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Caterina Bernardi
Caterina Bernardi
Caterina Bernardi

Caterina Bernardi

Country: Norway

I was born in a town called Orkanger on the north-west coast of Norway, the land of the northern lights and long winters. This is where I draw a lot of my inspiration from, with its incredibly dramatic scenery and landscapes, and fairytales I grew up with; stories of moody and mystical Nordic environments brimming with depictions of trolls, princesses and nature.

My connection with photography first blossomed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where I lived in the very early 1990’s. There, I learned Portuguese, encountered very passionate people and discovered my own passion for photography. A friend had found a producer to make her first CD, and I took pictures of her recording music with famous Brazilian artists in the studio. It was an incredible experience that compelled me to pursue photography, which eventually led me to San Francisco, a magnificent city to go to live and work. There, I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts and ventured out on my own to shoot.

In the past decade I have created images for clients such as Merck, Genentech, Reebok, The Times of London, Pasolivo, Gilead, Bristol-Myers Squibb, KQED TV., Yoga Journal, Vodafone, and Warner Bros, while my work has appeared in photo publications such as Communication Arts, PDN, Graphis, APA Shows, and Graphic Design USA. Currently I am located in San Francisco, CA, but once a year the northern winds call upon me and I go back home and visit Norway, to feel the breeze and see the midnight sun.

Artist Statement
I think artists in general have an innate appetite for life, and speaking for myself, I find that curiosity and passion drive me to explore and create, to be mesmerized by life and it’s constant flux of magical encounters, fears and achievements; my vehicle of expression is the art and craft of photography. In this process I aim to intimately connect the subject and me and ultimately the viewer to a dialogue and to linger, to inspire and to create, and to preserve intense moments of emotion and beauty and mystery.

What I strive for in an image is to get genuine emotion and expressions from the subject. Sometimes it happens very naturally, and sometimes it is a real challenge to put a person at ease, to make them feel comfortable and enjoy having a camera pointed at them. It is a sensitive moment I share with my subjects while photographing, and establishing a connection with the talent is very important in order to capture striking images, and I work hard to make them comfortable and excited so they give their best. With great collaborations everyone wins and walks away with a sense of achievement.

Photography gives my life a purpose and a meaning, to further explore and discover myself, the arts and science, and our mysterious existence.

Website

caterinabernardi.com

 

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More Great Photographers To Discover

