananas for breakfast. When I wake up, the disappointment is high. I find no more bananas. I learn from Usman that our troop and current hosts have eaten all the food. The Papuans have completely different ideas of stockpiling than we do. Tomorrow it may be rotten, infested with animals like ants or worms, or 'borrowed'

from family members. They eat everything that is edible, and they eat it immediately. Now what? What are we going to feed on for the next few days? No problem; three of our companions have already left for Basman during the night and, if all goes well, will be back tomorrow with supplies. I am worried about how they will find their way in the darkness, when it is hardly recognizable even during the day and full of dangers, such as rotten tree trunks, and thorny bushes, not to mention the many nocturnal insects and other creatures.

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Usman reassures us. The Korowai are used to finding their way even at night. In the meantime, the family living here in the tree house will try to catch fish and crabs using a fish trap made of woven palm leaves, in which an ants' nest is placed as bait. If that doesn't work, there is always the possibility of searching the stalk of the sago palm, which was cut down a few weeks ago, for sago worms. Well, that sounds promising.

The day before, the family took us to their weekly sago extraction. The man carries a stone axe, and the women themselves have woven nets hung around their heads. Inside are their utensils or babies. Fresh water is important in the extraction of sago, a type of flour made from the trunk of the

sago palm. As soon as they are onsite, they test which palm is ideal for harvesting by hitting the trunk. A mature sago palm is between seven and nine years old. The stone axe breaks apart several times and has to be fixed again. Meanwhile, those who can afford it use a metal axe. The palm tree falls in the intended direction. The first thing to be peeled out is the heart of the palm, a snow-white cylinder about 1.5 meters long. Immediately, the women put pieces of it into their mouths.

As we eat from the offered pieces, first cautiously and then more and more enthusiastically, everyone is happy.

Two of the palm heart barks are set up on site-constructed racks to form long sloping troughs.

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Parasols made of large palm leaves provide some shade for hardworking women. They use their implements to chop the inside of the slashed middle part of the trunk into small pieces. These are collected and poured into troughs. The clean water bubbling nearby is added with large leaves formed into bowls.

Now the woody snippets are pressed by hand, and the sago flour is flushed out. A sieve made of dried lichen is attached to the lower part, through which the water drains away and

retains the farina. Once several kilos have accumulated, the drained dumpling is wrapped in leaves and placed in a net.

Then holes are drilled in the trunk's lowest part with the ax's handle. They are an invitation for the weevil to lay its eggs here.

After a few weeks, the much-loved larvae emerge from them. These sago worms are the Korowai's most important source of protein. After everything has been

processed, they all make their way back to the tree house. A fire is lit as soon as they arrive, and one of the giant dumplings is held in the heat like a raclette cheese.

A crust is formed, which is loosened by bamboo tongs and eaten immediately.

For dinner, there are neither crabs nor fish. The fish trap remained empty. Apparently, the ants were not attractive enough. Our cook does his best. He has garlic, ginger, and chili in his box and fries the crunchy, fat

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WEBSITE: www.chaostours.ch

EMAIL: info@chaostours.ch

INSTAGRAM: @chaostours.ch

black-headed sago worms. Usman gleefully stretches out one of the fat sago worms, which resemble a Pirelli man, towards me. Now everyone is looking at me. How should I behave? Quite simply: open your mouth and swallow. But it won't go down without chewing, so I bite it. The head is crispy, and the body is juicy and tastes like scampi.

Our survival at the Korowai is assured.

The next morning, when our three emissaries return from their trip to Basman with large food rations, I feel a certain disappointment: sago worms will remain a rarity for us. Only four years later, on our trekking to the Stone Korowai- do we enjoy sago worms again.

Lens Magazine

J enny Bateman RODEO

I have always had a passion for shooting sports, and I admire athletes' efforts and sacrifices to follow their dreams. These particular athletes not only work on their skills but also their horses' skills, and before that, they have established a connection with their trusted steed. I don't know anyone who owns a horse that wouldn't tell you horses are the most beautiful creature with magnificent strength and a soul that can harmonize with ours."

