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In this edition of FotoNostrum Magazine, we turn our attention to one of the most enduring and multifaceted themes in art and photography: humanity. At the heart of this issue lies a profound exploration of the relationships that shape us—our bonds with one another, the often turbulent connection with our own inner lives, and the deep-rooted ties we hold with the natural world.

The featured artists invite us to consider emotional intimacy through the quiet presence of grief and tenderness, the candid rituals of daily life, and the silent poetry of shared vulnerability. Others guide us toward nature, not only as a subject but as a space of belonging and reflection—where animals, landscapes, and the human spirit coexist in fragile harmony. Throughout, we see how photography becomes a language to process identity, memory, and transformation, illuminating the invisible connections that run through all living things.

This issue also marks the beginning of a new section we are particularly proud of: the FotoNostrum Choice Awards. From this edition forward, we will present a selection of winning and honourably mentioned photos in each magazine—highlighting emerging voices and distinctive visions in contemporary photography.

We are delighted to include a special essay by Hege Jaksland, Conversation with Nature, where she shares her immersive approach to the environment and how this dialogue shapes her photographic practice—reminding us that the relationship between artist and nature is not one of observation, but of reciprocity and presence.

In Photo-Tech News, we bring you an update on the newly launched Fujifilm X-E5—a compact yet powerful addition to the mirrorless camera world. And in our Photo-Art News section, we spotlight the newly released monograph Grace and Fire by French photographer Gérard Uféras, celebrating four decades of visual storytelling marked by empathy, elegance, and social awareness.

Thank you for joining us in this ongoing journey through the ever-evolving landscape of photography. We hope this edition offers a space for reflection, recognition, and the rediscovery of what connects us all.

Michal Meliško

Art Director

June 26, 2025

FotoNostrum Choice Awards ABSTRACT

Michael Goulding

Category Winner

(United States)

Michael Goulding has been engaged in art for nearly his entire life. He has worked in a variety of media and focused on a number of subjects, all with the purpose of creating something beautiful. Ultimately, that journey led him to focus on the beauty of the female form as viewed through black and white photography.

His work celebrates the beauty of the female form and spirit. He strives for his art to uplift the spirit and inspire appreciation for the beauty of life. His aesthetic sense springs from a wonder at the variety and mystery of the body’s physical reality as well as its ability to be transformed into abstractions. “Karolina V” is an excellent example of such transformation, which is achieved through a combination of pose, lighting and exposure, isolating specific areas of the body for illumination, while causing others to fade into dark shadow. While the portion of the human figure remains recognizable, it also transforms into other possible forms or objects.

His studio is located in the United States within the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. He has exhibited his artwork in venues across North and South America, Europe and Asia. He has received multiple awards, and his artwork has been published in numerous art and art photography publications. Musicians have also licensed his artwork. He is an artist certified by the Museum of the Americas, United States, is an Affiliate Artist of the Circle Foundation for the Arts, France and is represented by FotoNostrum.

www.gouldingphotography.com

KAROLINA V, from the series Karolina, 2011. © Michael Goulding

Janet Politte

Honourable Mention

(United States)

Janet Politte is a lens-based artist based in the Pacific Northwest. Her work uses photography as a way to navigate identity, embodiment, and the silent negotiations we make with ourselves and society. She brings a documentary eye to deeply personal subjects, capturing moments that are often overlooked but heavy with meaning.

Her ongoing series, Dancing with My Shadow, is a visual meditation on aging, self-acceptance, and the strength it takes to reject the narrow definitions of beauty imposed on women. Each photograph in the series becomes a quiet act of defiance and reclamation—where light and shadow aren’t just compositional elements, but symbolic forces.

The image Three Steps, taken during a nighttime walk uphill, captures the artist’s shadow stretched by a streetlamp. It’s a fleeting moment, yet it speaks volumes: a solitary figure mid-motion, climbing, ascending—not just a hill, but into herself. This moment, like the series as a whole, reflects the subtle but profound journey toward wholeness. The darkness isn’t an enemy but a companion—something to be integrated, not escaped.