Joanna Borowiec
Joanna Borowiec
Poland
1971
Joanna Borowiec, a graduate of the European Academy of Photography in Warsaw, diploma thesis in the Creative and Expressive Photography Workshop, Dr Izabela Jaroszewska. Member of the Association of Polish Art Photographers (ZPAF). Scholarship holder of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage 2020. Photography Workshop. Enthusiast of medium- and large-format analogue photography. Uses historic photographic processes like ambrotype – wet collodion technique, cyanotype e.c.t. The main topic of her photos is humanistic photography, human. Winner International Photography Awards IPA 2021- category Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year. She was also awarded the third place in Photographer of the Year category of the Black& White Spider Awards competition. Prize-winner of the Portfolio Black + White Photography UK, the Portfolio Black & White for Collectors Of Fine Photography Canada, the Portfolio 2012 Shot Magazine USA. Her works and interviews with her were published in many magazines, i.a. the Black+ White Photography UK (the cover), the Shot Magazine USA, the Black and White Magazine Canada and in national magazines. Her photographs can be found in public and private collections at home and abroad, i.a. in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Sweden, USA e.c.t. She has participated in individual and collective exhibitions at home and abroad, i.a. in Poland, Germany, Spain, Singapore, Canada, USA e.c.t. Blue Story Many of my cyanotypes are created by layering a combination of objects and film imagery with carefully timed light exposures for a depth of blue/indigo colors. Inspired by nature and how we interact with it, I arrange natural objects such as leaves, flowers and vines with human made objects or images of objects. I choose to work with cyanotypes "live", in sunlight for the spontaneity of arranging the objects and often have a general idea of what I want to do allowing for of-the-minute additions and subtractions of objects and timing of exposures. I sometimes add acryl paint, or colored pencil to a washed and dried print. Cyanotype is a contact print process using treated, UV light sensitive paper. It results in a Prussian blue final print. Also known as photogram, sun print. The English scientist and astronomer Sir John Herschel discovered this procedure in 1842. (...) Due to the coating and printing process Cyanotypes are always non reproducible unique items in itself. Dreams Unfinished It is a story about pain, love and longing. The photos were taken after the death of my father. He passed away suddenly in his sleep. I could not understand what happened, to come to terms with the loss. I looked for him everywhere and imagined he was asleep and dreaming. As a result, I have contact with him in the dream world he is with me. Works depict dreams, motifs, shards of memories which probably appear in everyone's dreams. Dreams - eternal companions of human life - encourage us to analyse our own experiences and understand our fate. They enable us to bring to surface deeply hidden secrets and go beyond the earthly matters. These records are born out of imagination and perishable ephemeral memory. They are not meant to be unambiguous; they should leave the door open for free interpretation and free reading to enable everyone to supplement them with their own story. Glass Faces "The eyes and faces all turned themselves towards me, and guiding myself by them, as by a magical thread, I stepped into the room" Sylvia Plath Glass Faces present unique, enchanting, climatic and hypnotising portraits. Bewitching with natural beauty and somewhat unreal, mysterious, silent and oozing various emotions. Faces of friends and people we have just met. Ambrotypes - positive images created on a sheet of glass using the 19th century wet collodion process - are the vital element of the project. The ambrotype is inimitable. You may try to reproduce it, but a piece created on black glass remains unique. Ambrotype - Ambrotos means immortal... I was born in a camp The story of Jan Chmiel, who was born in the Waltrop forced labor camp - a city in western Germany. According to a record issued by a German official, he was born in 1944. , according to information provided by the mother in 1942. Of the 143 children captured in the Waltrop camp, three survived, including Jan.
Robert Hutinski
Robert Hutinski
Slovenia
1969
I was born in 1969, Celje; this is where I live. I have held some solo and several group exhibitions at home and abroad. I have received several Slovenian and international awards and prizes for my photos. Some nominations and awards: PX3 2009, 2010, 2011 (official selection), 2012 ; Black & White Spider Awards 2010, 2011; Photography Master Cup 2010; IPA International Photography Awards 2010, 2011, 2012; Photographic association of Slovenia -Photography of the year 2007, 2008, 2009; EMZIN Photography of the year 2010, 2012, 2013; Art of Photography 2012Today, the political permeates most practices in the everyday of an individual who both executes and produces them and only rarely (in most cases) questions and examines their origin. The complex array of topics pertaining to the notion of the political affect the individual from cradle to tomb without (in most cases) the individual's awareness thereof. All these practices and ideas which are in constant conflict are translated and assimilated via various fields into the individual's everyday. One such field is photography whose very power lies in being politically incorrect in practice. Only thus can it be morally and ethically pure – a factor of reflection and promotion of awareness.
Thierry Cohen
Thierry Cohen
France
1963