Jenny

It's important to me to arrive early to meet people competing in the events I am shooting. I like to get an idea of who they are and see who is there supporting them. This allows me to see beyond just a photo and, in turn, gives the image more feeling.

While scouting the area, I am also getting an idea of the best angles from the arena side, and there's nothing I love more than getting low and getting dirty to get the shot.

When I roll into a rodeo or any other horse event I have photographed, for that matter, there is such an overwhelming kindness and welcoming spirit from the organizers, competitors, and spectators. There is the hustle and bustle to get the events started, all hands are on deck, and excitement is high for the day's events.

I have always had a passion for shooting sports, and I admire athletes' efforts and sacrifices to follow their dreams.

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Jenny Bateman

These particular athletes not only work on their skills but also their horses' skills, and before that, they have established a connection with their trusted steed. I don't know anyone who owns a horse that wouldn't tell you horses are the most beautiful creature with magnificent strength and a soul that can harmonize with ours. This is why you can find me traveling the backroads not far from home, searching for the wild ones. Not only is their raw and wild behavior incredible to observe, but their unkempt and untamed spirits are amazing to capture through my lens.

I like to sit back and watch the herd(s) when I first come upon them in the country. Much like people at the events, I want to understand them a bit better and make some connections before shooting. While I try not to affect their natural activities, they often realize you are there, and being curious creatures sometimes brings them closer, which makes for great eye contact to help capture their soul.

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Exploring the backcountry gives me a feeling of also being wild and free; it's something you can't find in the comforts of home. And when I can, I love nothing more than to travel and explore the world outside my country; just now, as I write this, I am about to embark on a 9-day Icelandic Horse trip with Wild Women Expeditions. It will be nothing short of amazing; I just know it.

Whether I am riding a horse in another country, searching out the wildest, photographing a rodeo, roping lessons, or a gymkhana, I am right where I'm supposed to be. I am among horses; my heart and my soul couldn't be happier.

I like to get an idea of who they are and see who is there supporting them. This allows me to see beyond just a photo and, in turn, gives the image more feeling."

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Jenny Bateman is a Canadian Freelance photographer. Her interest in horse photography began several years ago when shooting events were held at the local rodeo grounds. The events were so fun to watch; the way the rider and horse worked together was fascinating; of course, the people were genuine and ever so welcoming. It is the kindness of all the friends she has made locally in the horse world, the continuous support from her best friend and husband (Justin), as well as the support from her good friends that she is always encouraged to continue with her dream of being a horse photographer.

Jenny's love for horses began when she wrangled herself a job on a ranch taking out trail rides while she was in Grade 7. She was hooked after a couple years there; the Western lifestyle suited her. Over the years, she held another job on a ranch and has had a few more horse-related adventures, always searching for the next one.

lensmagazine.net

I must observe first and approach gently to capture the scene exactly as it is".

Website: jrb.photography

Instagram: @jennyraebatemanphotography

Facebook: Jenny Rae Bateman Photography

email: jrbatemans@shaw.ca

Exploring the backcountry gives me a feeling of also being wild and free; it's something you can't find in the comforts of home. And when I can, I love nothing more than to travel and explore the world outside my country"

GEOFFREY ANSEL AGRONS

HAZARDOUS SHORELINES

THE SERIES HAZARDOUS SHORELINES TAKES ITS TITLE FROM A WARNING POSTED WITHIN LANDFILL RUBBLE ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY. INTENDED TO SAFEGUARD DAY VISITORS, THE ADMONITION UNINTENTIONALLY SERVES AS A PREDICTION OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE SUBSUMPTION OF THE COASTLINE BY RISING SEAS.

Ilived for many years in the southernmost county of New Jersey, a largely rural, flat coastal area that is almost 60% water and home to the City of Cape May, the oldest seaside resort in the United States. As such, the region is a nexus of tourism, fragile ecosystems, weekend trophy homes, and remnants of the county’s early roots as a maritime and farming colony.

Today, as a recreational destination, the ocean has become the region’s economic lifeblood, its beaches replenished at great cost only to be lost again to the next nor’easter. The yearning to build life at the water’s edge may be coded within our genome. I share this primal longing and have always been drawn to the peculiar seasonal pulse of the coast, which varies daily as the summer crowds desert the beaches at twilight and seasonally as winter encroaches.

