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Decagon Gallery
Sanctuary
Spaces of refuge, moments of renewal
A note from the juror
As a graphic artist by training—with many years spent practicing digital art—photographic art has come to play a central role in my creative life. It informs my daily work, especially the digital collages I make, and it shapes the way I see the world. This is why I was very pleased to judge this exhibition from that perspective as well.
It was both a complex and difficult task, given the exceptional artistic quality of the works submitted.
When I was young, the idea of sanctuary held mostly religious or mythological meaning. Over time, I discovered its more profane, hidden, and deeply personal side—the way certain moments in life can transform ordinary things into something sacred. Through personal experience and private meaning, small objects that might seem insignificant to others become one’s own sanctuary.
When these personal, intimate, and sacred elements are brought forward with artistic and professional clarity—when their expressiveness is honored—they can become something greater: a shared sanctuary, a universally recognized source of value.
Ovidiu Petca
Click on an image for more information
First Place
Yurii Hurych
Zurich, Switzerland
Dimension Split
This photograph reveals a moment where light divides the darkness and reshapes the way we perceive the world around us. The forest appears both real and inverted, as if two dimensions meet at a single luminous line. This line becomes a point of transition, a quiet reminder that even in the deepest stillness there is movement, guidance and inner clarity. The work speaks about the boundary between what we see and what we sense. The light cuts through the night like a fragile thread of awareness, showing that every step through darkness contains the potential for discovery. The upside down perspective invites the viewer to question their usual way of looking, to shift their vision inward and recognize that light is not something external but something that rises from within.
This image reflects the idea that transformation often begins in silence. When the world around you becomes unfamiliar, when the ground seems to turn upside down, there is still a line that leads forward. A line that reminds us: even in uncertainty, there is always a path illuminated by our own presence. Yurii Gurych is a photographer for whom light has become not an instrument but a guide. After a turning point in his life, he returned to his childhood love for photography and transformed it into a profession, becoming one of the most notable photographers in Kyiv. He now lives in Switzerland, where he creates light paintings within natural landscapes, exploring the energy of places and the inner radiance of the human spirit.
Dimension Split
This photograph reveals a moment where light divides the darkness and reshapes the way we perceive the world around us. The forest appears both real and inverted, as if two dimensions meet at a single luminous line. This line becomes a point of transition, a quiet reminder that even in the deepest stillness there is movement, guidance and inner clarity. The work speaks about the boundary between what we see and what we sense. The light cuts through the night like a fragile thread of awareness, showing that every step through darkness contains the potential for discovery. The upside down perspective invites the viewer to question their usual way of looking, to shift their vision inward and recognize that light is not something external but something that rises from within.
This image reflects the idea that transformation often begins in silence. When the world around you becomes unfamiliar, when the ground seems to turn upside down, there is still a line that leads forward. A line that reminds us: even in uncertainty, there is always a path illuminated by our own presence. Yurii Gurych is a photographer for whom light has become not an instrument but a guide. After a turning point in his life, he returned to his childhood love for photography and transformed it into a profession, becoming one of the most notable photographers in Kyiv. He now lives in Switzerland, where he creates light paintings within natural landscapes, exploring the energy of places and the inner radiance of the human spirit.
Joyce Andersen
Wilton, CT
Safe Haven
My lens is my window to the world. My photographic journey began as a means to document the chaotic beauty of life. Over time, it has evolved into a passion which keeps me alert and drives me to explore the world, looking for unique moments. My goal is to create images that not only capture the eye but also engage the soul, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and connect with the stories told. Through my photography, I aim to inspire a greater appreciation for the world around us and to create a sense of connection and respect for the diverse tapestry of our planet. Each photograph is a piece of my journey, a chapter in the ongoing story of discovery that defines us all. I hope that people will relate to my images, sparking a sense of curiosity and a deeper understanding of the majestic beauty that surrounds us.
Safe Haven
My lens is my window to the world. My photographic journey began as a means to document the chaotic beauty of life. Over time, it has evolved into a passion which keeps me alert and drives me to explore the world, looking for unique moments. My goal is to create images that not only capture the eye but also engage the soul, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and connect with the stories told. Through my photography, I aim to inspire a greater appreciation for the world around us and to create a sense of connection and respect for the diverse tapestry of our planet. Each photograph is a piece of my journey, a chapter in the ongoing story of discovery that defines us all. I hope that people will relate to my images, sparking a sense of curiosity and a deeper understanding of the majestic beauty that surrounds us.
Chenghao Wang
Savannah, GA
A New Voice
My photographic practice investigates the intersections of architecture, memory, and ritual. I am drawn to spaces where human presence is felt rather than seen—sites where light, texture, and structure quietly register traces of lived experience. Through a sustained engagement with sacred and communal interiors, my work considers how built environments mediate emotion and belief, and how the residual atmosphere of devotion persists beyond the moment of gathering.
A New Voice
My photographic practice investigates the intersections of architecture, memory, and ritual. I am drawn to spaces where human presence is felt rather than seen—sites where light, texture, and structure quietly register traces of lived experience. Through a sustained engagement with sacred and communal interiors, my work considers how built environments mediate emotion and belief, and how the residual atmosphere of devotion persists beyond the moment of gathering.