Thierry Cohen was born in Paris in 1963. He began his professional career in 1985 and is seen as one of the pioneers of digital photography. His work has been shown at the Palais de Tokyo, and the Musee de l”Homme in Paris, and in 2008 was an official selection of the Mois de la Photo. Since 2010 he has devoted himself to a single project – “Villes Enteintes” (Darkened Cities) – which depicts the major cities of the world as they would appear at night without light pollution, or in more poetic terms: how they would look if we could see the stars. Cohen’s method is original and precise and harkens back to the methodologies employed by early 19th century photographers like Gustave Le Grey. He photographs the world’s major cities, seeking out views that resonate for him and noting the precise time, angle, and latitude and longitude of his exposure. As the world rotates around its axis the stars that would have been visible above a particular city move to deserts, plains, and other places free of light pollution. By noting the precise latitude and angle of his cityscape, Cohen is able to track the earth’s rotation to places of atmospheric clarity like the Mojave, the Sahara, and the Atacama desert. There he sets up his camera to record what is lost to modern urban dwellers. Compositing the two images, Cohen creates a single new image full of resonance and nuance. The work is both political and spiritual questioning not only what we are doing to the planet but drawing unexpected connections between disparate locations. Equally importantly it asks: what do we miss by obscuring the visibility of stars? As the world's population becomes increasingly urban, there is a disjunction with the natural world which both Cohen and science posit causes both physical and psychological harm. Cities that never sleep are made up of millions of individuals breaking natural cycles of work and repose. Cohen’s photographs attempt to restore our vision, and in beautifully crafted prints and images offer the viewer a possibility - to re-connect us to the infinite energy of the stars.Source: Danziger Gallery
David Peabody
David Peabody
United States
David Peabody is an American architect and photographer. He was born and raised in Natchez, Mississippi. After college, inspired by the work of Walker Evans, David spent a year working odd jobs and moving around Mississippi, documenting rural life. Now, nearly 50 years later, he is completing the project, digitally scanning and printing that early work. In the process, he is photographing the changed landscape of rural Mississippi. David went on to study and practice architecture, but has always returned to taking pictures Currently he is following the progress of several young couples building homesteads in rural Maine. In one way or another, most of his work is an attempt to find beauty and see beyond the corporate veneer that increasingly covers our built environment. David lives with his wife Ginger in Alexandria, Virginia and East Blue Hill, Maine.
Colby Deal
Colby Deal
United States
1988
Colby Deal is a photographic artist born (b. 1988) and raised in Houston, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in the practice of photography from The University of Houston. Within his practice, he explores the culmination of elements of the psychological environment as well as the physical. He shows the dynamic range of family, community and the individual by combining street photography and portraiture to capture vibrant communities. In recent years he has incorporated the medium of sculpture and public art as a means of preserving cultural characteristics that are being erased and positively influencing his community and others alike. Colby is directly inspired by his upbringing through getting to see his family’s photographs that were mostly taken by his father. This appreciation for slowing down and concentrating on photographing what’s right in front of him, “The Now”, has led him to be more in touch with using analog photography. Colby Deal is an alumni of Project Row Houses residency, Red Line Contemporary Art Center residency in Denver, Colorado and in 2020, was awarded an exhibition at the Houston Museum of African American Culture. Colby became a Magnum nominee member in 2020.Source: Magnum Photos Colby Deal is a firm believer in the potential of photography to be a transformative medium. “Especially now with Covid and how it is separating people, imagery is so important” he says, over video call from outside his home in Houston’s Third Ward, where he has been photographing with the intention to uplift cultural representations of the predominantly Black neighborhood. “People of color and people from under-resourced communities are always shown negative images about themselves,” says Deal, whose practice involves pasting his images onto abandoned buildings and derelict shopfronts. “Imagine being a kid, waking up, getting on the school bus, and seeing yourself displayed monumentally in a positive manner. That can have a strong psychological effect on the way you think about yourself and others. Like seriously, just a glance at an image can change your thought patterns — it can change your whole life.” Adopting a participatory approach, Deal’s process involves a lot of talking and walking. On a typical day, he will drag his large format camera on a wagon, stopping at people’s doorsteps and porches for a drink, smoke, and conversation, about their lives and the condition of their community. “I don’t want to call it a story because I sound like a fucking news reporter,” he laughs, “but what I’ll do is walk around, find things I like, and shoot around it”. The culmination of these excursions is Beautiful, Still, an ongoing collection of over 1,000 black-and-white negatives of street photographs and portraits. The ability to layer these historical, personal, and social contexts in a single image can be cited back to Deal’s childhood and evolution as an artist. Deal was initially self-taught, later enrolling in the Photography BFA at The University of Houston, mostly for “the network,” he says, and to “learn how to better articulate what I was doing”. The documentary photographer, who last month became a Magnum nominee, is also a sculptor, carpenter, graphic designer, and painter. “As a child, everything I found joy in was about art,” says Deal, who was drawing from the age of three, and later developed an obsession with breaking down objects and piecing them back together. “That aspect has played a huge part in what I do today, which is looking at an idea, concept, or message that I want to get across, then starting from the root, and working from there.”Source: British Journal of Photography