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I came to see the shoreline as a vast, fragile stage punctuated by traces of human activity: the ordered pilings, decaying buildings and piers, dune fences, structural debris, and kitsch of a resort town. The assumption of permanence and control of this environment strikes me as hubristic, poignant, and deeply human.

The series Hazardous Shorelines takes its title from a warning posted within landfill rubble on the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay. Intended to safeguard day visitors, the admonition unintentionally serves as a prediction of global climate change and the subsumption of the coastline by rising seas.

As a photographer preoccupied with transition and loss, I am drawn to the evolving land-water interface of this new era.

This project explores coastal enclaves as a palimpsest. Water, wind, and time inexorably erode the contours of humanity’s footprint, leaving traces of our original intent.

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As a former radiologist, Geoffrey Agrons began his career interpreting “photographs” of the human interior. In time, he recognized that an unspoken aesthetic appreciation of diagnostic images was deeply entwined with the rigor of anatomic analysis, logic, and problem–solving. He grew interested in a different relationship with photography, one that separated an immediate emotional response from vigilant interpretation. In 2005, he acquired his first camera and began to explore the world beyond the darkened radiology reading room.

GEOFFREY ANSEL AGRONS

Geoffrey’s work typically explores the uneasy coexistence between human populations and the natural world. He is intrigued by transition and impermanence and favors material that leaves an inchoate emotional residue — the haunting suspicion that we may have forgotten something important in our inattention to the sensual realm. He has come to think of these mementos mori as “melancholigraphs.”

Geoffrey Agrons lives in New Hope and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His work has been represented in many juried exhibitions and has won numerous awards.

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I CAME TO SEE THE SHORELINE AS A VAST, FRAGILE STAGE PUNCTUATED BY TRACES OF HUMAN ACTIVITY: THE ORDERED PILINGS, DECAYING BUILDINGS AND PIERS, DUNE FENCES, STRUCTURAL DEBRIS, AND KITSCH OF A RESORT TOWN.

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AS A PHOTOGRAPHER PREOCCUPIED WITH TRANSITION AND LOSS, I AM DRAWN TO THE EVOLVING LAND-WATER INTERFACE OF THIS NEW ERA. THIS PROJECT EXPLORES COASTAL ENCLAVES AS A PALIMPSEST. WATER, WIND, AND TIME INEXORABLY ERODE THE CONTOURS OF HUMANITY’S FOOTPRINT, LEAVING TRACES OF OUR ORIGINAL INTENT.

Website: agrons.com

Gallery: riseart.com/artist/100/geoffrey-ansel-agrons

Instagram: @geoffreyanselagrons

RONEN GOLAN

The Love for Nature's Beauty

In 1983, when I was 18 years old, I first went abroad. It was a hiking trip to northern Italy's Alps and the Dolomites.

I took with me my dad's old camera and started to photograph. Since a very early age, I was drawn to nature, particularly mountains.

Mountains have always been a source of awe and inspiration for me. Combining mountaineering with photography came very naturally. Being up there among the giants of our world makes me feel alive and pushes me to explore these high regions.

It was a great joy to stand and be among these gorgeous mountains that I could only see in pictures before. Ten years later, I climbed alpine peaks in Switzerland, Italy, and France.

-Ronen Golan.

Night in

All

rights reserved.

My love for outdoor photography began at an early age.

As a child, I enjoyed exploring the hills around the town where I grew up, looking at mountain pictures in books, and dreaming of going to these high places. I spent a few weeks walking in the Alps and Dolomites mountains in Northern Italy at eighteen years old, where I started my photography journey. Later, I studied photography and graduated from the Camera Obscura School of Art in Israel. Mountains and deserts have become my main and favorite destinations for photography.

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I keep returning to the Alps, the Himalayas, the Pyrenees, and the greater Caucasus to hike and climb.