Through vulnerability and grace, Janet Politte reveals a truth often hidden: that beauty and power grow with age, and that real transformation begins when we stop performing and start listening to ourselves.

janetpolittephotography.com | IG: @janet.politte

THREE STEPS, from the series Dancing With My Shadow, 2024. © Janet Politte

Joan Grabel

Honourable Mention

(United States)

Joan Grabel is an American fine art photographer residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She grew up in New York City, where she studied painting at the School of Visual Arts with the minimalist artist Robert Mangold, who was an early influence.

Grabel’s photographic style ranges from minimalism to observational realism – grounded in themes of impermanence, transition, and quest for meaning.

Questioning From Afar 2 is part of the series ‘From Above’. Flying over New Mexico, observing patterns below, Grabel reduces and abstracts until the land is unrecognizable. Life issues become insignificant.

www.joangrabelart.com | IG: @joangrabel

QUESTIONING FROM AFAR 2, 2024. © Joan Grabel

Nekane Barjola

Honourable Mention

(United States)

This photograph is part of the Inside the Blue Ice project. Within the glacial ice of Vatnajökull in Iceland, air bubbles frozen in time. Tiny blue worlds trapped in a sea of ice.

Photographer and Art Historian, she was interested from a very young age in photography as a means to capture her vision of the world. With her photography, she seeks to show moments of reality that can transmit both personality and character, as well as the small nuances that go unnoticed by the naked eye, achieving a scenario that makes us reflect and inspires us to know more.

Her work has been distinguished in recent years in the LUX Professional Photography Awards, IPA International Photo Awards, TIFA Tokyo International Photo Awards, One Eyeland Photography Awards, and London International Creative Competition.

www.nekanebarjola.com | IG: @nekanebarjola

Inside The Blue Ice, from the series Inside The Blue Ice, 2024. © Nekane Barjola

Sandro Tedde

Honourable Mention

(Italy)

Sandro Tedde was born in Sassari (Sardinia), Italy, where he works as an architect, mainly in the field of the restoration of monuments. Non-professional photographer with a wide experience in analogue photography, in recent years he devoted himself to digital image and has made photography a central element of his professional work. To this end, he utilises and often merges various photographic approaches, including architecture, portraiture, still life, performance, and personal narrative.

“Architecture is a considerable portion of my work and my life, and I am always looking for shapes and spaces that let me perceive other worlds and other lives.”

www.sandrotedde.com

AstrActure 2024, from the series AstrActure, 2024. © Sandro Tedde

Discover

Rachel Nixon

Rachel Nixon is a British-Canadian fine art photographer based in Vancouver, whose work explores themes of personal heritage, womanhood, grief, and memory. A former journalist and news executive, she transitioned to photography full-time after graduating with honours from VanArts in 2019. Her work has received multiple accolades, including four Julia Margaret Cameron Awards and recognition from Dodho Magazine and the Sony Alpha Female Award. Nixon’s photography has been exhibited internationally, and she also serves as Editor of WE ARE Magazine, published by the RPS Women in Photography group.

Discover the artist at: www.artendipity.com/rachel-nixon

Half Moon Bay, Ucluelet (I), 2020 ©Rachel Nixon

Angelika Kollin

Estonia

Angelika Kollin (b. 1976) is an Estonian fine art and documentary photographer based in Tampa, Florida. Her work is rooted in an ongoing exploration of human connection and the emotional landscapes that define our shared experiences—love, grief, vulnerability, and the longing for meaning. Drawing from a lifelong engagement with spiritual traditions and philosophical inquiry, Kollin’s photography seeks to reveal what is essential, often hidden beneath the surface of everyday life.

PORTRAIT OF MEMORY © Angelika Kollin

Focusing primarily on portraiture and long-term documentary storytelling, Kollin is drawn to people who have endured hardship with quiet resilience and dignity. Her artistic process is intentionally minimal—using natural light, a single lens, and no assistance—yet layered with deep emotional and spiritual intent. She describes photography as “a quiet act of listening—a meditation,” offering her subjects a space to be fully seen.

CHRISTOPHER AND CHRISSY 2 © Angelika Kollin

LETHU © Angelika Kollin

CHRISTOPHER AND CHRISSY © Angelika Kollin

LETHU 2 © Angelika Kollin

Kollin’s imagery is not only an act of bearing witness, but also a form of personal and collective reflection. “I believe that within each of us lives a quiet Presence—an essence that connects us to the Divine,” she says. Through her lens, she invites viewers to reconnect with this shared inner truth—reminding us of the profound strength found in care, honesty, and presence.

