Rafael Fabrés January 26, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Ecuador.Tags: Ecuador
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Quilotoa Lake, Ecuador 2010
Rafael Fabrés (b.1982, Spain) graduated in Media Communications from the Universidad Europea de Madrid and later studied photography at the Escuela de Fotografía y Centro de Imagen in Madrid. He became involved with photography in 2006, two months after documenting the north of India and working with an NGO in Kolkata. He is currently based between Haiti and Spain. His clients include Getty Images, and Deutsche Presse Agentur. His work has been published in GEO, Wild Magazine and The Record.
About the Photograph:
“Quilotoa lake is 170 Km from Quito Ecuador on the Panamerican Highway. At almost four thousand meters above sea level, a huge turquoise lagoon of about 3.15 kilometers in diameter, extends into the interior of the crater. To reach it one must descend a steep road of about 440 meters, coming from a small town at the top called Chugchilán. This people of this village live mainly from tourism and local crafts. Manuel Yampa’s family run a small inn in Chugchilán. He and his wife rent mules who bring tourists uphill from the lake. With a height of almost six thousand meters the “Neck of Fire”, as it is called in Quechua, the Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.”
Birthe Piontek January 23, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Canada.Tags: Canada
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Dawson City, Yukon, Canada 2010
Birthe Piontek (b.1976, Germany) moved to Canada in 2005 after receiving her MFA from the University of Essen in Communication Design and Photography. Her work has been exhibited internationally at the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago and the Museum of Applied Arts in Gera, Germany. In 2008, she was named one of PDN’s 30, and has been a finalist for the Santa Fe Prize in Photography. Her project The Idea of North won the Critical Mass Book Award in 2009, and was published as a monograph in 2011. Birthe’s work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Esquire, Wired and Die Zeit, among others. She is represented by Charles Guice Contemporary in New York City and Kominek Gallery in Berlin.
About the Photograph:
“This image is part of a project called The Idea of North, a series I shot in Dawson City, Yukon. It deals with a recurrent theme in my photographic work: individuation and the struggles of people to belong and yet to be different at the same time. The fast-paced, anonymous life of the urban environment sometimes offers neither the time nor space for individualization, nor the comforting place needed for belonging. So, for some, the sense of freedom and interdependence intrinsic to a remote, Northern community makes it an idealized symbol of the Promised Land. Dawson City is known for its rough exterior, attracts people interested in an alternative way of living, and, as a former gold mining town, holds its fair share of dark secrets. During my stay there, I met Myriam. Originally from Germany, she moved to the Yukon several years ago. She learned how to build her own log cabin and now enjoys living off the grid, which in her case means neither having running water or electricity, but instead having her own garden and owning a couple of sled dogs. The photo was taken outside her cabin on a long summer evening.”
Kevin Kunishi January 19, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Nicaragua.Tags: Nicaragua
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Victorio & Marcos Alaniz Benavidez, Northern Nicaragua 2010
Kevin Kunishi (b.1975, USA) received his BA in History from University of California Santa Barbara in 2001 and his MFA from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco in 2011. Following his undergraduate studies, he traveled for six years, circled the world twice and explored 21 different countries. It was during this time that his fascination for the alchemy of photography flourished and became an all-consuming passion. In 2011 Kevin was awarded first place in The International Photography Awards and was the recipient of The Blue Earth Prize for Best Project Photography. His work has also been recognized by The New Yorker, American Photo Magazine, the New York Photo Festival, PDN, CMYK magazine, Photographer’s Forum and Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3).