Through photography, I share the beauty of these wild places with others and make people realize we must preserve nature. With my experience in outdoor pursuits, I have teamed up with a great group of experts who organize trekking and mountain biking trips to some of the world's most beautiful, remote mountain regions. Together we aim to show the beauty of nature to a wide range of people, including those with disabilities.

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RONEN GOLAN

The Love for Nature's Beauty

Ronen Golan works and lives in Israel, running a photography studio and selling his prints online. Through the years, Golan has traveled to countless unique destinations for climbing mountains and gaining fantastic images. In his outstanding portfolio gallery, you will find the Alpine Mountains, the enormous Mountains in Nepal, Austria, and Georgia, among many others.

In recent years, Golan has developed unique courses, workshops, and lectures for

landscape, mountain climbing, and extreme photographers. The courses run in small groups emphasizing building a correct composition, different types of exposure, and the proper use of the different lenses and the camera.

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It was a great joy to stand and be among these gorgeous mountains that I could only see in pictures before.

WEBSITE: www.ronengolan.com

INSTAGRAM: @golanronen

FACEBOOK: /ronen.golan.9

Years ago, when I was still working as a software engineer, I would read online about the Ghost Towns of California and saw that a few were within driving distance. I would go out there and wander around and take in the sensation that thousands of people used to live in these extreme locations."

JAMES

T GUNDERSON

ATTRACTION TO ABANDONED PLACES

Ilove abandoned places. These were prosperous and lively places in the past, but now they look desolate and crumbling. Some areas were built on the rewards of mining, like Randsburg, California (Peak population 3,500) or Rhyolite on the California/ Nevada border (Peak population between 3500 and 5000), and others were created by accidents. The Salton Sea was formed when Colorado River floodwater breached an irrigation canal being constructed in the Imperial Valley in 1905 and flowed into the Salton Sink. The resorts and tourism in the 50s and 60s that grew from this accident were abandoned and

left to fall into ruin as agricultural runoff, urban runoff, and industrial discharges contaminated and poisoned the waters in the lake.

Years ago, when I was still working as a software engineer, I would read online about the Ghost Towns of California and saw that a few were within driving distance. I would go out there and wander around and take in the sensation that thousands of people used to live in these extreme locations. It wasn't until years later, when I met my wife, Miriam, a gifted photographer by herself, that I started taking and saving pictures. The fact that she would come out to these places with me is one of the reasons I married her.

I started off just using my iPhone. It's a decent enough camera for landscapes, and I was taking some pictures with the phone, but some circumstances led me to expand and try other fantastic gear.

Miriam and I were at the Salton Sea town of Bombay Beach and were taking pictures all over the area. As the sun was going down, I was heading back to the car when I got a weird sensation of turning around. When I turned, I saw the most spectacular red sunset and snapped the photo with the abandoned car and buildings. (The agricultural runoff and dust make for some lovely sunsets) That was when I started to think I could be a photographer.

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My wife Miriam loves art galleries. She's been taking me to visit them since we met, and at the Von Lintel Gallery in Santa Monica, we happened to see Osceola Refetoff's exhibition "Ït's a Mess Without You" and instantly learned more from that one opening than any time up until then. I knew that abandoned places could be artistic as well as documented.

So now I'm returning to these places and applying what I've been learning over the last few months to produce photography worthy of exhibition. I'm going during the golden hour for better lighting, framing my locations better, and looking harder for interesting subjects to be the focus.

Lastly: I can't exclaim enough how I owe all learning to my partner, muse, inspiration, and wife, Miriam. I can't do this without her mentorship and love.

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James is a native-born Californian Photographer. He grew up in Austin and immigrated to California in the early '90s, where, like many people, he learned to be an actor, and although he shifted his professional life to photography, he still didn't give up his dream and has a Screen Actors Card.

He is a proud father of two, a stepdad of two girls, and a stepdad of two boys. He's worked in the entertainment industry as a software developer at Harris Broadcasting, Technicolor, and Deluxe.

During his career, he mainly focused on arranging and preparing the thirty minutes of advertisements broadcasting before the movie started.

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I'm going during the golden hour for better lighting, framing my locations better, and looking harder for interesting subjects to be the focus.

