Photography Looks at How We Live

The Photography Looks at How We Live showcase for ThinkingAboutPhotography is live and runs from October 1 through December 27. With this showcase, I invite you to connect with others and experience the lives they are living. Some will be like mirrors, while others will be windows across the divide.

The photographers in this showcase have connected to the world in deep and meaningful ways. In several projects, we see how young people have responded to the worlds they find themselves in, while others examine how culture is reflected in the food we eat, and in the towns and landscapes we inhabit. From PhotoBook Journal, we include a series of book reviews that span both the globe and time, weaving together how we live with memory, the past, and the future. Many thanks to Lee Halvorsen, Hans Hickerson, Gerhard Clausing, Douglas Stockdale, and their amazing team of contributing editors.

TOP MODELS MAZAHUACHOLOSKATOPUNK by Federico Game
Buffalo by Jennifer Garza-Cuen
Growing Up Travelling by Jamie Johnson
Aridity as a Mirror of the Spirit, by Nicolás Marticorena
Daily Bread by Gregg Segal

Cheryomuski by Nikolay Bakharev, reviewed by Brian Arnold
Meat, Fish, and Aubergine Caviar by Alex Blanco, reviewed by Hans Hickerson
Máze by Céline Clanet, reviewed by Douglas Stockdale
Within the Bittersweet by Allison Grant, reviewed by Hans Hickerson
Searching for Sivagami by Hannah Modigh, reviewed by Hans Hickerson
High & Lonesome by Nathan Pearce, reviewed by Hans Hickerson

Use this link, Photography Looks at How We Live, if you’d like to go directly to the showcase - otherwise, continue reading for more about the curation process and the photographers.

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The goal of bringing these works together is not only to highlight individual projects, but also to create a shared space where viewers might recognize themselves in others, and others in themselves. In a moment when division dominates, these photographers offer community, empathy, and common ground.

Federico Gama - This was immediately an interesting body of work to me, because it’s always fascinating to see how the symbolism of fashion/style plays out around the world. I was impressed by the seamless nature of his observation of his subjects. You can really see the level of trust that he has created, in that the subjects are not merely posing so much as being themselves. He has captured their inherent soulfulness and his rich use of color adds a magical quality to the imagery.

Jennifer Garza-Cuen - It was quite hard to decide which of Jennifer’s projects I’d like to include in this showcase. Her work has a quiet dignity, and you have a strong sense that she has immersed herself in the spirit of each place.

Jamie Johnson - I didn’t have to go far to find her - she is a colleague and I have her Travellers (spelling is correct) book in my bookcase. Her career has focused on photographing children, which is evident in how relaxed and natural they are in front of her camera. That level of trust extends to their parents and the Travellers’ community as a whole - a task not easily achieved.

Nicolás Marticorena - I am transported by his imagery - he has captured the energy, the “vibe” if you will. Simply put, his spare and elegant images create a resonance that speaks clearly to the viewer. I connected with his reference to photographer Graciela Iturbide, who said, “When we photograph, we interpret a very subjective reality that somehow conveys our past experiences and emotions.”

Gregg Segal - I love projects that are both smart and have a strong visual impact. This is one of those times where I really wished my brain worked that way. He also has several other projects equally as strong - each with a sense of advocacy partnered with well designed visuals.

PhotoBook Journal - The original full list Lee Halvorsen sent me (10+ titles, of which I chose 6) was such a struggle to narrow down. With each book review I thought, “This is absolutely a yes,” and then I’d open the next and feel the same way. So, cutting down was difficult and made me really dig into what would best support the essence of the showcase.

Check out the Photography Looks at How We Live showcase - these are amazing artists - I hope you like them as much as I do.