Carmen Lazarescu
Paris, France
Into the Woods
I am a city girl but I feel a special attraction for the woods. Their silence and mystery inspire me. I feel serene and everything becomes clearer when surrounded by all that green. I was born in 1960 in Romania. My upbringing and my profession as an architect brought me into constant contact with the visual arts in all their forms, but without giving me the opportunity—or too little to my taste—to get directly involved. I remedied this by inventing a double life for myself, architect by day and photographer/artist by night (or, more precisely, by night and weekends). I've always drawn, and my eye is used to looking for graphic details, chromatic harmonies, and the balance of light and shapes in everything around me. Through my photos, I seek to convey my vision of the world around us. I look for the detail rather than the whole, the color, the material, the graphics, the lights and shadows revealing mystery. I often photograph old stones, cracked walls, rusty scrap metal—things that are thrown away without regret because they've gone out of fashion or been damaged by time—and I try to give them the right to a second life. To make this vision a reality, I have a few favorite themes: the scars left by the passage of time on everything around us; the wabi-sabi, or the beauty of imperfect, dented, and damaged things; nature in all its details; still lifes in chiaroscuro; and the graceful beauty of flowers, the elegance of lines and shapes, and chromatic harmonies. I forbid myself nothing except not to let my heart speak. To quote Paolo Roversi, I’m looking for the mystery of beauty…
Into the Woods
I am a city girl but I feel a special attraction for the woods. Their silence and mystery inspire me. I feel serene and everything becomes clearer when surrounded by all that green. I was born in 1960 in Romania. My upbringing and my profession as an architect brought me into constant contact with the visual arts in all their forms, but without giving me the opportunity—or too little to my taste—to get directly involved. I remedied this by inventing a double life for myself, architect by day and photographer/artist by night (or, more precisely, by night and weekends). I've always drawn, and my eye is used to looking for graphic details, chromatic harmonies, and the balance of light and shapes in everything around me. Through my photos, I seek to convey my vision of the world around us. I look for the detail rather than the whole, the color, the material, the graphics, the lights and shadows revealing mystery. I often photograph old stones, cracked walls, rusty scrap metal—things that are thrown away without regret because they've gone out of fashion or been damaged by time—and I try to give them the right to a second life. To make this vision a reality, I have a few favorite themes: the scars left by the passage of time on everything around us; the wabi-sabi, or the beauty of imperfect, dented, and damaged things; nature in all its details; still lifes in chiaroscuro; and the graceful beauty of flowers, the elegance of lines and shapes, and chromatic harmonies. I forbid myself nothing except not to let my heart speak. To quote Paolo Roversi, I’m looking for the mystery of beauty…
Charlie Frances-Besson
Paris, France
Matosinhos
This photograph was taken in Matosinhos, Portugal. I photographed these people who seem lost in their own world as they gaze out at the sea. Nothing seems to bother them, like a moment outside of time. My career as a photographer began with street photography before increasingly shifting toward landscapes, both urban and rural. My goal? Not really to capture the spectacular, but rather to freeze a moment of everyday life or a landscape in time. Photography then becomes a mental and physical experience, with a lot of downtime. But with the need to be on the alert, I am, in a way, more present in this world.
Matosinhos
This photograph was taken in Matosinhos, Portugal. I photographed these people who seem lost in their own world as they gaze out at the sea. Nothing seems to bother them, like a moment outside of time. My career as a photographer began with street photography before increasingly shifting toward landscapes, both urban and rural. My goal? Not really to capture the spectacular, but rather to freeze a moment of everyday life or a landscape in time. Photography then becomes a mental and physical experience, with a lot of downtime. But with the need to be on the alert, I am, in a way, more present in this world.
Trina O’Hara
Perugia, Italy
Sanctum
Trina O’Hara is an Australian painter and photographer based in Perugia, Italy, with a deep foundation in classical techniques and academic training. She studied at institutions including the Angel Art Academy in Italy and the Flemish Classical Atelier in Bruges. She spent seven years copying, in paint, every known Caravaggio painting to master his use of light. Trina holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, a Master’s in Contemporary Art, and recently published her first photography book. Trina seeks to preserve the technical ideals of the Old Masters while seeking new conversations in the present.
Sanctum
Trina O’Hara is an Australian painter and photographer based in Perugia, Italy, with a deep foundation in classical techniques and academic training. She studied at institutions including the Angel Art Academy in Italy and the Flemish Classical Atelier in Bruges. She spent seven years copying, in paint, every known Caravaggio painting to master his use of light. Trina holds a BA (Hons) in Fine Art, a Master’s in Contemporary Art, and recently published her first photography book. Trina seeks to preserve the technical ideals of the Old Masters while seeking new conversations in the present.
Robert Balestrero
Traverse City , MI
Two Figures Take a Stroll
The merits of a sanctuary vary from person to person; one can find respite in another person, a pet, or a place. For the photographer, the simple act of observation slows down time, and the recipient of this information—the viewer—can make an inference or, in fact, the obvious can be laid bare. In any case, most of the time I enjoy the photo that brings to the viewer more questions than answers. I was raised in NYC, went to medical school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and now reside in Traverse City, MI.
I would like to bring an educational perspective to photography, and I hope to grow and learn from this experience. I am 70 years old.
Two Figures Take a Stroll
The merits of a sanctuary vary from person to person; one can find respite in another person, a pet, or a place. For the photographer, the simple act of observation slows down time, and the recipient of this information—the viewer—can make an inference or, in fact, the obvious can be laid bare. In any case, most of the time I enjoy the photo that brings to the viewer more questions than answers. I was raised in NYC, went to medical school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and now reside in Traverse City, MI.
I would like to bring an educational perspective to photography, and I hope to grow and learn from this experience. I am 70 years old.
Second Place
Third Place
Honorable Mention
Honorable Mention
Gallery Director's Choice
Curatorial Director's Choice
Susan Sancomb
South Kingstown, RI
Fathoms
These moments are meditative—part observation, part recognition. I’m drawn to the subtle choreography of shadow and surface, where patterns emerge and vanish, where the ordinary becomes almost sacred.
Water is my place of return—a source of solace, reflection, and quiet wonder. Through black and white photography, I explore its ever-shifting forms as both subject and spirit. Stripping away color, I focus on light, movement, shape, and texture to reveal water’s abstract and symbolic qualities. These moments are meditative—part observation, part recognition.
Fathoms
These moments are meditative—part observation, part recognition. I’m drawn to the subtle choreography of shadow and surface, where patterns emerge and vanish, where the ordinary becomes almost sacred.
Water is my place of return—a source of solace, reflection, and quiet wonder. Through black and white photography, I explore its ever-shifting forms as both subject and spirit. Stripping away color, I focus on light, movement, shape, and texture to reveal water’s abstract and symbolic qualities. These moments are meditative—part observation, part recognition.
Brian Ware
Los Angeles, CA
After the Rain
Artist and designer.
A double rainbow dome captured in the Mojave Desert just outside Joshua Tree, CA, after a November rainstorm.
After the Rain
Artist and designer.
