JO ANN CHAUS — CONVERSATIONS WITH MYSELF

“In constant search for understanding and connection, these images are conversations with myself and others, interacting with the home and the environment, performing, or simply celebrating with joy the beauty I find or assemble, honoring my family history of fashion and home decor. They are a continuum of time, of the moment, of the seasons, and of the seasons of life, represented in items lovingly handcrafted and adored, clothing and furnishings that had lives before, and the natural world that brings us glory throughout the years.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: Meticulously composed, and with a striking, muted color palette of olives, greys and mustards – in both chosen props and the natural environment she captures – Jo Ann’s images speak to solitude, home, and the ephemeral beauty of the everyday. They are intriguing memorable, with a clear creative voice.

MURAT HARMANLIKLI — ISTANBUL, IN THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT & SHADOW

“To walk a city is to read it like a text, and light is the language of that text.

The city speaks to its inhabitants through the light that reveals its streets, its faces, its rhythms. Light does not simply show–it gives meaning to what is seen; it does not tell us what to look at, but how to see. Yet in the shadows, the city falls silent.It hides the untold stories, the fleeting glances, the dreams left unspoken; sound gives way to sensation.

To walk through Istanbul is like reading The Thousand and One Nights.

Light tells the stories of the city’s colors, its vibrancy, its urgency, its chaos.

Shadow, on the other hand, evokes a deja vu of the past with every step–a deep loneliness in the midst of crowds, the tension of being caught between East and West, the lingering sorrow of victories turned into quiet defeats.

Light and shadow together tell never-ending stories that unfold in layers, like a matryoshka doll–each layer holding a new secret, each secret whispering a different voice. Istanbul speaks both openly and in silence–it dazzles, and it conceals.

And I walk quietly through the pages of this book, camera in hand. In each frame, I search for a sentence; in each face, a word. I do not intervene–I only witness. The city tells its stories; I simply read them. With my eyes, with light, with time.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: Capturing the game of light and shadows in the streets is not in itself new territory for a street photographer, but Murat does it with absolute mastery. In his images, shadows are used as emotive layers – making a scene more joyful, playful or sinister. He creates a cohesive vision of Istanbul and its inhabitants, that’s never anything but mesmerizing.

MARIE SUEUR — MURMURES DE L’AME (MURMURS OF THE SOUL)

“In a world that watches, analyzes, measures, and controls everything, I am fascinated by what still escapes all forms of control.

Among these untamed territories where our instinctive desire for freedom remains unconstrained: the unconscious , a vast continent of ambiguities and vertigo, whispering its truths in the language of symbols and dreams.

I wanted to explore this inner space where reason gives way, where the instinctive, the impulsive, the chaotic reclaim their place. These are territories where words falter and images take over. A visual wandering made up of fragments of memory, blurred intuitions, silent revolts , attempts not to grasp a fixed truth, but to capture a vibration, a breath, a fragile light at the heart of our most secret parts.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: Like frozen moments from eerie dreamscapes, Marie’s images hit at an almost subliminal level. Hers are images described through feelings – most acutely of awe. They speak to the beauty of the cosmos, and the tiny spaces we occupy within it. Each image is carefully crafted, with creative and subtle uses of more experimental camera techniques, and the sepia tones only help to reinforce the intent – of capturing fragments of another plain.

MEG MOSLEY — SEMI-DETACHED

“In Semi-Detached, I explore an emotional landscape within the intimate confines of a recently vacated 1960s home, positioning myself as a solitary figure among the lingering echoes of domestic life. After the passing of my parents’ lifelong neighbours, I was given the rare opportunity to spend several weeks working alone in their house, where I carefully crafted images that reflect the subtle traces of a life once lived and infuse everyday moments with quiet, cinematic tension. Through meticulous attention to detail–costume, set design, and the deliberate curation of objects–I build scenes that tell understated, familiar stories. Referencing the palettes and tone of 1960s television and film, I carefully staged scenes shaped by absence, memory, and the quiet traces of domestic life. The photographs hover between past and present, where ordinary moments carry a subtle cinematic tension.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: Brimming with attention to detail, Meg’s images talk of domestic ennui, the desire to escape a seemingly picture-perfect existence for something more adventurous. The results of this one-woman effort – sets, costumes, props, subject and of course photographer – are a joy to absorb. It’s Meg’s world and we’re just witnesses to it.

YVES LACROIX — THROUGH THE CRACKS WITHIN US LIGHT PENETRATES

“From darkness, light emerges.

Since February 2022, Ukraine has been plunged into a brutal war, devastating its territory. Everywhere, the scars of destruction stretch across the land: gutted buildings, collapsed roofs, gaping walls, furniture scattered like fragments of broken lives. These ruins are silent witnesses of chaos, echoes of lives abruptly cut short by the thunder of shells, drones, and missiles.

There is a strange fascination in destruction. It draws us in as much as it terrifies us, like a relentless reminder of our own mortality — a contemporary memento mori. But it is not death that captivates me, not fear. What moves me is the invisible, persistent presence of life that once was. A quiet melancholy. A trace, an imprint: someone lived here, loved here, dreamed here, and perhaps, one day, someone will live here again. To photograph these places is not a neutral act. It is a necessity.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: Single sources of light emanate from the rubble. It’s a simple but profound idea – one that emphasizes the needless destruction of war, and signals the idea that hope will ultimately prevail. These images are dark, both in subject matter and tone, and your eyes almost have to slowly adjust to take in the details. But that’s no doubt a deliberate choice – these are images that warrant a prolonged look. The loss and wreckage levelled against the people of Ukraine is a tragedy, but Yves shows us that their spirit will endure.

SIMON MARTIN — BEARING FRUIT

“With housing in London growing ever more unobtainable, the pockets of commuters draw developers to surrounding towns and villages accessible by the high-speed train lines, one such town being Sittingbourne. Located in the southeast of England, 45 miles from London, Sittingbourne is a small former industrial town struggling to provide a modern living for its residents. Planned developments of Sittingbourne are now well underway and continue to change and grow as land surrounding the town is bought up. The past, present and future story of Sittingbourne is one familiar to residents of towns and cities all over the UK. With developments planned for completion by 2031 I look to document the change of Sittingbourne to see how these small-town developments benefit the residents in the long run.”

EDITORS’ COMMENT: In the specific you find the universal. Simon’s understated images reveal stories of slow change – an emptying bingo hall, a soon-to-open housing development, a tree in bloom and the sun rising over marshlands. His quiet form of documentary photography comes from rooting oneself in a place for some time, and allows space for interpretation: what do you see of your own hometown in these images? What comes with change, and what is lost? What does community mean to you?

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All images © the author.