ALYSSA A

The happiness of welcoming a new sunrise somewhere on the ends of the Earth, Kanniyakumari, India, 2024

“Youth is the period when a person follows the heart: the person is able to genuinely rejoice in simple things, express emotions and feelings, and be oneself, without worries about the future and regrets about the past. I met these guys at dawn in the southernmost point of India. They had come there as a class to see the Saturday sunrise in a place so important to every local. They were happy just to be together in the moment: laughing, hugging and taking pictures to remember. This shy kid noticed my camera as well and willingly shared his smile with me. The shy smile of the boy at sunrise became for me a symbol of an open heart, able to feel and enjoy being in the moment.”

OLIVIA DE VILLAINE

“This image is about the invisible threads that tie siblings together — an unspoken, instinctive bond. They find each other without thinking, lean on each other, exist as a small tribe. They create their own universe, their own comfort, and it’s in these everyday moments that their connection quietly grows.”

JAYANTI SEILER

“This was an interesting and exciting image to construct. The warm sun was setting and I also used my flash equipment to give it that striking crispness and surrealistic charm. The cactus that surrounds the girl in red was in fact very small and ended just beyond the frame. The use of a wider lens made it seem larger and more foreboding as if it could swallow her up. Which was of course my intention and how I furthered that narrative was to include a hand reaching from beyond the frame outstretched towards her. Their fingers touch just slightly as if she is trying to rescue her friend from the snake like vines that prickle and scratch the skin. I want these images of children in nature to look like their environment has come alive and that they are immersed and entangled in some sort of struggle. This could be suggestive of an inner struggle, one that relates to the tumultuous years between childhood and adulthood that we all must embrace and endure. The image was constructed to awaken the viewer’s imagination and ask them to think about a childhood that is complex but also full of wonderment and mystery.

The children in the series titled, Environs, act out these narratives and are also engaged in their own imaginative world as I photograph them. I gave them prompts and they went from there, creating and collaborating. The shoots where therefore always a blast for both myself and the children. They loved the attention and opportunity to perform on the stage that the art of the photograph provided them.”

NATALYA SAPRUNOVA

Daughter of an Evenki reindeer herder

“In the frozen vastness of Eastern Siberia, in Yakutia, an ancient and mystical world unfolds: that of the Evenki people, reindeer herders whose millennial traditions attest to a deep harmony with a hostile environment. Living in a region where winters often drop below -40°C, the Evenki have developed a unique way of life based on reindeer herding – a true pillar of their subsistence – and the transmission of original skills. Moreover, the Evenki continue to perfect the art of crafting traditional clothing adapted to the harsh climate. This living testimony to Evenki culture offers a unique perspective on humanity’s ability to thrive in extreme conditions while preserving a rich spiritual and ancestral heritage.

This image is my favorite shot because it reflects the values of the Evenki people – their deep connection with reindeer and the importance of passing traditions to the younger generation. As they say: ‘As long as the reindeer live, so do the Evenki people.’”

EVAN KLANFER

“I shot this portrait on a sleepy August afternoon in Eugene, Oregon – aka the ‘Emerald Empire’ – in the heart of the Willamette Valley. It’s part of my ongoing series To Fly On Their Own Wings, which takes its name from a rough translation of the Oregon State Motto, Alis Volat Propriis. The title speaks to the independent Oregonian spirit that permeates every aspect of life and is passed down through generations there. The result is a timeless sensibility and aesthetic that’s especially noticeable in younger people, like this nine year old boy in his astronaut suit holding a toy rocket.

One thing I love about the image is that it feels as though it could’ve been taken in 1952 or 2022 – or any time in between. But it also happens to be a candid portrait that was taken while the kid was playing in his own backyard. In keeping with the theme, I shot this on film (medium format) and went into the darkroom to make c-prints. I’m really looking forward to continuing to explore the Pacific Northwest and its people as I expand this series.”

BOB HAFT

Inner Dreams

“For over 20 years I kept what amounted to a “visual diary,” as almost on a daily basis I photographed my three children as they grew from infancy to adulthood. This photo shows my youngest daughter on a summer day when I took the kids to go swimming on a nearby lake. Because it was overcast that day, the temperature was fairly cool and at some point my daughter curled up into the inner tube she had been floating in to get some warmth from the black rubber tube. And at that point a young woman entered the water behind her and began wading out into the lake. I loved both the enigmatic expression on my daughter’s face and the contrast between her youth and the maturity of the young woman. What further enhanced the image for me was that the incoming waves on the lake almost seemed to signal a passage of time.”