A double rainbow dome captured in the Mojave Desert just outside Joshua Tree, CA, after a November rainstorm.
Abilio Magalhães
Povoa de Varzim, Portugal
The Perspective
Unfinished images, imperfect yet carefully made, images where words are missing. An incomplete photographer, by choice.
As I walked into this part of the woodland, I chose a different path, thinking it would lead me to the oaks I wanted to visit. But as I descended towards them, I found a new perspective, as if they had always been there, waiting to be seen in a different way.
The Perspective
Unfinished images, imperfect yet carefully made, images where words are missing. An incomplete photographer, by choice.
As I walked into this part of the woodland, I chose a different path, thinking it would lead me to the oaks I wanted to visit. But as I descended towards them, I found a new perspective, as if they had always been there, waiting to be seen in a different way.
Ana Palacios
Madrid, Spain
Wild Love 4
Nicole Eden, founder of the Eden Animal Sanctuary (Mallorca, Spain), feeds Faith at night. Faith is a 15 days lamb rescued a few days ago.
One day, Nicole, got a distressed call from the farm vet. She had been called out to euthanize a tiny red sheep, local breed in the island. Faith had been rejected by her mum and the farmer did not want the trouble of having to bottle feed her. She didn't think twice and took her and the sheep recognises Nicole as her mum and follows her everywhere. If not fed by the mother, lambs have to be bottle-fed every four hours for the first month.
As a freelance visual journalist, I develop long-term projects that deeply explore social issues related to human rights, the environment, and animal welfare.
Through a solutions journalism approach, my work seeks not only to expose injustices but also to highlight pathways for positive change and social impact.
My mission is to amplify voices and raise awareness. This commitment has led my work to be recognized, exhibited, and published worldwide.
Beyond photography, I am dedicated to education and advocacy. As a public speaker at universities, photography festivals, and educational institutions, I strive to inform, engage, and inspire conversations around human rights.
I also contribute to the photographic community as a juror in national and international photo contests, supporting emerging talents and impactful storytelling.
Wild Love 4
Nicole Eden, founder of the Eden Animal Sanctuary (Mallorca, Spain), feeds Faith at night. Faith is a 15 days lamb rescued a few days ago.
One day, Nicole, got a distressed call from the farm vet. She had been called out to euthanize a tiny red sheep, local breed in the island. Faith had been rejected by her mum and the farmer did not want the trouble of having to bottle feed her. She didn't think twice and took her and the sheep recognises Nicole as her mum and follows her everywhere. If not fed by the mother, lambs have to be bottle-fed every four hours for the first month.
As a freelance visual journalist, I develop long-term projects that deeply explore social issues related to human rights, the environment, and animal welfare.
Through a solutions journalism approach, my work seeks not only to expose injustices but also to highlight pathways for positive change and social impact.
My mission is to amplify voices and raise awareness. This commitment has led my work to be recognized, exhibited, and published worldwide.
Beyond photography, I am dedicated to education and advocacy. As a public speaker at universities, photography festivals, and educational institutions, I strive to inform, engage, and inspire conversations around human rights.
I also contribute to the photographic community as a juror in national and international photo contests, supporting emerging talents and impactful storytelling.
Becky Chapman
Morrison, CO
The One Less Traveled
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-- Robert Frost
Intimate landscapes and close-up nature images are my primary photographic interests. I am entranced by the smaller elements in nature. Things in Transition also draw my attention: trees rotting back into the soil, fungi helping them along, plants going to seed, bones left by animals that had lived there.
A favorite quote by Charles de Lint: “Magic lies in between things, between the day and the night, between yellow and blue, between any two things.”
I believe in that Magic.
The One Less Traveled
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-- Robert Frost
Intimate landscapes and close-up nature images are my primary photographic interests. I am entranced by the smaller elements in nature. Things in Transition also draw my attention: trees rotting back into the soil, fungi helping them along, plants going to seed, bones left by animals that had lived there.
A favorite quote by Charles de Lint: “Magic lies in between things, between the day and the night, between yellow and blue, between any two things.”
I believe in that Magic.
Bob Debski
Lansdale, PA
Sanctuary
Educated as an electrical engineer, and having spent most of my career employed in the built environment, I have found that the right side of my brain has been atrophying as the gray has begun to appear at my temples. Photography has become the perfect “Mitty-esque” escape from my daily routine of contract negotiations, resolving customer emergencies, and attending an endless calendar of mind-numbing meetings. Having played a very small part in the erection of so many soul-less buildings, I have gained an appreciation for those structures that were created from hand. The loss of each one of these aging structures is not just a loss of the physical art, but an erasure of the memories of those who constructed and labored within them. As AI displaces human creativity and skilled labor, I feel a need to document a time when structures honored the dignity of the occupant and were not just cost-efficient shelters from the elements. Since revealing the images on my hard drive to those outside my “circle of trust” a few years ago, my photography is occasionally appearing in the “honorable mention” or “notable other works” section of domestic and international photo exhibitions. In spite of this burgeoning promise, my creditors have urged me to stick with my day job for the time being. We tracked this small sailboat as it was headed back to the harbor in the late afternoon. Positioned directly between the boat and its destination was a billowing thunderstorm. As the boat continued its steadfast progress, the storm began to abate. It was almost as if heaven intervened to open the sky, providing safe passage to the vessel.
Sanctuary
Educated as an electrical engineer, and having spent most of my career employed in the built environment, I have found that the right side of my brain has been atrophying as the gray has begun to appear at my temples. Photography has become the perfect “Mitty-esque” escape from my daily routine of contract negotiations, resolving customer emergencies, and attending an endless calendar of mind-numbing meetings. Having played a very small part in the erection of so many soul-less buildings, I have gained an appreciation for those structures that were created from hand. The loss of each one of these aging structures is not just a loss of the physical art, but an erasure of the memories of those who constructed and labored within them. As AI displaces human creativity and skilled labor, I feel a need to document a time when structures honored the dignity of the occupant and were not just cost-efficient shelters from the elements. Since revealing the images on my hard drive to those outside my “circle of trust” a few years ago, my photography is occasionally appearing in the “honorable mention” or “notable other works” section of domestic and international photo exhibitions. In spite of this burgeoning promise, my creditors have urged me to stick with my day job for the time being. We tracked this small sailboat as it was headed back to the harbor in the late afternoon. Positioned directly between the boat and its destination was a billowing thunderstorm. As the boat continued its steadfast progress, the storm began to abate. It was almost as if heaven intervened to open the sky, providing safe passage to the vessel.