Throughout her career, Kollin has received wide recognition, including awards from the Sony Photography Awards (2024), the CPOY 78 (Portrait category), the Julia Margaret Cameron Award (2024), and Lensculture. Her work has been featured by outlets such as CNN, The Guardian, The Washington Post, and Scientific American, and exhibited internationally in cities including New York, Cape Town, Barcelona, and Berlin.

SALLY WELLBELOVED 2 © Angelika Kollin

ZIKHONA AND PARU © Angelika Kollin

ZIKHONA AND PARU 2 © Angelika Kollin

SALLY WELLBELOVED © Angelika Kollin

Her creative influences range from spiritual study to the visual poetics of arthouse cinema, particularly the work of Tarkovsky. However, her greatest inspiration comes from the lives of ordinary people. “Their powerful stories, their quiet strength, and the way they move through the world not only inspire my work,” she reflects, “but also remind me daily of who I want to be as a person.”

Kollin’s portraits are the result of a slow, respectful process that emphasizes equality and connection. She approaches each subject with a sense of reverence, creating a space where shared humanity can unfold naturally. “We all carry the same desires—for love, fairness, a wholesome life, and a meaningful existence,” she says. Her photographs stand as reminders of that common ground, and of the dignity that can be found in the seemingly unseen lives around us.

MARY 2 © Angelika Kollin

MARY © Angelika Kollin

“Photography, for me, is a quiet act of listening—a meditation.”

BUHLE © Angelika Kollin

BUHLE 2 © Angelika Kollin

Leigh Ann Edmonds

United States

Alabama-based documentary photographer Leigh Ann Edmonds turns her lens toward the ordinary—moments of human connection, quiet rituals, and the unvarnished truth of everyday life. Working primarily with black and white 35mm film, her photographs have a gritty, soulful quality that feels both intimate and timeless. At the heart of her work lies a deep desire to document life authentically and to use photography as a means of personal expression and emotional connection.

PERCHING DOG, from the series Dog Days, 2023. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

After years working professionally as a wedding, portrait, and family photographer, Edmonds returned to her personal projects with a renewed sense of purpose. “In my 20s, I wanted everyone to like my work. In my 30s, I wanted my clients to like my work. Now in my 40s, it is a priority for me to like my work,” she says. The shift from client-focused to self-driven creation marked a turning point, allowing her to shed the expectations of others and reconnect with her own voice.

SUNBATHER, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

FAMILY CIRCLE, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

Much of Edmonds’ personal photography functions as a visual journal of her life in the American South. The analog process—stripped of the digital world's complexities—has brought her back to the fundamentals of image-making. For her, the tactile quality of film fosters a more intuitive, emotional relationship with photography. “It helps me connect on more of an emotional level than a technical one,” she explains.

LEANING BOY, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2025. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

TOBY, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

Edmonds’ creative process often begins with a person or place that draws her in. She takes time to observe before photographing, allowing people to grow familiar with her presence. This sensitivity to environment and rhythm enables her to capture the natural flow of life as it unfolds, without intrusion. “My main focus in photography isn’t really about the pictures at all,” she says, “it’s about using my photography as a way of finding connection with who I photograph.”

MALL PARKING LOT, from the series Dog Diaries, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

This emphasis on connection is central to her practice. Edmonds sees photography not only as a visual art but as a human one—an opportunity to encounter people across backgrounds and to witness the universal in the personal. “Photography became my voice as a young girl,” she recalls, “and I feel I’m still that little girl, going out to explore and meet people… returning home with images I get to share with others.”

YOUNG BULL RIDER, from the series Behind The Chute, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

CATTLE RANCHERS, from the series Behind The Chute, 2021. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

Looking to the future, Edmonds sees her work as a historical record, destined to gain meaning as time passes. She envisions her photographs entering archives and collections, not for immediate acclaim, but as quiet witnesses to a time and place that may one day be gone. In an era dominated by vibrant, hyper-digital aesthetics, her work is a quiet call back to the beauty of simplicity and sincerity. “I want my work to be a simple reminder to not overlook ‘our everyday’,” she says, “and to become more aware of our surroundings in our real world, not just a virtual one.”

Through her lens, Leigh Ann Edmonds captures more than just faces or scenes—she documents presence, humanity, and the quiet significance of ordinary life.