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is from a larger body of work entitled “Los Restos de la Revolucion.” The series consists of portraits of the Sandinistas and their opposing Contra veterans, as well as artifacts and landscapes significant to the civil war that took place in Nicaragua during the 1980’s. After missing a Sandinista meeting at the local school in El Charcon, Victorio was arrested for suspicion of being a Contra collaborator. He spent a month in prison in the city of Jinotega. The cells were built underground and flooded almost to the ceiling every other day to torture the prisoners. He endured leeches; beatings and having bags filled with lye placed over his head until he couldn’t breathe. Interrogations were performed every night. He was told his family would be killed if he didn’t cooperate. When finally released, too weak to stand, he was dumped naked on the side of the road outside of Jinotega. Headlights appeared in the distance; miraculously, it was his neighbor driving by in a truck. The neighbor said, ‘Victorio you’re alive!’ Victorio responded, “Am I?”
Dimitri Stefanov January 16, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Bulgaria.Tags: Bulgaria
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Burial in the village of Vulchi Trun, Bulgaria 2011
Dimitri Stefanov (b. 1987, Bulgaria) began an entry-level course in photography at the Escuela de Fotografía y Centro de Imagen in Madrid, when he was 19 years old. One year later, in 2009, he took a documentary photography course at the same school and was awarded the Most Promising Student of the Year. In 2010 he was invited to show his work at the International Festival of Photography in Plodiv, Bulgaria. He was a runner-up as Young Bulgarian Photographer of the Year. In 2011, Dimitri was selected to attend the Joop Swart Masterclass. His work has also been recognized by the POYi Emerging Vision Incentive and has been published in Bulgarian magazines such as One, Neq, BG Press Photo and others.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is part of a project called In Profundis conducted between 2010 and 2011 in my home country, Bulgaria. It is my direct approach to face of death in the most physical sense. The grandchildren are mourning the death of their grandmother in the cemetery chapel. Here I have to say that without the help and understanding of all deceased persons and families this project would not have been possible. Thanks to each and every one of them. I never lied to anyone when making these pictures. I just want the viewer see or feel what I felt in these tough times. I have a saying: Life is over only when the music stops.”
Tomasz Lazar January 12, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Poland.Tags: Poland
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From the series “Coastline”, Pobierowo, Poland 2010.
Tomasz Lazar (b. 1985, Poland) studied at the West Pomeranian University of Information Technology. He is currently a first year student at the Institute of Creative Photography in Opava (the Czech Republic). His work has been exhibited in Poland and has been published in Radiate Magazine. Tomasz is currently working on a project titled Theater of Life, whose task is to move aspects of everyday life and cultural changes taking place in society as a result of the development of media and technology in the world. He was nominated for International Photography Award 2011 in the category of “Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year” and was also a participant in Eddie Adams Workshop in 2011.
About Photograph:
“This image shows a group of people taking part in competitions on the beach – searching for treasures in Pobierowo. Every year this event is organized for sunbathers.When I went to the beach and saw this situation, I knew I had to take a photo of it. The people were so busy looking for treasures they hardly noticed me. I took a few frames and went on. The entire scene looked like a huge one agricultural field. This photo is also part of my long-term project called Coastline. It is focus on three aspects: life of fisherman families, life on the beach and the landscapes.”
Ilvy Njiokiktjien January 9, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in South Africa.Tags: South Africa
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Kommando Korps Camp, South Africa
Ilvy Njiokiktjien (b.1984, The Netherlands) studied journalism and photography in Utrecht. Ilvy graduated in 2006 and started working as a writer and photographer for the Dutch newspaper Sp!ts and for the Dutch Press Agenc ANP. In 2007 worked for The Star, a daily newspaper based in South Africa, Johannesburg. This is where the idea arose to travel from Johannesburg to Utrecht, by car. In 2008 she won the Canonprijs, part of the Zilveren Camera (Silver Camera). In that same year she also won the first prize in the National Geographic Photography Contest. In 2011 Njiokiktjien won the Canon AFJ Female Photojournalist Award. Her work on adolescents in South Africa will be presented at the Perpignan Photo Festival in 2012.