Lens Magazine

Lights of San Diego James T Gunderson © All rights reserved. Still Reflection James T Gunderson © All rights reserved. Hidden Valley James T Gunderson © All rights reserved. Hidden Valley in Black and White James T Gunderson © All rights reserved.

Website: swphotoandart.com

Instagram: @southwestphotoandart

Facebook: /SWPhotoandArt

LinkedIn: /southwest-photo-and-art/

As the sun was going down, I was heading back to the car when I got a weird sensation of turning around. When I turned, I saw the most spectacular red sunset and snapped the photo with the abandoned car and buildings. That was when I started to think I could be a photographer.

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JiALU CHENG

Odyssey tO the sOuth:

A Journey through the Antarctic Peninsula and Chile

Jialu's photos are a poetic meditation on the power and beauty of nature, capturing the essence of the southernmost regions of our planet. The ancient icebergs that stand like arks, temples, or churches, recording the history of water in Antarctica, remind us of the interconnectedness of all things and the deep mysteries that lie at the heart of our existence.

The midnight sunrise on the wavy ocean is a reminder of the power of surrender, of the beauty and strength that comes from letting go of our need to control and dominate the world around us.

In the shape of wind captured by a red silk scarf, we see the invisible forces that shape our world and the delicate interplay between the seen and the unseen.

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The massive land of volcanoes and snow, where people become as little as sand, reminds us of our own insignificance in the face of the vastness of the universe and the importance of humility and reverence in our approach to life. The penguins, walking like suited people in the white snow, are a reminder of the delicate balance of life in these harsh environments and the need for us to tread lightly on this earth.

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The moonrise behind the snow mountains or volcanoes symbolizes the eternal cycles of life and death and the constant renewal and regeneration at the heart of all things. And in the otherworldly landscapes of the Atacama Desert, we see the stark beauty of a world stripped bare, a reminder of the impermanence of all things and the need to fully embrace the present moment.

Finally, the chaotically dancing branches of Torres del Paine are a testament to this region's wild, untamed spirit and a reminder of the beauty and power of nature when left to its own devices.

Jialu's photos invite us to connect with these external forces in a spirit of humble conversion, reminding us of the importance of reverence and awe in our approach to life.

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THE MASSiVE LAND OF VOLCANOES AND SNOW, WHERE PEOPLE BECOME AS LiTTLE AS SAND, REMiNDS US OF OUR OWN iNSiGNiFiCANCE iN THE FACE OF THE VASTNESS OF THE UNiVERSE AND THE iMPORTANCE OF HUMiLiTY AND REVERENCE iN OUR APPROACH TO LiFE."

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Jialu

Besides being a freelance photographer, model, and art director whose work captures life's mundane moments with a shimmering radiance, Jialu Cheng is more like a poet who uses light and shadow as ink to inscribe the vast wilderness of the inner self. Her unique perspective on the world and dramatic expressions endow everyday objects with a foreign outlook.

Born and raised in Beijing, Jialu built a cultural identity in China before coming to New York for graduate school at 23 years old.

JiALU CHENG

With an academic background in pharmaceutical sciences from Peking University and public health from Columbia University, Jialu's research has been published in toptier health science journals. In addition, her studies in art history at Peking University informed her artistic vision and inspired her to explore the multifaceted nature of existence through creative expression.

Jialu's photography captures figures in their interaction with nature, exhibiting a free and independent spirit in their demeanor and posture. Her highly recognizable

color palette and surreal spaces transport viewers into otherworldly narratives that transcend time and space. Her artistic pursuits extend beyond photography to include documentary filmmaking, NFT art, and dance, all of which inform her curation and storytelling. As an incoming management consultant at McKinsey, Jialu employs a businessoriented mindset to create impact, driven by her unified philosophy of transcending the limitations of individual life through the act of creation.

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Instagram: @c.jl.c.jl.c.jl

LinkedIn: : @jialu-cheng-b775b61a4

JiALU CHENG

THIS PLACE WAS A SHELTER

LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

With a desire to connect and transform my environment, I embarked on a journey of exploration, seeking to create something new from the elements at hand.