DINER HIGH TOP, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2025. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

DINER WAITRESS, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2023. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

PORTRAIT OF SEAN, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

GRAVESIDE, from the series Roots Run Deep, 2023. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

“Photography became my voice as a young girl… and I feel I’m still that little girl, going out to explorand meet people.”

YAWNING COWBOY, from the series Behind The Chute, 2024. © Leigh Ann Edmonds

Photo-Tech News

Fujifilm Launches the X-E5: A Compact Classic Reimagined

Fujifilm has introduced the X-E5, the latest mirrorless camera in its X Series, combining the timeless appeal of a rangefinder-style body with the performance of its most advanced imaging technology. Scheduled for release in August 2025, the X-E5 is designed for photographers who value both portability and creative control.

The camera features a 40.2-megapixel back-illuminated X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and the high-speed X-Processor 5, offering exceptional image quality and improved low-light performance with a native ISO 125. For the first time in the X-E line, in-body image stabilization is included, delivering up to seven stops of compensation for sharper handheld shots.

Notable design updates include a front control lever for quick access to custom settings and a refined film simulation dial that supports six presets, including three user-defined options. The electronic viewfinder now offers a “Surround View” mode for easier composition, while a 180-degree tilting touchscreen adds flexibility for vlogging or low-angle shooting.

On the video front, the X-E5 records up to 6.2K at 30 fps and supports high-speed Full HD at 240 fps. Autofocus is enhanced with AI-driven subject detection, capable of recognizing and tracking faces, animals, and moving objects with impressive accuracy.

Weighing just 445 grams, the X-E5 is compact yet solid, with a top plate milled from a single block of aluminum. Available in both black and silver finishes, it brings a refined blend of style, performance, and mobility to Fujifilm’s growing mirrorless lineup.

Image credit: © Fujifilm

Video credit: © Fujifilm

Karey Walter

United States

Karey Walter’s photography draws deeply from her lifelong relationship with nature and animals. Her work is guided by a reverence for the natural world and a belief in the quiet, often-overlooked beauty of ordinary moments. For Walter, photography is not simply a way of seeing—it’s a way of being present. Whether capturing sweeping landscapes, intimate animal portraits, or human interactions with the natural world, her approach is grounded in patience, intuition, and wonder.

Her artistic journey began serendipitously. Initially set on studying sculpture, a wrist injury led her to take a photography class. What began as a temporary shift quickly became a lifelong passion. “From the moment I started capturing images and developing film, I fell in love with photography,” she recalls. “There was something mesmerizing about the process—the way light and shadow played, the possibilities, the tangible feel of the darkroom.”

GRAY COURT, SC © Karey Walter

ALBINO HORSE ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND © Karey Walter

ALBINO DOE © Karey Walter

WHITE FALLOW BUCK © Karey Walter

Walter's practice spans analog and digital techniques, though film remains at the core of her identity. She regularly works with cameras such as the Mamiya 6 and Holga, drawn to the square format and its creative constraints. Her Holga project, developed over five years, embraces the imperfections and unpredictabilities of the medium. “Each piece I create is a step towards exploring and underscoring the beauty, complexity, and urgent issues surrounding the natural environments and the beings within them,” she says.

GHOST HORSE © Karey Walter

Much of Walter’s work reflects a symbiotic vision of humans and nature, especially in her long-term project documenting animal life and conservation in the American South. Originally focused on photographing animals in their habitats, the series evolved to include farmers, conservationists, and advocates. Their presence added unexpected layers of cultural and ecological narrative to the project. Through their stories, Walter found a richer tapestry that revealed the interconnectedness of people, land, and wildlife.

Her black and white images, known for their tonal subtlety and texture, often convey timelessness and intimacy. In contrast, her experiments with historical processes and alternative color films lend a nostalgic, dreamlike quality to her more experimental work. Currently, she is expanding into mixed media, blending cyanotypes and darkroom techniques with painting and encaustic processes—seeking new ways to layer meaning and materiality in her storytelling.

GALVESTON © Karey Walter

Her process is deeply intuitive and anchored in a childlike sense of discovery. “Each time I set out with my camera, I am on a quest to capture magical moments that are fleeting and unique,” she explains. “This sense of adventure drives me.” From planning shoots in remote locations to developing film in the darkroom, each phase of her creative journey reflects a commitment to authenticity and reflection.