Boxuan Yuan
London, UK
Lighthouse
This color slide photograph was taken on a coastline in Scotland, UK. The beacon atop the lighthouse guides passing vessels home, illuminating the Sanctuary they seek at sea. Meanwhile, the platform at its base offers fishermen a brief escape from the trivialities of everyday life. The lighthouse stands as both a sanctuary for sailors and a quiet haven for those on shore—another form of Sanctuary in its own subtle way.
I am a London-based photographic artist with five years of creative practice. I have travelled to remote regions of China for philanthropic photography projects, and my works have been exhibited both online and offline in galleries across France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, receiving multiple art awards. I currently operate my own studio in London, focusing on fine art and documentary photography. My work is rooted in calm, sincere, and unembellished observation. Landscapes, people, and documentary scenes form my dialogue with the world. I am drawn to traditional image-making mediums—film, Polaroid, instant materials, and peel-apart film—while also using digital photography as a complementary tool. “Bystanding” is the central theme of my practice. I move like a ghost through cities and human spaces, observing the traces left by time: birth and decay, tenderness and indifference, justice and shadow, tradition and renewal. I do not seek to alter or judge; instead, I respond as a silent observer, attentive to the subtle tremors of fate embedded in the everyday. Each press of the shutter is a quiet act of witnessing—an ongoing reflection on humanity, reality, and existence.
Lighthouse
This color slide photograph was taken on a coastline in Scotland, UK. The beacon atop the lighthouse guides passing vessels home, illuminating the Sanctuary they seek at sea. Meanwhile, the platform at its base offers fishermen a brief escape from the trivialities of everyday life. The lighthouse stands as both a sanctuary for sailors and a quiet haven for those on shore—another form of Sanctuary in its own subtle way.
I am a London-based photographic artist with five years of creative practice. I have travelled to remote regions of China for philanthropic photography projects, and my works have been exhibited both online and offline in galleries across France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, receiving multiple art awards. I currently operate my own studio in London, focusing on fine art and documentary photography. My work is rooted in calm, sincere, and unembellished observation. Landscapes, people, and documentary scenes form my dialogue with the world. I am drawn to traditional image-making mediums—film, Polaroid, instant materials, and peel-apart film—while also using digital photography as a complementary tool. “Bystanding” is the central theme of my practice. I move like a ghost through cities and human spaces, observing the traces left by time: birth and decay, tenderness and indifference, justice and shadow, tradition and renewal. I do not seek to alter or judge; instead, I respond as a silent observer, attentive to the subtle tremors of fate embedded in the everyday. Each press of the shutter is a quiet act of witnessing—an ongoing reflection on humanity, reality, and existence.
Brian Lambert
Richmond, TX
Earth Be Still
"Life is a journey, not a destination." I don't know who quoted that, but throughout my journey down the familiar road many of us have taken, my search has always been for that place that gives me peace—the still peace that I often experience in the moment between night and day.
Earth Be Still
"Life is a journey, not a destination." I don't know who quoted that, but throughout my journey down the familiar road many of us have taken, my search has always been for that place that gives me peace—the still peace that I often experience in the moment between night and day.
Callie Andrew
Gillette, WY
Bison On Their Land
I'm a wildlife and landscape photographer in Wyoming who loves to share the beauty Wyoming has to offer.
Bison On Their Land
I'm a wildlife and landscape photographer in Wyoming who loves to share the beauty Wyoming has to offer.
Carla Meeske
Scottsdale, AZ
Night Queens
Nightscape photographer Carla Meeske captures striking landscapes beneath the stars—from twilight's liminal glow to the blazing Milky Way core. Her images are portals into the universe and into ourselves. We are unique incarnate signatures created from stardust and Earth, alive and radiant with the beauty of creation. View these images with a dreaming eye and experience the Spirit's breath within you. Carla's love for night photography began in 2006 after encountering CJ Kale's work at the LavaLight Gallery in Hawai'i. In 2018 she photographed her first Milky Way image on Arizona's Mogollon Rim and immediately dedicated herself to the craft. She studied advanced nightscape techniques, including long-exposure capture, exposure stacking, and the use of astromodified sensors and star trackers. A juried member of the Sonoran Arts League, Carla hosts the MilkyNight Studio during the Hidden in the Hills Tour and has twice exhibited large-scale nightscapes at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. She is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Night Queens
Nightscape photographer Carla Meeske captures striking landscapes beneath the stars—from twilight's liminal glow to the blazing Milky Way core. Her images are portals into the universe and into ourselves. We are unique incarnate signatures created from stardust and Earth, alive and radiant with the beauty of creation. View these images with a dreaming eye and experience the Spirit's breath within you. Carla's love for night photography began in 2006 after encountering CJ Kale's work at the LavaLight Gallery in Hawai'i. In 2018 she photographed her first Milky Way image on Arizona's Mogollon Rim and immediately dedicated herself to the craft. She studied advanced nightscape techniques, including long-exposure capture, exposure stacking, and the use of astromodified sensors and star trackers. A juried member of the Sonoran Arts League, Carla hosts the MilkyNight Studio during the Hidden in the Hills Tour and has twice exhibited large-scale nightscapes at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. She is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Charlie Frances-Besson
Paris, France
Relax
This photograph was taken in Boussac, France. It is intended to be contemplative. Through this scene, I
remember a childhood world far from the city, birds singing in the morning and the peace I find in getting
away from the fast-paced world.
My career as a photographer began with street photography before increasingly shifting toward landscapes, both urban and rural. My goal? Not really to capture the spectacular, but rather to freeze a moment of everyday life or a landscape in time. Photography then becomes a mental and physical experience, with a lot of downtime. But with the need to be on the alert, I am, in a way, more present in this world. This photograph was taken in Boussac, France. It is intended to be contemplative. Through this scene, I remember a childhood world far from the city, birds singing in the morning, and the peace I find in getting away from the fast-paced world.