About the Photograph:
“These boys are part of a group known as the Kommando Korps, founded by a white fringe organisation in South Africa. The boys are at the camp for several reasons, one of them is to learn self defense. But the most important reason is to learn about their white race. Colonel Franz Jooste, the leader of the camp, teaches the kids about their white Afrikaner identity, the white struggle for a free country for whites within South Africa and other racist ideas. The children, all born after apartheid, are part of the so called born free generation. This generation was is supposed to bring unity and change in South Africa, but instead they are taught polarization and hatred towards blacks. I made this photograph while the boys were having a little break from their military style training. It was a moment when you could actually see that they are ‘normal’ boys, instead of young soldiers.”
Anne Ackermann January 5, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Germany.Tags: Germany
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Mormon Missionaries in Germany 2010
Anne Ackermann (b. 1980, Germany) studied Visual Communication and Photojournalism in Hamburg, Buenos Aires and Aarhus (Denmark). She started freelancing in 2008 and received an Eastern Europe Research Grant from Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Her project «Plástica» (2009) was widely exhibited, e.g. at PhotoGrafia Festival Rome, «Nuit Blanches» F-Stop Festival Leipzig and the New York Photo Festival. She was nominated for Joop Swart Masterclass in 2010. In 2011 Anne received a grant from VG Bildkunst. Her clients include Stern, Amnesty International Journal, Geolino, Yuno, Chrismon and many others. Anne lives in Hamburg where she splits her time between freelancing and following her own projects, currently focussing on Eastern Africa.
About the Photograph:
“This portrait of Sister Diana Simionescu, a young Romanian, is part of an assigned reportage that I did about young Mormon missionaries in Germany. I have been following her and her American friend in a small town in Northern Germany knocking on doors of suburban houses which would too often stay closed. The pair were approaching strangers to bring them the message of God and walking great distances on their self chosen mission to spread their belief. In the afternoon the girls decided to go home to devote their time to studying the Book of Mormon and a bit of German language. When I saw the afternoon light coming through the window to illuminate the young woman´s face, dedicating herself to what is the center of her belief, I was very much struck by the calm but centered expression of commitment on her face and body posture.”
Andrew McConnell January 2, 2012
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in China.Tags: China
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Guangzhou’s main Square, China
Andrew McConnell (b. 1977, Ireland) began his photographic career in Belfast, working as a press photographer during the closing stages of “The Troubles” in the north of Ireland and the transition to peace. Since then he has worked on stories worldwide including the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, e-waste in Ghana, surfing in the Gaza Strip and the ongoing occupation of Western Sahara. McConnell is a double World Press Photo Award winner and a recipient of the NPPA Best of Photojournalism Best of Show Award, his images have appeared in the many of the world’s top publications.
About the Photograph:
“The image was taken in Guangzhou’s Railway Station Square, in China, and even for the most populated country in the world this place was busy. It always seemed to be thronged with at least a few thousand people and whether they were coming or going it was hard to tell. At regular spacings these Chinese soldiers kept watch over the public, always standing in threes, two looking forward one looking back. Their faces were grave and expressionless and it was obvious they wouldn’t be agreeing to any photographs. So I walked up to these three and made one frame before they exploded in angry condemnation of my act, I held my hands up, made my excuses, and left quietly.”
Jonathan Saruk December 15, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Yemen.Tags: Yemen
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Demonstration at the University of Sana, Yemen 2011
Jonathan Saruk (b. 1979, USA) graduated from the International Center of Photography where he was awarded a scholarship from The New York Times. In September 2011, Jonathan joined Reportage by Getty Images as a Featured Photographer. Jonathan’s still images have been published in The New Yorker, Newsweek, The Times of London, Le Journal Du Dimanche, among others. His video work has been broadcast on HDnet’s World Report. Jonathan was named a selected winner for the Magenta Foundation’s Flash Forward 2009. He attended the Eddie Adams Workshop in 2008 where he won an award from the Associated Press and was honored by International Photography Awards in 2009 for his work in Afghanistan. He also holds an M.A. in print journalism from New York University. When not on the road, he lives in Malmö, Sweden.