Walter’s photographs function as quiet meditations—images that invite viewers to pause, reflect, and notice. Her visual stories resonate with a call for ecological consciousness, but they also speak more universally to the human need for connection, stillness, and meaning.

LONDON © Karey Walter

WYOMING © Karey Walter

HORSE SCULL ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND © Karey Walter

DEER SCULL ON CUMBERLAND ISLAND © Karey Walter

A dedicated educator as well as an artist, Walter teaches photography with an emphasis on experimentation, playfulness, and personal voice. Influenced by a range of photographers—from the meditative landscapes of Paul Caponigro to the fearless portraits of Diane Arbus and Mary Ellen Mark—Walter encourages her students to pursue their own paths with conviction. “I've learned the importance of taking risks and trusting in one's intuition,” she says. “True artistry is often forged in these moments of uncertainty and adventure.”

Author: Hege Jaksland. June 26, 2025

Conversation with Nature by Hege Jaksland

Nature is my cathedral. In the stillness of the forest, I find a presence that speaks not with words, but with the silent poetry of movement, texture, and time. This project is a long and evolving conversation with that presence—a dialogue I enter into by walking, observing, creating, and responding with care and humility.

The installations that emerge from this process are site-specific interventions made using fiber art. They are not statements, but questions. They are not declarations, but gestures. They are my way of listening and offering something in return.

The Encounter

When I walk in nature, I walk slowly. I try to be fully present—sensing the wind, listening to birdsong, smelling moss or mushrooms, and feeling the textures of bark and rock. These walks become a kind of mindfulness practice, where I allow my senses to lead and my thoughts to settle. Science tells us that this kind of immersion in nature offers physiological and psychological benefits. But more than that, it connects me to a deeper rhythm—the life cycles of the Earth.

During these walks, I often stumble upon natural forms that feel like gifts: a curve in a tree, a hollow in a rock, the pattern of roots, the negative space between branches. These moments feel sacred. Nature, without trying, creates sculptures more subtle and resonant than I ever could on my own. These are the moments where the conversation begins.

The Response

My instinct is to highlight, protect, and elevate what I see—to respond. Not by taking or altering, but by gently framing or echoing. I want to collaborate with the landscape, not impose upon it. This is where fiber comes in.

I use traditional techniques —crochet, knitting, felting— passed down through generations of women in my family. These methods are my way of connecting to a long line of hands that worked with care and purpose. My mother, my grandmothers, great-grandmothers—they created textiles to warm, to protect, to beautify. Socks for the winter, lace for the window, gloves for a child’s hand. My use of these techniques is an act of homage. By working slowly, deliberately, and with local, sustainable materials, I honor the care and labor of generations of women.

Fiber art is defined not only by its material, but by the manual effort embedded in its making. In this way, it resists speed. It insists on time. Some installations come to me instantly—formed in the moment I encounter a place. Others simmer in the background for over a year before the right idea emerges. I often take reference photos on-site, then return home to sketch ideas, imagine possibilities, and refine the technique I’ll use. It’s a contemplative process—a continuation of the walk.

The Installation

Once the piece is complete, or I have a clear idea of what to do, I return to the place where the idea first formed. This reunion is delicate. Weather, season, and light often determine when an installation can be photographed. Sometimes I wait for winter snow, sometimes for bare autumn trees, or fog drifting through the forest. The rhythms of the natural world shape the final work just as much as my hands do.

The final image is not just a record—it is the artwork. The installations themselves are ephemeral. I never leave them in place. After photographing, I gently dismantle them, leaving no trace. This is important to me. I want to give something to the forest, not take from it. And so, the photograph becomes the residue of that moment—the trace of our exchange.

The Message

These works are not political in the conventional sense, but they carry an urgent message: we must pay attention. We must remember how to care. In a world facing ecological crisis and disconnection, I believe in the power of tenderness—of slowness, of presence, of devotion to place. Through these quiet conversations with nature, I hope to awaken a sense of reverence in others.

At its core, this project is about relationship—between body and landscape, between tradition and change, between silence and expression. Fiber, as a material, holds this complexity. It stretches, binds, warms, and yields. It remembers.

Each piece is a conversation not just with nature, but also with time—with the past, through the crafts of my ancestors; with the present, through the act of creation; and with the future, through the desire to preserve.