Relax
This photograph was taken in Boussac, France. It is intended to be contemplative. Through this scene, I
remember a childhood world far from the city, birds singing in the morning and the peace I find in getting
away from the fast-paced world.
My career as a photographer began with street photography before increasingly shifting toward landscapes, both urban and rural. My goal? Not really to capture the spectacular, but rather to freeze a moment of everyday life or a landscape in time. Photography then becomes a mental and physical experience, with a lot of downtime. But with the need to be on the alert, I am, in a way, more present in this world. This photograph was taken in Boussac, France. It is intended to be contemplative. Through this scene, I remember a childhood world far from the city, birds singing in the morning, and the peace I find in getting away from the fast-paced world.
Chenghao Wang
Savannah, GA
One Is a Church Too
My photographic practice investigates the intersections of architecture, memory, and ritual. I am drawn to spaces where human presence is felt rather than seen—sites where light, texture, and structure quietly register traces of lived experience. Through a sustained engagement with sacred and communal interiors, my work considers how built environments mediate emotion and belief, and how the residual atmosphere of devotion persists beyond the moment of gathering.
One Is a Church Too
My photographic practice investigates the intersections of architecture, memory, and ritual. I am drawn to spaces where human presence is felt rather than seen—sites where light, texture, and structure quietly register traces of lived experience. Through a sustained engagement with sacred and communal interiors, my work considers how built environments mediate emotion and belief, and how the residual atmosphere of devotion persists beyond the moment of gathering.
David Blow
Hickory Creek, TX
Bluebonnet Wave
I am a nature photographer dedicated to capturing images that reveal the profound beauty of the natural world and its spiritual connection to humanity. My artistic journey has been shaped by a desire to portray nature not only as a visual spectacle, but also as a bridge between the human spirit and the environment. Over the past nine years, I have cultivated a unique visual language composed of shapes, colors, and patterns. This language serves as a tool to express the dynamic energy that I perceive within the landscapes and moments I photograph. Each image is thoughtfully composed to convey this energy and the intricate relationships present in nature. My work delves into the multi-sensory experience of nature, recognizing that our connection to the environment extends beyond what we see. I strive to evoke the sounds, feelings, and spiritual presence of natural spaces within my photography, inviting viewers to engage with the images on a deeper, more intimate level. Through this approach, I hope to inspire others to appreciate the fullness of nature and its enduring influence on our lives.
Bluebonnet Wave
I am a nature photographer dedicated to capturing images that reveal the profound beauty of the natural world and its spiritual connection to humanity. My artistic journey has been shaped by a desire to portray nature not only as a visual spectacle, but also as a bridge between the human spirit and the environment. Over the past nine years, I have cultivated a unique visual language composed of shapes, colors, and patterns. This language serves as a tool to express the dynamic energy that I perceive within the landscapes and moments I photograph. Each image is thoughtfully composed to convey this energy and the intricate relationships present in nature. My work delves into the multi-sensory experience of nature, recognizing that our connection to the environment extends beyond what we see. I strive to evoke the sounds, feelings, and spiritual presence of natural spaces within my photography, inviting viewers to engage with the images on a deeper, more intimate level. Through this approach, I hope to inspire others to appreciate the fullness of nature and its enduring influence on our lives.
David Swainson
Portland, OR
Meditation
This Kymer monk in Vietnam's An Giang Province finishes the day in the ruins of an old temple in quiet meditation. David was born in New Zealand and moved to the US, where he developed an interest in photography. He is mainly a self-taught landscape photographer. Growing up in New Zealand, David was surrounded by the beauty and power of nature and discovered the peacefulness of solitude. With his photography he takes inspiration from what nature offers.
Meditation
This Kymer monk in Vietnam's An Giang Province finishes the day in the ruins of an old temple in quiet meditation. David was born in New Zealand and moved to the US, where he developed an interest in photography. He is mainly a self-taught landscape photographer. Growing up in New Zealand, David was surrounded by the beauty and power of nature and discovered the peacefulness of solitude. With his photography he takes inspiration from what nature offers.
Dotty Danforth
Naples, FL
Prayer at the Wailing Wall
Along the length of the Wailing Wall, many people are praying. This woman's position seemed to denote a fervent belief that she was in the care of God.
I learned to create photographs as a reporter for a small Massachusetts newspaper, but I fell in love with the way in which photographs tell stories. The photograph I took then of a young boy’s expression as he hit a home run was the turning point for me: I saw the joy and disbelief in his face. The photographs I take now follow that same path. The images are of the life lines in an elder’s face showing a compassionate or challenging life, or the hope for a filling meal as kittens wait outside a home in Morocco, or a small cabin in an overwhelmingly large canyon in New Zealand. These are the stories of our world. The uniqueness of each person or scene is captured so that they can show the viewer a time worth remembering.
Prayer at the Wailing Wall
Along the length of the Wailing Wall, many people are praying. This woman's position seemed to denote a fervent belief that she was in the care of God.
I learned to create photographs as a reporter for a small Massachusetts newspaper, but I fell in love with the way in which photographs tell stories. The photograph I took then of a young boy’s expression as he hit a home run was the turning point for me: I saw the joy and disbelief in his face. The photographs I take now follow that same path. The images are of the life lines in an elder’s face showing a compassionate or challenging life, or the hope for a filling meal as kittens wait outside a home in Morocco, or a small cabin in an overwhelmingly large canyon in New Zealand. These are the stories of our world. The uniqueness of each person or scene is captured so that they can show the viewer a time worth remembering.
Dustin Nguyen
Fayetteville, AR
Construction
My work explores the process of romantic love, heartbreak, and grief with images that disrupt familiar visual clichés and romantic tropes. My images represent the process of going through the day-to-day without the person I once held close. Each day is different, and each day comes with different challenges that I have to face. By creating images that explore diverse metaphors, emotions, and experiences of romance, it symbolizes the complexity of relationships and what they represent to myself and to any other individuals who might relate.
I am fascinated by how intimacy can shape our personalities, our likes and dislikes, and our worldviews. When intimacy or a relationship fails, I question whether the versions of ourselves that were built within that relationship crumble or transform, either positively or negatively. I am not grieving the individual who is still alive today. I am grieving the loss of the person they were to me, and the loss of the version of myself that was built through that relationship.