Michael Hrankowski
Michael Hrankowski
United States
1955
My first experience with photography came at age eight when my parents bought me a cheap “toy” film camera to play around with. In high school I enrolled in a photography class and I have had a camera by my side ever since. During my thirty-six years as a practicing dentist, I used a camera on a daily basis to document patient conditions and treatment outcomes. Starting in dental school, with a 35mm film camera and a bellows attachment, the technology progressed to a series of DSLRs with macro lenses and specialized flash set-ups. On weekends and vacations, those same DSLRs became my creative outlet. Since retiring from dentistry in 2019, I have devoted the bulk of my free time to artistic expression through photography. Statement My photography is all over the board ranging from Fine Art to Street and everything in between in a style that has been described as “quirky”. I simply photograph subjects I find interesting. Often this means taking pictures of things that would otherwise be overlooked - something mundane, an item discarded or in a state of decay, a close-up detail or something ordinary from an unusual perspective. It is not my practice to attach deep, philosophical interpretive ramblings to my images in an effort to explain their meaning. Rather, I prefer to let those images speak directly to the viewer. Art is, after all, in the eyes of the beholder.
Sawyer Brice
Sawyer Brice
United States
2000
I am a portrait photographer. I have always aimed for my work to feel as timeless as possible. I think I've always been chasing that feeling. I want my work to be impactful and show people truth and reality but also bring hope and wonder to whatever audience may see it. I want my work to feel vulnerable. I want to help tell people's stories, whether they are non-fictional or fictional, all while telling my own. I love to shoot on various film formats, especially 120mm, as it allows me to slow time down and truly interact with my subjects. Thus, ensuring I can observe and grasp their feelings and personality, which ideally translates into the films produced. I love making photographs, and will never stop aiming to tell stories.
Callie Eh
Callie Eh
Malaysia
1972
Callie is a Switzerland-based Malaysian. Her travels ignited her love for photography, and what started as a hobby has now become an integral part of her life. Callie’s works mostly refer to life “In the moment”. Emphasizes the honesty and authenticity of people through her unique perspective and optimistic outlook on life. She aspires to convey the beauty she sees in the world and share it with others through her photography. For Callie, photography is not just about creating memories but also about connecting and communicating with others. Callie's work has received recognition through exhibitions, awards, and publications in international magazines and books. The Door to a Brighter Future My time at Sambhali (NGO) has taught me a lot and opened my eyes to the inequalities in this world. In this male-dominated country - India, most of these women have no social value and they are expected to be a housekeeper. Many women are still trapped in the veil - Ghoonghat, a symbol of identity is observed by Hindu women across castes, classes, and walks of life, in and outside Rajasthan, they have been worn for decades. Sambhali Trust, whose focus provides underprivileged Rajasthan women and kids with an education in English, Hindi, Math, and social skills, to support them in developing confidence and self-esteem and help them work towards financial independence. The majority of the girls and women at the centers are from low castes and some have difficult backgrounds. These women are so hungry for knowledge and have to fight so hard to get it, most of the Sambhali women were so bright and naturally intelligent. I’ve come away with a better understanding of real lives and society in India, as well as the freedom and responsibility that comes with it. These women live in a world where their every move is dictated by men, and to break that tradition by pursuing an education and skill. You may look at this a simple sewing machine and education, but is the door opening up to these women and children to fulfill their dream to be able to change their life in the future. Awarded Photographer of the Week - Week 41
Penelope James
Penelope James
United States
1974
I have lived many lives. A girl. A woman. A mother. A friend. A traveler. A believer. A creator and so many more. These lives have interwoven and diverged, twisted and tangled more times than I can count, but they've ultimately intersected into who I am today. As the journey unfolded, a camera fell into my hands and a passion was unleashed. My work shows you the world, perhaps, not as it is, but as I see it through the lens of my many lives and the passion that resides behind the camera. Statement These self portraits were created out of an abundance of nervous energy that demanded an outlet. Each photo is a visual representation of the very deep and powerful emotions that were provoked during the insidious year of 2020, and each photo also represents the release of that emotion as the process was completed. Never before had I experienced the therapeutic effects of creating art as I did during that time. There was not a specific theme in mind when creating these. In fact, there was not even a plan to have more than one. But time and circumstances demanded the energy be released and eventually the theme became clear: A hope to fly away. To escape. To be free.
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