About the Photograph:
“The photo was taken in March 2011 during a protest in Sana, Yemen. The demonstration outside the University of Sana was in high gear when I arrived. Crowds were cheering, vendors were hawking a variety of local cuisine many of the males already had a cheek full of Khat (an amphetamine-like stimulant). Just off to the side of the main stage where various individuals were constantly rallying the crowd, an area was cordoned off for women. Luckily, male members of the press were allowed to mingle amongst the women. At one point, I stumbled across this group of young girls, who I believe later made an appearance on stage. Despite their age, they appeared very aware of the situation and the uncertainty of their country’s future.”
Editor’s Note: Since it’s inception almost four years ago, Verve Photo has showcased the work of close to six hundred photographers from around the world. Back in early 2008, I could hardly imagine how broad an audience it would reach. Verve Photo is tracked by editors from leading publications and curators world-wide in search of new talent. We will resume posting on January 2, 2012. Until then, a healthy an happy new year to all far and wide.
- Geoffrey Hiller, Phnom Penh
Jérémie Souteyrat December 12, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Japan.Tags: Japan
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Nuclear Refugees. Tokyo, Japan 2011
Jérémie Souteyrat (b. 1979, France) graduated as a mechanical engineer in 2001 and soon after began to work as a photographer. His development as a photographer coincided when he went to Japan in 2005, and fell in love with the country. Besides his work in Japan, Jérémiee has documented young Afghan migrants in Paris which was shortlisted for the Bourse du Talent Kodak. His work has been published in The Guardian, Le Monde, Elle, L’Express Libération, Le Monde, among others. In the summer of 2011 his photographs were exhibited at the Festival of Photography in Lodz, Poland. Jérémie is currently based in Tokyo.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is from a story about Fukushima’s nuclear refugees. It was taken at a public housing unit in Tokyo on April 20, 2011, five weeks after the start of the nuclear crisis. The Suzuki family came here with the husband’s parents from Iwaki, a city located 40km south of the power plant. The parents’ house - where they all lived – was destroyed by the tsunami. They decided to flee the area, fearing the effects of radiation on the children. After a few weeks in a refugee shelter in Tokyo, they were able to move into public housing provided by the city of Tokyo. Ryota Suzuki, the husband, must go back to Iwaki to complete his studies, and for one year his wife Kaori will remain in Tokyo with the children. They will receive no financial compensation from TEPCO (the nuclear operator) because their house was outside the 30km evacuation zone.”
Gordon Welters December 8, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Germany.Tags: Germany
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From the Project “Go, My Beauty”, Germany 2009
Gordon Welters (b.1974, Germany) studied photo-journalism at the London College of Communication. He regularly works for The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine, International Herald Tribune, National Geographic, Stern, The Fader Magazine, The Times among others. In 2010 Gordon received a scholarship from VG Bildkunst. His work have been awarded by PDN Photo Annual, International Photography Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, Hansel-Mieth Prize and UNICEF. He organizes and leads photography workshops and was a jury member of various photo awards in Germany and the USA. He lives in Berlin and is represented by the photo agency Laif.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph is part of my story Go, my beauty. It is difficult for us to fully understand and witness death, especially with people very close to us. Although dying is an inseparable part of life, death does not really take place in our society. Dana is 25 years old and challenges life while feeling the knot under her skin. After breast amputation and undergoing chemotherapy she lies in the palliative care unit of a hospital. Dana says goodby to her friends, family and also to her small son. I met Dana 19 days before she died and visited her for 12 days. It was her wish, to transport the idea of the friendship-circle to the outside world, to stimulate and encourage patients as well as for their relatives, friends and other companions.”
Mimi Mollica December 5, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Senegal.Tags: Senegal
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From the Series “En Route to Dakar”. Senegal 2008
Mimi Mollica (b. 1975, Italy) has covered assignments in a number of different countries such as Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Sicily, Great Britain, Brazil, India, Romania and Senegal photographing current events and in-depth photo essays. His work has been published in various magazines and newspapers including: The Guardian Weekend Magazine, Financial Times, The New York Times, Granta, The Independent, Marie Claire and COLORS among others. Mimi has been recognized by the PDN Curator Awards in 2009 and received an honorable mention at Magenta Flash Forward in 2009. He is based in London.