Construction
My work explores the process of romantic love, heartbreak, and grief with images that disrupt familiar visual clichés and romantic tropes. My images represent the process of going through the day-to-day without the person I once held close. Each day is different, and each day comes with different challenges that I have to face. By creating images that explore diverse metaphors, emotions, and experiences of romance, it symbolizes the complexity of relationships and what they represent to myself and to any other individuals who might relate.
I am fascinated by how intimacy can shape our personalities, our likes and dislikes, and our worldviews. When intimacy or a relationship fails, I question whether the versions of ourselves that were built within that relationship crumble or transform, either positively or negatively. I am not grieving the individual who is still alive today. I am grieving the loss of the person they were to me, and the loss of the version of myself that was built through that relationship.
Gerrit van Ommering
Gold River, CA
War Heroes at Peace
In this photograph from Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, serenity emerges not from isolation but from presence—thousands of markers standing in quiet formation. The low sun casts long shadows that soften the rigor of the rows, transforming strict geometry into a meditative field of light and shade. Here, sanctuary is made of memory, sacrifice, and the collective weight of service. The image asks viewers to step into a space where history rests, where gratitude deepens, and where the living meet the past with a sense of reverence and reflective calm.
I turned to photography as a creative outlet after retiring from my career inventing, developing, deploying, and managing complex, innovative space systems. Photography lets me blend those technical leanings with creative and artistic curiosity and experimentation. In my favorite images I like turning the ordinary into the unexpected—through radical manipulation, layering, and instinct-driven transformations. I’m drawn to patterns, forms, juxtapositions, and anomalies that other photographers might overlook, transforming them into complex, often strange or abstract visuals. My website focused-eclecticism.com provides a taste of that along with representational and observational photography. So, in an age flooded with photographic imagery, I try to create unique images that stand out and cause the viewer to pause and wonder. One of my “Sanctuary” images follows this notion and is definitely “different,” while the two others are representational with only subtle enhancements to reflect what I saw and felt when I took the photographs. Sanctuary appears in different forms across these works: in the solemn peace of a military cemetery, in the intimate refuge of three chairs by a pond, and in a reimagined chapel where ruin becomes radiance. Each reflects a different way sanctuary arises—found, shared, or imagined—and how photography helps reveal these quiet spaces.
War Heroes at Peace
In this photograph from Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, serenity emerges not from isolation but from presence—thousands of markers standing in quiet formation. The low sun casts long shadows that soften the rigor of the rows, transforming strict geometry into a meditative field of light and shade. Here, sanctuary is made of memory, sacrifice, and the collective weight of service. The image asks viewers to step into a space where history rests, where gratitude deepens, and where the living meet the past with a sense of reverence and reflective calm.
I turned to photography as a creative outlet after retiring from my career inventing, developing, deploying, and managing complex, innovative space systems. Photography lets me blend those technical leanings with creative and artistic curiosity and experimentation. In my favorite images I like turning the ordinary into the unexpected—through radical manipulation, layering, and instinct-driven transformations. I’m drawn to patterns, forms, juxtapositions, and anomalies that other photographers might overlook, transforming them into complex, often strange or abstract visuals. My website focused-eclecticism.com provides a taste of that along with representational and observational photography. So, in an age flooded with photographic imagery, I try to create unique images that stand out and cause the viewer to pause and wonder. One of my “Sanctuary” images follows this notion and is definitely “different,” while the two others are representational with only subtle enhancements to reflect what I saw and felt when I took the photographs. Sanctuary appears in different forms across these works: in the solemn peace of a military cemetery, in the intimate refuge of three chairs by a pond, and in a reimagined chapel where ruin becomes radiance. Each reflects a different way sanctuary arises—found, shared, or imagined—and how photography helps reveal these quiet spaces.
Jeff Denis
Quebec, CA
Alone in a Street
Sometimes, read a book alone in a street is the perfect sanctuary places.
Alone in a Street
Sometimes, read a book alone in a street is the perfect sanctuary places.
Jeff Denis
Quebec, CA
Cart
This Abandoned Golf Cart was the perfect sanctuary for someone who just drink a beer under the water.
Cart
This Abandoned Golf Cart was the perfect sanctuary for someone who just drink a beer under the water.
Jodie Castellani
Charleston, SC
The Sanctuary of Grief
It may seem counterintuitive to conceptualize grief as a form of Sanctuary, but grief provides the possibility of maintaining a connection long after someone has gone. Remembering someone brings comfort and connection. Grief means that you had the capacity to love, and that you still find comfort by being in your loved one’s presence, even if only at their grave. Your presence is a promise that they will be remembered...and that they mattered.
Dr. Jodie Castellani is a photographer and writer based out of Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Castellani completed photography/film certifications at The Light Factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an internship with the Charlotte Photography Group. She has completed professional certificates at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana, multimedia training at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, and courses in memoir and non-fiction writing with Creative Nonfiction. Dr. Castellani's work has been featured in publications such as N-Photo, CNN, Huffington Post, Sportsfreak, Taste of the South, Al-Ayyam Al-Jamilah, Creative Loafing, Yours (UK), and the Social Documentary Network. A cameo film starring Dan Truhitte, best known for portraying “Rolf” in the Academy Award-winning film *The Sound of Music*, was shown at the Filmmakers Gallery in Palm Springs, California. Her image *The Graphite Reactor* won the Our Ecological Footprint award at the 18th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in Boone, North Carolina, in 2021. The prior year, her image *As the Sun Gently Sets* was featured in a juried exhibit at the Southeast Center for Photography in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2022, another environmental image, *Radioactive: Fenced In*, won Best of Show at the 19th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition in Boone, North Carolina, and was featured at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Banff Film Festival. She has had multiple images in juried gallery shows at the Praxis Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and, most recently, a 2025 juried show at the Southeast Center for Photography’s *Telling Tales* exhibit. In addition to documentary work, Dr. Castellani covers the greater Charleston lowcountry region as a contributing news photographer for Alamy Live News based out of the UK. Past international coverage includes the FEI World Equestrian Games, the Billy Graham Memorial Week and Funeral, the Donald J. Trump MAGA Rally in Charlotte, and the Loyal White Knights of the KKK Trump Victory Parade. She has also served as a contributing photographer for the Carolina Public Press, a statewide non-partisan newspaper based out of Asheville.