Photo-Art News

Gérard Uféras:

A Life in Pictures Captured in Grace and Fire

A new book by celebrated French photographer Gérard Uféras, Grace and Fire, has been published by Kulturalis, offering a comprehensive look at a career that spans over four decades. Released to coincide with a major retrospective of his work at Villa Tamaris in La Seyne-sur-Mer (running from 1 February to 27 April 2025), the volume presents Uféras’s personal selection of 240 black-and-white and color photographs, capturing the emotional depth and rich humanity of his subjects.

Born in Paris in 1954, Uféras began taking photographs at the age of eight and went on to build an acclaimed career, beginning with his contributions to the French newspaper Libération in the 1980s. A passionate observer of the performing arts, he is known for his intimate behind-the-scenes glimpses into the worlds of opera, ballet, and theatre. His lens has also explored the inner workings of haute couture, notably Christian Dior, and his documentation of the Bolshoi Theatre’s reopening in 2011 remains a milestone in his portfolio.

Grace and Fire is organized thematically and includes work from notable series such as Paris d’Amour, which highlights multicultural wedding traditions in France, and Together, which captures the joyful energy of community festivals like the Dax Feria and London’s Notting Hill Carnival. Throughout, Uféras’s photographs reflect a commitment to portraying the diversity of French society—an artistic statement in opposition to the rise of far-right ideologies.

With empathy and respect at the core of his practice, Uféras reveals moments of contemplation, connection, and creativity among his subjects. His contributions to photography were formally recognized in 2023 when he was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture, and his work now belongs to the Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie.

Grace and Fire is available now in hardcover, comprising 256 pages of evocative visual storytelling—an essential addition for anyone interested in contemporary photography and the quiet power of human connection.

Glyndebourne Festival Opera, 1991 ©GÉRARD UFÉRAS

Paris, 1/1999 ©GÉRARD UFÉRAS

Paris, 8/2023 ©GÉRARD UFÉRAS

top: Salzburg, 1996 bottom: Paris, 12/2004 ©GÉRARD UFÉRAS

Stavelot Carnival, 03/2024 ©GÉRARD UFÉRAS

Lanie Klein

United States

Lanie Klein is a New York-born, award-winning photographer whose practice spans personal, psychological, and societal realms. With degrees from Barnard College and Columbia University, Klein came to photography after working across a range of creative media—yet it was photography that became her enduring medium of exploration. “I had not expected to love photography,” she recalls, “but from the first time I picked up a digital camera and learned about photo processing, I was hooked.”

Klein’s work is rooted in deep conceptual thought, often raising questions about gender, time, identity, and the viewer's gaze. Her ongoing inquiry into the experience of being a woman in contemporary society has led to series such as Growing Up Female, Gender, Gaze and the Passage of Time, and Woman.Still Life. These bodies of work approach femininity not as a singular identity but as a shifting lens through which personal and collective narratives unfold. “Growing up as a woman has strongly shaped my worldview,” she says, underscoring how her own experiences inform the core of her work.

FACE OFF © Lanie Klein

One of the defining characteristics of Klein’s photography is its engagement with metaphor and juxtaposition. She often stages visual encounters between human figures and elements from the animal, botanical, or inanimate worlds—unexpected pairings that invite viewers to project their own interpretations. “Each meeting between them creates an encounter which raises new questions and lends new meanings to the images,” she notes. Her preference for ambiguity is deliberate: her subjects rarely show emotion, providing space for the viewer’s imagination and emotional reading to unfold. “Once the work is out there in the world,” she adds, “it is the individual viewer that brings their own interpretations, from the place where it touches them.”

LOST © Lanie Klein

STILL LIFE 3 © Lanie Klein

Klein frequently works in her studio, shooting with a Sony a7R IV and often using a 24–70mm or 85mm lens. Though many of her images are highly composed and conceptual, she also embraces the intuitive and subconscious aspects of image-making. Some of her most powerful images, she reveals, have emerged from hypnagogic states—those moments between sleep and wakefulness when ideas surface fully formed. Dreams, too, are a significant source of inspiration.

In her current project, Birds of a Feather, Klein continues her investigation into the intersections of the human and animal realms. The surreal and sometimes dissonant juxtapositions challenge the viewer to form new narratives and discover new meanings—an extension of her belief that the photographic frame is both a question and a mirror.