Photography can capture a piece of the present, freezing moments in time and preserving them for eternity. But at the same time, it possesses a unique ability to evoke emotions, resurrect forgotten memories, or even foreshadow a potential future. In "This place was a Shelter," I decided to focus on the latter. For that purpose, I explore the intricate relationship between the Self and the world surrounding us. I aimed to expose various fears, anxieties, and existential dilemmas accompanying our existence.

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With a desire to connect and transform my environment, I embarked on a journey of exploration, seeking to create something new from the elements at hand. This photographic project brings forth the last remnants of a world in transition, where echoes of the past intertwine with an uncertain future. As some elements start to perish, the essence of this place gradually reverts to its origins, embracing a silent and almost solitary existence. It is a visual narrative of regret and lamentation, yet it carries an underlying thread of relief—a reminder that transformation and renewal often emerge from the ashes of what was once familiar.

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Top: 'DamagedMemory,' Fine art Baryta paper, 60x46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved. Right Page Top: 'The Departure,' Fine art Baryta paper, 60X46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved. Right Page Bottom: 'Reminiscence', Fine art Baryta paper, 60X46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved.

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LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

Lăcră Grozăvescu is a Romanian visual artist who excels in the use of color combinations and texture, focusing on documenting space using mediums such as photography, painting, drawing, collage, and film. Lăcră examines the ability of images to activate individual memories that cause a sense of synchronic belonging, an analogy of the identity, not to make the individual's uniqueness trivial but to prove the appropriateness of human behavior. Currently, Lăcră lives and works in Bucharest, Romania, and she studies Photography & Dynamic Image at the Bucharest National University of Arts.

In "This place was a Shelter ," I decided to focus on the latter. For that purpose, I explore the intricate relationship between the Self and the world surrounding us. I aimed to expose various fears, anxieties, and existential dilemmas accompanying our existence.

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Top: 'Patience', Fine art Baryta paper, 60x46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved. Right Page Top: 'Last lovers,' Fine art Baryta paper, 60x46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved. Right Page Bottom: 'Loneliest Man on Earth, Fine art Baryta paper, 60X46 cm, 2018 Lăcră Grozăvescu © All rights reserved.

This photographic project brings forth the last remnants of a world in transition, where echoes of the past intertwine with an uncertain future. As some elements start to perish, the essence of this place gradually reverts to its origins, embracing a silent and almost solitary existence.

LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

Website: lacragrozavescu.com

Instagram: @lacra.grozavescu

Facebook: /lacragrozavescu

Copyright to The International Lens Magazine © Dafna Navarro, 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be re-used without the written permission of the publisher. The content of this magazine is for informational purposes only and is, to the best of knowledge, correct at the time of publication.

Lens Magazine. July 2023. Issue #106 | Outdoor Photography

ON THE COVER

CONTENTS

XIV FLORENCE BIENNALE

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

An exclusive interview with DANIEL KORDAN

An exclusive interview with DANIEL KORDAN

DANIEL KORDAN

FRONTIER Australia's Last

MARK EDWARD HARRIS

Pygmalion Karatzas

SALT PANS

Pygmalion Karatzas MOUNT ATHOS

MOUNT ATHOS

Pygmalion Karatzas

Romanian Gypsy Town HILA NESS

NESS

HILA NESS

| STORMY NIGHTS IN THE YARANGA | SAGO PALMS AND THEIR WORMS

Stormy Nights in the Yaranga HOLGER HOFFMANN

HOLGER HOFFMANN

Sago Palms and their Worms

Sago Palms and their Worms

J enny Bateman RODEO

GEOFFREY ANSEL AGRONS

HAZARDOUS SHORELINES

GEOFFREY ANSEL AGRONS

RONEN GOLAN

The Love for Nature's Beauty

RONEN GOLAN

The Love for Nature's Beauty

JAMES

T GUNDERSON

ATTRACTION TO ABANDONED PLACES

JiALU CHENG

Odyssey tO the sOuth:

A Journey through the Antarctic Peninsula and Chile

JiALU CHENG

THIS PLACE WAS A SHELTER

LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU

LĂCRĂ GROZĂVESCU