The Sanctuary of Grief
It may seem counterintuitive to conceptualize grief as a form of Sanctuary, but grief provides the possibility of maintaining a connection long after someone has gone. Remembering someone brings comfort and connection. Grief means that you had the capacity to love, and that you still find comfort by being in your loved one’s presence, even if only at their grave. Your presence is a promise that they will be remembered...and that they mattered.
Dr. Jodie Castellani is a photographer and writer based out of Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Castellani completed photography/film certifications at The Light Factory in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an internship with the Charlotte Photography Group. She has completed professional certificates at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography in Missoula, Montana, multimedia training at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University, and courses in memoir and non-fiction writing with Creative Nonfiction. Dr. Castellani's work has been featured in publications such as N-Photo, CNN, Huffington Post, Sportsfreak, Taste of the South, Al-Ayyam Al-Jamilah, Creative Loafing, Yours (UK), and the Social Documentary Network. A cameo film starring Dan Truhitte, best known for portraying “Rolf” in the Academy Award-winning film *The Sound of Music*, was shown at the Filmmakers Gallery in Palm Springs, California. Her image *The Graphite Reactor* won the Our Ecological Footprint award at the 18th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in Boone, North Carolina, in 2021. The prior year, her image *As the Sun Gently Sets* was featured in a juried exhibit at the Southeast Center for Photography in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2022, another environmental image, *Radioactive: Fenced In*, won Best of Show at the 19th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition in Boone, North Carolina, and was featured at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts and the Banff Film Festival. She has had multiple images in juried gallery shows at the Praxis Gallery in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and, most recently, a 2025 juried show at the Southeast Center for Photography’s *Telling Tales* exhibit. In addition to documentary work, Dr. Castellani covers the greater Charleston lowcountry region as a contributing news photographer for Alamy Live News based out of the UK. Past international coverage includes the FEI World Equestrian Games, the Billy Graham Memorial Week and Funeral, the Donald J. Trump MAGA Rally in Charlotte, and the Loyal White Knights of the KKK Trump Victory Parade. She has also served as a contributing photographer for the Carolina Public Press, a statewide non-partisan newspaper based out of Asheville.
John Diephouse
Lansing, MI
Among the Aspens
I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist. What I seek to share are images with which I have a strong and instinctive personal connection. My goal is to create images that evoke a story of some kind that often moves far beyond the relatively literal boundaries of traditional photography. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape, or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. I draw from a wide range of my photographic subjects such as landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife as well as urban environments and people. Most often I am drawn back to images created while wandering through the upper Midwest. These images of architecture, commerce, and social interactions often reflect a mixture of nostalgia and a changing set of forces that shape life in the heartlands. In recent years my creative efforts have expanded to include digital collages as a means of expression.
I follow an intuitive yet somewhat ordered process of layering or merging portions of photos until an image that speaks to me emerges; most often this is more a random bit of serendipity than deliberate intent. Images often suggest a sense of time and place, or reflect a rich and ethereal interplay of color, shape, or form. Images may provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Ultimately, my images provide a vehicle to stimulate both my imagination and that of the viewer, leaving one free to interpret and create an individual sense of meaning and value. I have exhibited widely and have earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.
Among the Aspens
I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist. What I seek to share are images with which I have a strong and instinctive personal connection. My goal is to create images that evoke a story of some kind that often moves far beyond the relatively literal boundaries of traditional photography. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape, or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. I draw from a wide range of my photographic subjects such as landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife as well as urban environments and people. Most often I am drawn back to images created while wandering through the upper Midwest. These images of architecture, commerce, and social interactions often reflect a mixture of nostalgia and a changing set of forces that shape life in the heartlands. In recent years my creative efforts have expanded to include digital collages as a means of expression.
I follow an intuitive yet somewhat ordered process of layering or merging portions of photos until an image that speaks to me emerges; most often this is more a random bit of serendipity than deliberate intent. Images often suggest a sense of time and place, or reflect a rich and ethereal interplay of color, shape, or form. Images may provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Ultimately, my images provide a vehicle to stimulate both my imagination and that of the viewer, leaving one free to interpret and create an individual sense of meaning and value. I have exhibited widely and have earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.
John Diephouse
Lansing, MI
Twilight Stillness
I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist. What I seek to share are images with which I have a strong and instinctive personal connection. My goal is to create images that evoke a story of some kind that often moves far beyond the relatively literal boundaries of traditional photography. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape, or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. I draw from a wide range of my photographic subjects such as landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife as well as urban environments and people. Most often I am drawn back to images created while wandering through the upper Midwest. These images of architecture, commerce, and social interactions often reflect a mixture of nostalgia and a changing set of forces that shape life in the heartlands. In recent years my creative efforts have expanded to include digital collages as a means of expression.
I follow an intuitive yet somewhat ordered process of layering or merging portions of photos until an image that speaks to me emerges; most often this is more a random bit of serendipity than deliberate intent. Images often suggest a sense of time and place, or reflect a rich and ethereal interplay of color, shape, or form. Images may provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Ultimately, my images provide a vehicle to stimulate both my imagination and that of the viewer, leaving one free to interpret and create an individual sense of meaning and value. I have exhibited widely and have earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.
Twilight Stillness
I am a self-taught photographer and digital collage artist. What I seek to share are images with which I have a strong and instinctive personal connection. My goal is to create images that evoke a story of some kind that often moves far beyond the relatively literal boundaries of traditional photography. Images may be simply documentary, invoke a sense of time and place, or resonate as an abstract blend of color, shape, or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. I draw from a wide range of my photographic subjects such as landscapes, botanicals, and wildlife as well as urban environments and people. Most often I am drawn back to images created while wandering through the upper Midwest. These images of architecture, commerce, and social interactions often reflect a mixture of nostalgia and a changing set of forces that shape life in the heartlands. In recent years my creative efforts have expanded to include digital collages as a means of expression.