About the Photograph:
“This photograph of Ablay was taken along the 34 km Dakar-Diamniadio road, the internationally funded motorway under construction that links Dakar to the rest of Senegal. For months I have been photographing this highway as it gradually changes its face, as well as the people that cross this surreal landscape everyday. A scenery where people struggle on a changing space, on the edge between an enduring past and a doubtful future. Ablay is unemployed and in search of work. Like many fellow migrants from neighboring Guinea, he dreams of reaching Europe in search of better opportunities and maybe one day, ‘if God permits’, to become a professional footballer.”
Olya Ivanova December 1, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Russia.Tags: Russia
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Vova and Nose. Siberia, Russia 2009
Olya Ivanova (b.1981, Russia) received a BA in literature and worked as a copywriter with global advertising agencies in Moscow until her boyfriend gave her an old film camera. She is a self taught photographer who has been heavily influenced by the work of Alec Soth and Guillaume Herbaut. Olya currently shoots for magazines including Monocle, Psychologies, Time Out, Russian Reporter and others. Her photographs has been exhibited in Moscow at the Solyanka Gallery, Fotoweek in Washington, DC and the Museum of the Fine Arts in Denys-Puech of Rodez France. Her work has been recognized by the Photo Circle Festival in Vilnius, Lithuania and the Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Honorable mention in Portraiture, UK.
About the Photograph:
“This picture was shot in Gorelovka, a village in Siberia 800 km from Novosibirsk. It was for a story about hermits living in a village that historically was a place to escape and hide. Many years ago Christian old believers came here to avoid church reform. Then ‘kulaks’ (wealthy peasants) chose this place to escape from Stalin’s repressions. Now many ‘new world antagonists’ settle here to live without passports, personal tax numbers, church and government. Vova is not a hermit, he is just a local, who works as a stove-man in winter and as a saw mill worker in summertime. Each day we visited and started with beer and finished with vodka, the usual life here. We listened to his old gramophone or rode on his Soviet bike across the fields to drink from a natural source of water. It was pure happiness. Vova was sitting behind the stove, it was the end of September and quite cold. His cat Nose all of a sudden jumped on his shoulder and stared at me. “
Jake Price November 28, 2011
Posted by Geoffrey Hiller in Mexico.Tags: Mexico
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Migrants in Lecheria, Mexico 2008
Jake Price (b. 1973, United States) saved up for his first camera with change he had scraped together when he was 17 and has been photographing ever since. He is currently working on a long term project in Haiti and Japan examining both countries response to their natural disasters. Jake’s work has taken him to Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, China, Pakistan amongst other countries. His photographs have appeared in the New York Times, TIME, Rolling Stone, Orion and Newsweek, Le Monde II , BBC Online and in publications throughout the world.
About the Photograph:
“I took this photo in Lecheria, a rundown violent crossroads just outside of Mexico City. Migrants, mainly form Central America, ride freight trains to Lecheria and then wait for another train to take them to various points north along the US/Mexico border. I arrived at dawn and worked throughout the day. Upon arrival in the blue morning, the atmosphere felt ominous with billowing exhaust from nearby factories. By the time the migrants reach Lecheria they are destitute, most at that point have been robbed, the women sexually assaulted. Some die on the way and do not make it at all. This picture was taken in the afternoon as the sun was trying to make its way though a hazy sky which finally broke in the afternoon. Despite the warmth, the young who scavenged and slept along the tracks were cold shivering in the sunlight. While scavenging they searched for whatever might be of use to them—in this case the young guy found a tattered piece of plastic sheeting which could be used as a cover, a jacket, a tent along the way north. Because most had everything stripped from them just about anything they found was made use of in multiple ways.” (more…)