Klein’s influences range widely, reflecting the depth and versatility of her vision. From the intimate and iconic portraiture of Annie Leibovitz, to the constructed dreamworlds of Brooke Shaden and Gregory Crewdson, to the painterly intensity of Vermeer and Caravaggio, her references span mediums and centuries. These influences resonate in her own carefully constructed scenes that hover between realism and imagination.

“Once the work is out there in the world, it is the individual viewer that brings their own interpretations, from the place where it touches them.”

Despite her conceptual rigor, Klein is a strong advocate for spontaneity and play in the creative process. “I have come to appreciate the value of ‘play’ in the creative process,” she says. “To come to photography without an agenda and just slow down and experiment… Allowing for free exploration is a valuable tool in expanding one’s horizons.”

Whether viewed as narrative fragments or conceptual puzzles, Klein’s photographs remain open, resonant, and deeply reflective. Her images ask the viewer not just to look—but to respond, to question, and to feel.

Erika Zolli

Italy

IG: @erikazolliWebsite | www.erikazolli.it

Italian fine art photographer Erika Zolli creates surreal and poetic imagery that blurs the boundaries between dream and reality. Living and working near Lake Maggiore, Zolli crafts visual narratives steeped in symbolism and introspection, often exploring identity, transformation, and the subconscious. Her photographs feel like fragments of dreams—metaphorical compositions that speak to the emotional and symbolic dimensions of human experience.

Zolli’s practice is grounded in the belief that photography can make the invisible visible. “What I appreciate most about photography,” she says, “is its ability to give shape to thoughts, emotions, and inner visions.” Her images, highly staged and conceptual, are not mere aesthetic experiments but visual meditations on deeper truths. Using recurring motifs like red threads, butterflies, and origami, she weaves themes of destiny, memory, and metamorphosis into richly constructed scenes.

Her acclaimed series Metamorphosis of Self serves as a central touchstone in her oeuvre, offering a symbolic portrayal of the inner cycles of crisis, growth, and rebirth. Through surreal compositions and careful use of the body, Zolli reflects on identity as something fluid and multifaceted. “Each individual goes through cycles of transformation,” she explains, “and photography allows me to portray these inner changes as poetic gestures.”

Projects such as Aerial Flowers and Modern Times extend this inquiry into the relationship between humans and their environments—blending natural elements with industrial objects, or juxtaposing classical aesthetics with contemporary details. In each image, there’s a quiet interplay between stillness and movement, balance and tension, always filtered through a lens of imagination.

Zolli’s current series, Awakened Imagination, continues this exploration, focusing on female identity and inner strength. The project moves through symbolic spaces where women—both young and elderly—appear as carriers of resilience, wisdom, and transformation. Covered eyes, fragile paper forms, and dreamlike settings suggest a journey of introspection across generations. “Women are not only subjects,” Zolli says of this work, “but also bearers of deep stories and meanings.”

Her process often begins with a feeling, a visual intuition, or a subconscious image that demands to be realized. Influenced by surrealism and driven by a desire to go beyond surface appearances, Zolli’s photography becomes a kind of inner cartography—mapping the unseen with elegance and symbolic clarity. “I came to photography out of a need for expression,” she reflects. “The camera became an extension of my inner gaze.”

As she looks ahead, Zolli envisions expanding her work into public art—bringing her photographs into urban spaces where they can interact with daily life and invite reflection in unexpected places. It's a natural evolution for an artist whose images are already a kind of passage: from the surface of reality into a space where meaning lies hidden, just waiting to be uncovered.

“There is often an unseen imagery behind things, just waiting to be discovered.”

Now at FotoNostrum

We’ve moved!

Right into the heart of Barcelona’s cultural life.

FotoNostrum has taken a major step forward with a new location in the vibrant core of Barcelona, surrounded by the city's most iconic art institutions, museums, and galleries. This exciting move places us at the very centre of creative energy and dialogue.

We inaugurated the new space with the striking exhibition BOWIE X SUKITA, featuring over 70 photographs by legendary Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita—including his iconic portraits of David Bowie. To mark this milestone, we are also sharing images from the opening event, offering a first look at the renewed gallery that will host future exhibitions, encounters, and photographic discoveries.

Photos by Nela Azofeifa