I follow an intuitive yet somewhat ordered process of layering or merging portions of photos until an image that speaks to me emerges; most often this is more a random bit of serendipity than deliberate intent. Images often suggest a sense of time and place, or reflect a rich and ethereal interplay of color, shape, or form. Images may provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Ultimately, my images provide a vehicle to stimulate both my imagination and that of the viewer, leaving one free to interpret and create an individual sense of meaning and value. I have exhibited widely and have earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.
John Santoni
Laguna Niguel, CA
Giant Rock Prayer
The true silence of the desert slows time and diminishes overthinking, bringing grounding and peace. The lone human figure contemplates sacred Giant Rock in the California desert, which split and broke in the year 2000. Bold graphic composition and high-contrast black and white simplify the image, inspiring reflection on how we may strengthen our relationship with the natural world. John Santoni is a conceptual nature and landscape photographer based in Laguna Niguel, CA, who creates images that provoke viewers to contemplate their relationship with the natural world.
Growing up in Los Angeles in the smog-choked 1970s informed John’s view that we have lost the ancient wisdom that allows for a symbiotic relationship with our environment. Images are created in silent solitude in desert and ocean environments to inspire tranquil contemplation of the natural world and our relationship with it.
Giant Rock Prayer
The true silence of the desert slows time and diminishes overthinking, bringing grounding and peace. The lone human figure contemplates sacred Giant Rock in the California desert, which split and broke in the year 2000. Bold graphic composition and high-contrast black and white simplify the image, inspiring reflection on how we may strengthen our relationship with the natural world. John Santoni is a conceptual nature and landscape photographer based in Laguna Niguel, CA, who creates images that provoke viewers to contemplate their relationship with the natural world.
Growing up in Los Angeles in the smog-choked 1970s informed John’s view that we have lost the ancient wisdom that allows for a symbiotic relationship with our environment. Images are created in silent solitude in desert and ocean environments to inspire tranquil contemplation of the natural world and our relationship with it.
Joon Hee Lee
Seoul, South Korea
Morning Calm Lake
Joon Hee Lee’s practice emerges from the intersections of drawing, painting, photography, and mixed media—zones where distinct visual languages blur and transform. Through experimental processes that question the limits of each medium, he explores the porous boundaries between material and immaterial, representation and perception. His images often hover in an in-between state—neither painting nor photography—embodying a visual ambiguity that becomes central to his artistic inquiry. Rather than simply depicting, his works invite viewers to reconsider the act of seeing itself. By fusing multiple visual systems, Joon Lee constructs hybrid images that resist definition and remain open to interpretation. Viewers often find themselves asking, “Is it a painting or a photograph?”—a question that precisely captures the conceptual core of his practice. In this space of uncertainty, images transform and expand, suggesting new ways of perceiving and understanding the visual field in contemporary art.
Morning Calm Lake
Joon Hee Lee’s practice emerges from the intersections of drawing, painting, photography, and mixed media—zones where distinct visual languages blur and transform. Through experimental processes that question the limits of each medium, he explores the porous boundaries between material and immaterial, representation and perception. His images often hover in an in-between state—neither painting nor photography—embodying a visual ambiguity that becomes central to his artistic inquiry. Rather than simply depicting, his works invite viewers to reconsider the act of seeing itself. By fusing multiple visual systems, Joon Lee constructs hybrid images that resist definition and remain open to interpretation. Viewers often find themselves asking, “Is it a painting or a photograph?”—a question that precisely captures the conceptual core of his practice. In this space of uncertainty, images transform and expand, suggesting new ways of perceiving and understanding the visual field in contemporary art.
Kapil Bhagwat
Pune, India
Cosmic Dust in the Void
This image captures the enchanting moment of a bracket mushroom releasing its spores in the dense terrain of the forest. Heavy rain had soaked the area, and the mushrooms grew in unusual positions on the tree trunk, surrounded by a tangle of smaller trees. Placing a backlight was challenging due to the cramped surroundings, but I managed to position the light behind the tree. The result revealed the magical cascade of spores illuminated against the darkness—a mesmerizing sight. I managed to capture a few stills and videos, and witnessing this delicate spectacle in person was an incredibly satisfying experience.
I’m Kapil Bhagwat, a wildlife photographer driven to freeze-frame nature’s raw moments and share them with the world. For me, the camera is more than a tool—it’s an extension of my senses, letting me immerse in the wilderness and capture life in its purest form. From snow-clad peaks to dense forests, I chase the untamed, seeking to narrate timeless stories of wildlife—their elegance, strength, and the fragile rhythm of survival. Each frame is a storyteller, revealing genuine character, emotion, and spirit rather than contrived perfection. Though awards and recognition honor my work, my true reward lies in those fleeting instants when light, weather, and animal behavior align to create something unrepeatable. These moments, impossible to stage or replicate, are treasures that remind me why I return to the wild again and again.
Cosmic Dust in the Void
This image captures the enchanting moment of a bracket mushroom releasing its spores in the dense terrain of the forest. Heavy rain had soaked the area, and the mushrooms grew in unusual positions on the tree trunk, surrounded by a tangle of smaller trees. Placing a backlight was challenging due to the cramped surroundings, but I managed to position the light behind the tree. The result revealed the magical cascade of spores illuminated against the darkness—a mesmerizing sight. I managed to capture a few stills and videos, and witnessing this delicate spectacle in person was an incredibly satisfying experience.
I’m Kapil Bhagwat, a wildlife photographer driven to freeze-frame nature’s raw moments and share them with the world. For me, the camera is more than a tool—it’s an extension of my senses, letting me immerse in the wilderness and capture life in its purest form. From snow-clad peaks to dense forests, I chase the untamed, seeking to narrate timeless stories of wildlife—their elegance, strength, and the fragile rhythm of survival. Each frame is a storyteller, revealing genuine character, emotion, and spirit rather than contrived perfection. Though awards and recognition honor my work, my true reward lies in those fleeting instants when light, weather, and animal behavior align to create something unrepeatable. These moments, impossible to stage or replicate, are treasures that remind me why I return to the wild again and again.
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